The Irish standard., 1910-02-12
A Great Democratic Gain in
Old Missouri.
The Next Congress Likely
to be Democratic.
]. Pierpont Morgan Against
Postal Savings Bank.
Special to the Irish Standard.

unprecedented Democratic gain devc-
Hoped in the recent special election IN
the Sixth Congressional district Of
Missouri. A special election was made
necessary by the denth of Representa-
tive David A. DeArmond.
The issue having been the Payne
Aldrich- Smoot tariff law, tho outcome
of the election is of national political
Importance. The Democratic candi.
date, State Senator C. c. Dickinson,
won by a majority CT 3,7sS over his
Republican opponent which is the
largest majority that the counties COM
posing the Sixth Missouri district have
given a Democratic candidate in twen-
ty years.
Considered as q thermometer reflect
ing the sentiment of tic farmer AMI
the resident of the small town on the
new tariff law, the result Of the cleo
ton would tend to Indicate that the
Democratic leaders are justified in
their belief that the next House o.
Representatives will lie Democratic Ly
substantial majority. Dickinson's
sweeping victory resulted in spite Of
the fact that the Republican National
congressional committc. sent large
amount of money into the district, and
Postmaster General Hitchcock gave
the fight his personal attention. Anoth-
er member of President Taft's cabi-
net-Secretary Chas. 4lrgle Of the de-
partment of commerce and labor
stumped the district on behalf of the
Republican candidate. as did Gov
Hadley of Missouri (Republican), and
All of the Republican speakers took
the position of President Taft as out.
lined In his now-fa,rous speech at
Winona, Mimi, that the new tariff law
was one of the best measures of tho
kind ever enacted.
Rep. James T. Lloyd, of Missouri,
chairman Of the National Democratic
Congressional committee, was warmly
congratulated by his colleagues on
Dickinson's victory, as he had put in
much hard work in the district. Mi
nority Leader Champ Clark and Sena-
tor Stone of Missouri are also given
credit, as they made number Of
speeches in which they discussed the
new tariff law from the Democratic
viewpoint.
Dickinson's swollen majority is tho
third shock that has been administered
to the Republican sterdpatters within
comparatively short time, or since
the passage of the Payne Aldrich-
Smoot bill. The first surprise came
with the announcement: that the old
time majority Of 10000 of Governor
Draper of Massachusetts (Republlcan),
ad been cut to beggarly 5000 in an
lection in which the new tariff law
ad been practically the only issue.
The second bit of discouraging news
b reach Republican headquarters was
ne announcement Of the result Of the
traw ballot taken among the life men,
ers of the Success magazine. Of the
republicans voting on the question do
Fou approve of the position of Sena-
or Aldrich in the recent tariff legis-
ation?" but SIT voted yes" while g.
ID voted mo-" In answer to the
uestion do you approve of the posi-
ion Of President Taft in the recent
Tariff legislation" 2.1O2 Republicans
voted eyes," and $3.50 Republicans
voted mo-"
Should the propo-t!cnate rate of in
crease made by the Democrats in the
Sixth Missouri district be maintained in
/ other contested districts in the Con-
gressional elections this fall, the DEM
ocrats would have 4 majority ot more
than 100 in the next house. There are in
the present House approximately six.
ty Republicans who had majorit;es in
1908 of less than $500. OF these there
were thirty-one whose majorities were
less than 1000, so that by keeping the
members which they now have, tho
Democrats have only to change about
$4,000 votes, properly distributed II,
these thirty-one districts, to wipe out
the present Republican majority in tho
House and have majority Of fifteen
or twenty of their own.
There are nineteen Republicans
whose majorities are COG or lcss SOM,
OF them under 1OO and these in them.
selves, if they can be overturned. are
almost enough to turn the scale in
\ favor of the Democrats
The pendulum has been slowly but
gradually swinging eek to the Dem
osratic party since 1904. Commencing
with the Spanish American war in
1883, public sentiment began to drift
toward the Republicans, reaching it's
climax in 1904, when there was a ma.