The National tribune., 1909-09-30
THIS FALLS CAMPAIGNS.
But Few in Number, and None
of Great Interest.

Political campaigning is at low ebt
this year. 1t is long SINCE there was sc
little doing in that line on an OIL year
Probably never before, at least in mod
ern times, have so few States been in
yoIved in Autumn struggles preceding
the November election.
There is little prospect of "straws''
which will show the way the political
wind is veering. Most If not all, the
November elections will be very one
sided and of a character to attract
hardly more than local attention. The
most populous State holding general
election is Massachusetts,. There has
been no excitement there up to date.
The nominating conventions are to be
held this week. The State promises to
go Republican all along the line, altho
in recent years it has occasionally been
close and once elected a Democratic
Governor.
Gov. Eben s. Draper will be renomi-
mated, and, unless there Is the greatest
kind of a surprise in store, reelected
by a big vote. The Democrats are show
ing no spirit for the campaign, and VIII
renominate James H. Vahey, a radical
Democrat. The minority party in the
Bay State is composed of two factions
radicals and old-line conservative DEM
ocrats. If they could unite they could
make things interesting. But this is
not their year.
cusses which has led men to believe
that the progressive movement, which
has been so successful in the West,
would receive encouragement in the
East, if only there were competent
leaders. The contest that emphasized
this idea was in the Haverhill Senatorial
District, where a member of the Cen
eral Court, named Mason, defeated for
nomination as State Senator a premi-
nent- corporation lobbyist, supported by
the Republican organization. He won
overwhelmingly, althe there is no place
in Massachusetts, where it was supposed
the regular organization was more
strongly intrenehed. 1t is in the Con-
gressional District of Representative
"Gussie" Gardner, the sen-in-law of Sem
ator Henry Cabot Lodge. Senator Lodge
is the Republican leader of the State
and the recognized head of the Re-
publican organization.
Ever since this unexpected incident
Massachusetts, has been ringing with
talk about the strength of progressives,
if only the right sort of leaders would
come to the front Mason is a likely
sort of q man, whose career in the low
er branch of the Legislature has been
highly honora BILE but he has stood for
advanced reforms, such as the election
of United States Senators by popular
vote-a reform that has been most
stoutly resisted in the Bay State.
Rhode Island has been going Demo-
cratic in off years for some time, but
the campaign there this year is lifeiess.
and it is not improbable that Republi-
cans will re-elect their Governor and,
as usual, a majority of the Legislature
The French-Canadian vote there is very
large and generally is decisive, but last
year the Republicans named and elect
ed Aram j. PoIhier for Governor. He
is a French Canadian, and proved q
tower of strength for his party.
The campaign in Virginia, where a
Governor and other State officers will
be elected, is showing little life The
Republican nominee for Governor, Will
liam P. Kent, who used to be Consul
General at Guatemala, is hustling up
and down the State making speeches,
but Virginia is so Overwhelmingly DEM
ocratic that he apparently can make no
headway. The Old Dominion election
promises to be case of the Dutch TAX
ing Holland.
over in Maryland, where a Legisla-
ture and some minor State officers are
be chosen, the Democrats are having
the best of it, altho the campaign has
some spirit, chiefly because of the pro-
posed constitutional amendment con-
tanning a grandfather's clause, for the
elimination of the negro vote. There is
some doubt whether the amendment
viii carry, altho chances seem to favor
it.
New York City gave Indications of a
big Mayoralty campaign, but events of
the last few days Indicate that Tammany
is getting the best of things all along
the line and is to have a walls-over.
The fusion plans on the Mayoralty tick
ct failed utterly. The Republicans are
going it alone, having nominated a
lawyer and banker, Otto T. Barnard, for
Mayor, but are now trying to arrange
fusion on some of the County tickets
Tammany has yet to name its candi-
date for Mayor, but he probably will be
Judge Gaynor, who has been prominent
in New York for years as an independ-
ent-m1nded man in politics. He has at
Tunes been suggested for various offices.
such as Governor of the State, and even
at Denver last year for Vice President
on the ticket with Bryan. Several in
dependent bodies have already nominat-
ed him.
There was a general desire for cru
sade against Tammany and Tammany
methods in the government of New
York City, whose debt is now larger
than the debt of the United States Gov
ernment- 1t was claimed that Tam
many could be overthroWn this year if
the opposition could be united. But
with the opposition badly demoraliZed
the expected campaign against the IL
ger VIII likely be ineffective but noisy.
AS matters progress now il will be hard
Iy more interesting to the public AT
large than the political deyeIopments
across the Atlantic in Graaf prito;n