Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-26
Third Party Vote Must Be Recli'
oned With in Coming Presi-
Dental Election
aAY ELECT coNGREssMEN
Possibility That They Will Hold Bal
ance Of Power in Next Congress -
Suffrage Question in District OF Col
umbia - Many AntiLiquor Pr0po-
sitions Being Urged.

Washington, Feb. 26-General recog-
n,tion is accorded the fact that the
prohibition vote is going to have to be
with in the coming presiden-
tial election. The prohibitionists claim
they will poll more than million votes
for their presidential candidate, and
there is a disposition in both the ma
ior parties to ooncede that the clam
is well founded. If the prohibitionists
develop this much strength their votes
NAV change the result in more than
one close state.
The largest prohibition vote ever
polled was in 1892, when John Bidwell
received 264,13S. Four years ago Silac
C.. Swallow, the prohibitionist candl-
date for president, received 2oS,
Should the vote be increased this year
to a million it may do even more than
determine the result in a number OF
close states. With million prohlpl-
tionists voting their party ticket, the
election of prohibitionists to congress
might reasonably be expected, and 1t IS
entirely within the range of possibility
that they may hold the balance OF
power in the next house of represen-
tatives.
The possibility of this must be ack-
nowledged when it is recalled that the
largest third party vote ever polled
was in 1892, when James b. Weaver,
the peoples party candidate for presl-
dent, received 1,041,O2S votes. In that
year eight populists were elected 10
membership in the house. In 1895
when the populist vote was merged
with the democratic, there were elected
sixteen populists and silver republican
members of the house and fifteen VINO
were classed as fusionists but Y 70 par
ticipated in house democratic ACCUSES.
This was the largest party
strength in, the house 81. the civil
war. 1t did not give ba. zee Of pow
er, however, as the republicans had
majority of Sc over all. In 1850,
James B. Weaver, running as the
greenback candidate for president,
polled only 3O7,306 votes, yet that year
the greenbackers elected 10 members of
the house and held the balance of pow
err, the republicans having Las and the
democrats 1873 members.
If the greenbacks with 100000 votes
could elect ten members Of congress,
how many would it be possible for the
prohibitionists to elect with a million
votes? The question is being discussed
very seriously in Washington, for pro-
hibition sentiment, like greenback sem
timent, is largely centered in a few
states.
For the past ten years there has been
a growing demand for suffrage for the
district of Columbia, and the temper
ance agitation may be the means of
giving the present generation at the
vote.
Two anti-liquor propositions are be-
ing urged upon congress. One is that
the sale of intoxicating liquor be abol-
ished from the district by congression-
al enactment. There is little likeli-
hood that congress will heed this de-
mand. The second proposition is for
local option by districts the boundaries
Of which are yet to be determined.
Upon this proposition a strong element
in congress is disposed to look with
favor and there is a very strong prob
ability that majority could be Sc
cured for such measure. A local OPP
ton bill may not pass at this session,
but it is very likely to be at the next.
If the Sixtieth congress fails to enact
temperance legislation of some sort for
the capital a good many members will
find themselves in hot water when they
come up for reelection
The suffragists of the districts-not
female, but male ffragists-believe
the ballot on the question Of local OPP
ton would be an entering wedge that
would speedily secure the people Of
Washington a voice in both local and
national affairs. The Washington suf-
fragists not only want to vote for the
men who levy the taxes they must pay,
but they can see no good reason why
they should not vote for president of
the United States. 1t is a poor COM
mentary upon popular government.
they contend, if the people of the cap
ital Of the greatest republic are not
fit to be entrusted with the ballot.
1t is we'll known, of course, that the
fact that there are nearly 100000 ne
groes in Washington has operated
against securing suffrage for the dis
trict A good many residents here
oppose suffrage for that very reason,
and congress has not yet seen fit to
pass franchise law under which this
great body of negroes would largely be
disqualified.
In these days when the popularity
Of centralized government appears to
he at its height. the movement to erect
in Washington a monument to Alexan-