The Washington times., 1911-11-05
ELECTIONS TO BE HELD THIS
WEEK.

The Congressional and State elections
of 1910 indicated very strikingly a
nationwide trend toward Democracy.
The elections which will be held on
Tuesday will have no such immediate
significance as indices of national
movements, because they will reflect
only indirectly the attitude of con-
stituencies toward national affairs. Of
course if the Democrats should win
alike in Massachusetts, and Maryland,
in New York and New Jersey, it would
be indicative of tendency SO strong
that local conditions could not stem
the tide toward the Democrats. But if
results are at all mixed it will be
difficult to calculate the national i'm
portance.
Governors will be elected in Louisi.
ana, Maryland, Massachusetts,, Georgia,
Kentucky, Mississippi, and Rhode
Island. Legislatures will be chosen in
Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, Mary
land, Mississippi, Massachusetts,, and
Virginia. Other State officers will be
chosen in Kentucky, Maryland, Massa-
chusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey,
Rhode Island, and Virginia.
In every State which presents at any
time the possibilities of a real fight
the campaign is closing with both sides
claiming the victory. Louisiana, Mis-
sissippi, Virginia, and Georgia are, of
course, surely Democratic. But Mary
land sees the claim departments Of
both Republican and Democratic or
CARNATIONS insisting on everything in
sight, with the result honestly in grave
doubt. The Kentucky Republicans have
been putting up big fight, and while
the State looks Democratic, there has
been enough uncertainty to provide de-
cided interest.
Political significance resides mainly
in the State elections in Massachu-
sets, Maryland, New York, New Jer.
sey, and Rhode Island. The municipal
election in Philadelphia is of COM
manding national concern, however,
and that in Cincinnati has taken on
significance by reason of President
Taft's Endorsement of the Republican
ticket, a Cox affair, following his bolt
from Cox six years ago. Indeed, the
various municipal elections in Ohio
will be watched with the keenest in
terest as possible indices of a general
tendency which, if it develops generally
one way or the other, will be interpreted
as signifying much as to the Presi-
Dental outlook in a State that may
possibly provide both Presidential
nominees next year.
Both sides are putting forth SEEM
ingly confident claims of controlling
the New York Legislature, which is
now Democratic, Murphy controlled,
and representative of Tammany infu-
ence. A Republican victory would be
accepted as indicative of a swing of
the pendulum back toward the G. o.
p, and if New York should choose a
Republican Legislature and Massa-
chusetts should defeat Foss for gov
ernor, the result would unquestionably
hearten Republicans throughout the
nation. Republican winnings in New
York, Massachusetts,, and Maryland
would be accepted as service of no
tice by the country upon the Demo-
cratic party that it is still suspending
judgment as to political tendencies,
and would make the 1912 campaign
open with tenseness such as has not
been known since 1896.
There has been persistent report
that if Foss is reelected in Massachu-
setts he will be presented very prompt
ly with Presidential boom which may
assume serious proportions. If New
Jersey should choose a Republican
Legislature it would be accounted a
measure of reputation for Governor
Wilson, and in that event Foss might
easily become a serious contender for
the place now seemingly held by Will
son as the most popular candidate for
the Democrats Presidential nomina-
tion.
1t appears on the whole that though
this. years pollings are scattered and
will really turn largely on local af-
fairs, they may yet have a very con-
siderable bearing on the 1912 situa-
tion, now in condition to be iIfu-
enced by comparatively minor happen.