Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-23
FILLED WITH D|SMAY
Republicans in Congress
Gloomy Over Foss' Election.
SEE MENACE TO CONTROL
Champ Clark Reads in the Result
Popular Discomfort.
PAYNE HAS NOTHING TO SAY
Loudenslager Doesn't Believe That
the Massachusetts, Landslide In
dicates Sentiment Of Country.


Dismay, amounting almost TO conster-
nation, pervaded the ranks Of the re-
publicans IN Congress today over the elec-
ton Of Eugene n. Foss, the democratic
in the fourteenth Massachu-
setts district yesterday. The result was
regarded as a political body blow to the
republican party in Congress.
1t could not be explained away, re-
publcans admitted to one another in
private conversation. When they recalled
the circumstances attending the cam
paign the outcome seemed all the more
sinister in it's political significance. Brief
" these circumstances are that the four
teenth district has been a rock-ribbed re-
publican district since the time that the
memory of man runneth not to the con-
trary. In the last congressional election
it gave the late Mr. Lowering majority
of about fourteen thousand. 1t now re-
verses that vote and turns in a demo-
cratic majority of about five thousand
Furthermore, ii is considered that Mr
Foss, the successful candidate. is for
mer republican. He has opposed his
party on its tariff platform and for otner
reasons. He is insurgency personifled.
Moreover, the republicans realize with
a sinking feeling in the region Of their
hearts that the issue was clearly drawn
on the tariff, Senator Lodge no later than
Saturday night last making an ear
nest defense of the party's tariff legisla-
ton.
Blu; that is not all. President Taft. in an
adjoining state, yesterday In his Prov
idence speech defended the tariff law,
praised Senator Aldrich. one OF It's au-
thors and urged party support.
The voters in Massachusetts, answered
the same day In the manner related. In
these considerations some repuofcans In
the House were unable TO-DAY TO see any
thing but gloom and menace IN the Out
come Of the elections.
Some republicans in private conversation
took the view that the landslide in Mas
sachusetts was anti-Cannon and anu
Taft in its Significance. They could not
dissociate the national and congress1ona
administrations from the result, inasmuch
as President Taft, they say, has defended
the legislation of Congress.
Other Disquieting Features.
1t did not make the administration men
in Congress any more comfortable today
to contemplate the coincidence that the
Massachusetts disaster comes along with
the rumored revival of the back from
EHba" camp align. the departure Of Pinchot
to meet Roosevelt and some disturbing
news from Ohio.
A dispatch from Columbus alleges that
James r. Garfield will decline to seek the
nomination for governor. on the ground
that the state platform would be written
by the Taft people and would not be sat
isfactory to the Roosevelt element.
Although that announcement is taken
with a grain Of salt, 1t yet indicates a dis
turbed condition of political sentiment in
that section of the country.
With revolt outright in Massachusetts,
scandal and factional trouble in New
York and rumored discomfort n Ohio, the
republicans were not in very happy
frame OF mind today.
Champ Clark Jubilant.
Representative Champ Clark. demo-
cratic leader in the House. in an inter-
The news from the fourteenth Massa-
chusetts district is the best political news
that has come over the wires since the
night Of election in 1892
Taken in connection with the result in
the sixth Missouri district, 1900 miles
away from the Massachusetts district. 1t
demonstrated to my mind that the same
causes are working all over the United
States. OF course, one swallow does not
make a summer, nor do two. but it
would be thousand-to-one shot that the
separated should be an accident.
"One Of these elections was held in
midwinter, the other in the balmy days
Of spring. and the only difference lin the
result is that in the later election in
Massachusetts the public mind seems to
have gone further I'm the direction of
overthrowing the republicans than 1t had
at the earlier election.
Alleges Popular Discomfort.
THE cause seems to me to be wide
spread dissatisfaction with the republican
national administration and the repub-
lican Congress. The strongest reason of
all, no doubt, is a feeling Of dissatisfac-
ton and resentment as to the Payne-Al-
drich tariff bill.
There can be no question about this
when Mr.. Foss' political course is con-
sidered Until year ago he was affiliat-
ed with the republicans and he fought in
side the party for a revision Of the tariff
downward and for genuine reciprocity.
He fought for them inside his party as
long as he had a shred OF hope that it
would work these reforms.
Concluding that his party would not
do so. he came over to the democrats.
governor, he pulled the republican ma
jority down from 10000 to about 5000
and finally converts a republican ma
jority OF over 1900 into q democratic
ma jority Of over 5000 in that congress
sfonaI district, which seems to be a straw
showing which way the wind is blowing -
Majority Leader Has No Comment.
II have nothing to-say.'' remarked
Representative Serene e. Payne OF New
York. the republican floor leader Of the
House, when he was asked for an ex-
preston Of opinion Of the election in
Massachusetts.
do you regard it as having any bear
ing on the probable result next fall?"
he was asked.
IT said that I had nothing to say" he
repeated, with a smile. but very firmly,
"I do not know anything about conditions
in Massachusetts. The people OF Massa-
chusetts know more about tho causes
leading up/t to the result than I do: ask
them"
Mr.. Loudenslager's Explanation.
II do not believe the Massachusetts, re-
s,,,t n any indication Of the sentiment
OF the country at large said Representa-
tive Henry C. Loudenslager Of New Jer-
say. secretary OF the republican congress
sional committee. Here we had a half
democrat and half republican running on
Continued on Fourth Pags.l