The Washington herald., 1911-10-23
POLITICAL NEWS
AND COMMENT

workingmen in Illinois are against the
suggestion that labor party be formed
for independent political action. The vote
was 1,795 for such a party and 3,154
against
The campaign in Maryland has reached
a most uncertain stage. 1t is generally
conceded that Mr.. Gorman's chances of
election have been materially decreased
by the expose of election frauds in Bal
timore. The voters in the agricultural
sections are disposed to resent the frauds
which have been discovered.
The Democratic campaign in Massa-
chusetts is being waged upon the issue
that the special interests are arraigned
against the welfare of the people. This
was the keynote of a recent address of
Frank ]. DOnahue, candidate for secre-
tary of state, who said that it was vital
that the government should be restored
to the hands of the people. This is not
a campaign against the Republican
party" he said, but against the inter- !
ests that control the government. Over
one hundred manufacturers in this |
State have subscribed 81 900 each to de- |
feat the Democratic ticket"
Gov. Foss. who is busy making cam
paign speeches, is asserting that only |
through his reelection can progressive |
measures be adopted. He wants a State |
department of labor. prison reform. /
lower taxes, a larger interest upon de-
posits of State money in the banks, and |
many other new measures.
Virgil Rule. one Of Folks strongest
friends in st. Louis, and who was ap-
pointed TO the circuit bench by the for
mer governor, confirms a statement made |
some time ago in The Washington Her
aid. He says that the Missouri State
convention which indorsed Folk for the
Presidency was a convention assembled
for the purpose of formulating a plat
form and had no authority to transact !
any other business. If this view is cor
rect the resolution of Endorsement does
not bind the Democrats of the State.
The latest proposition TO settle the
question as to Missouri's preference is
the holding of a State primary The sug-
gestion has met with favor by the friends
of the rival candidates, while those Mis-
souri, Democrats who are not partisans
of either Folk or Clark also believe that
the plan is a sensible way Of adjusting
ever, do not provide for a special pri-
mary by which the sentiment Of Demo-
cratic voters for Presidential candidates
can be determined. and 1t is possible that
the matter may be left to the decision
of the county conventions, which will
elect delegates to the State convention
The personnel of the delegates to the
State convention will determine that Of
the delegates to the national convention
These delegates Will be in a majority.
either for Clark or Folk or some other
candidate. and their selection will de-
termine the attitude of the majority Of
the Democrats of the State.
That such n test Of strength IS de-
sired by the Folk element is attested by i
the statement OF Lon Sanders, president I
Of the Missouri Democratic League. I
Senator Penrose, Of Pennsylvania advo-
Gates the tariff question as the keynote !
Of the mayoralty campaign in Phila- ,
delphia He says that the next national ,
election will he fought upon this issue :
and the election OF Mr.. Earle, the Re +
publican candidate for mayor, would ,
give support to the principle of a pro- 5
tective tariff. Mr.. PenrOse, speaking at I
a luncheon at the Manufacturers Club,
said that protection had made Philadel-
phia the center of the textile industries
of the United States, and Mr.. Earle's s
victory would prove to Republicans else :
where that the principle Of protection I
was thoroughly indorsed. j
In an effort to prevent the a
appearance on the official ballot at +
the Massachusetts, State election Of }
a candidate representing organized
labor, Chairman John F. Mcdonald. of y
the Democratic State committee, has filed il
with the secretary of state a formal l.
protest against the papers filed with him 5
purportng to nominate Augustus Seaver
of Boston, as a labor" candidate for
governor. He sets forth five reasons
why. in his judgment, the papers are in '
valid !
The State ballot law commission. to a
which the matter has been referred, is to s
give a hearing to Mr.. Mcdonald to-day. q
In order to have the papers thrown out I
it will be necessary for Mr.. Mcdonald d
to remove no less than S34 names. mas !
much as there are at present 1888 sign c
ers, and the law permits an independent G
by not less than 1000 quail b
fed voters" Z
According 10 Harry w. Walker, for ?,
merly a newspaper correspondent here, -
and identified with Tammany politics. r
Mr.. Bryan is in favor of holding the
next Democratic national convention in ;,
Baltimore. Mr. Walker says. however !
that the national committee at its meet !
ing in this city in January will have -
TO be convinced that the 100000 guaran- Y
tee fund has actually been subscribed. l.
incidentally, Mr.. Walker quotes Mr r.
Bryan as believing that Woodrow Will 7
son will be nominated by the conven- d
ion. Il
Several amendments to the New York Z
State constitution and one bond issue o
the latter providing for the =
ISSUANCE of bonds to the amount of s19.-
100000 for the construction of the barge G,
anal, are to be voted upon in New York a
his fall. Some of the amendments, such y
IS the one which permits a city or town n
% take more property than 1t needs u
or any improvement, so that the re- a
nainde may be leased, sold or developed i,
n harmony, as Is the English practice, a.
md another, which enables the Supreme n
Court, with or without a Jury, to fix
for private property taken 80
or public use, are of considerable i'm
1ortance. Altogether the amendments CT
III pamphlet Of about 5000 words. q