El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-10-25

IN Tuesday, November 8, the peo-
n pie of the United States will go
to the polls to choose for the
sixty time their representatives
to congress. In the beginning there
was no fixed day of election, and mem
bers of congress were chosen at varI-
Gus times and in elections continuing
for several days, after the fashion then
and now obtaining in England. Con-
siderations of convenience prompted
the fixing of uniform election days in
the several states, and finally the first
Tuesday after the first Monday in No
vember became the generally accepted
federal election day Only Maine and
Vermont of all the states in the Union
now elect congressman in September.
These two New England states already
have spoken, Vermont remaining true
to its allegiance to the Republican
party, although by majorities slightly
reduced; while Maine burst the bonds
of so years political habit and, foI-
getting its Republicanism, elected two
Democratic representatives by large
majorities, and two Republican repre-
sentatives by very small majorities.
An "Off Year.
All of which brings into public atten-
tion the fact that the year 1910 has
gressional campaign. 1t also is an off
year. The expression means, in the
first instance, that the election comes
in the middle of the presidential term
and the election and its preceding COM
paign must be differentiated from those
congressional elections which take
place at the same time the people
choose presidential electors. In the
second place, the term off year is ap
piled to these elections by politicians
of every shade of political allegiance
because of the almost universally ac
copied belief that the congressional
elections are not to be compared with
presidential elections in Importance.
In the United States, and in the Lat
in-American republics, all of which
have more or less closely initiated the
United States constitution, the selec-
ton of legislative officers is subordi
mated in interest and Importance to the
business of choosing executive and ad-
ministrative officers. In the constitu
tional countries of Europe, both mon
archial and republican, the selection
of legislative officers is of supreme i'm
portance-in fact, only the legislative
officers are chosen by the people in
most European states. In monarchial
Britain or republican France, the peo
who in turn appoint all executive Off
GERS. every officer being at all times
directly responsible to the chosen rep
resentatives of the people. In both
countries. of course this system in
practice is subject to limitations not
apparent in this bald statement of the
governing theory.
Theory Reversed Here and In Mexico.
In the democratic republic OF the
United States and in the oligarchic re-
public of Mexico the European theory
is reversed. The Mexican oligarchy
rules by and through an autocratic
president who would not under any cir
cumstances brook interference from
the legislature. The American democ-
racy when displeased with is govern
ment usually directs its criticism
against the president and seeks to OBJ
tain relief by choosing a new execu-
tive. Americans, as nation, have not
in the past given particular attention
to the business of choosing members Of
congress. The congressional candi-
dates in ordinary or normal" times
are compelled to make their campaign
upon more or less unworthy and >un-
dignified local lines, the people often
actually resenting an effort on the
part of the candidate to confine his
canvass to national issues.
Hinges Upon Presidential Question.
The political party history of the
country shows that this always has
been true and discloses the interesting
fact that with one or two exceptions,
every one of the 81 congressional cam
paigns has hinged upon an administra-
tive or presidential question. Congress
siOnal majorities have been returned
or retired, as the case might be, not
because of what that majority did or
failed to do, but because of what the
president of the same party faith did
or failed to do.
If the people have disapproved of