Evening journal., 1914-02-20
FRIDAY, FEB. 20. 1914.
rHAr RY.ELECTION IN IOWA.

THAT 0l~EhENAAVN ~ hVWFF
N EMocRATs who seem to obtain political comfort
~ from the returns in the special election for Rep
resenatve in Congress- held in the Second District in
Iowa, evidently have analysed those returns for
the purpose OF ascertaining their true significance.
The election was held to MI a vacancy caused by the
death Of Irwin Pepper. Ordinarily the district goesl
Democratic by approximately 5000. In the special
election the Democratic candidate to succeed Mr..
Pepper suffered loss Of approximately 100 per cent
IN the total vote Democratic and Pepper sentiment
in the district in 1912 strong that Pepper was
opposed only by the Socialists In addition the Demo-
cratic candidate to hll the vacancy this year had
plurality far below the normal in the district In
Washington newspaper we find interview with
A. G.. Hall, Republican OF Des Moines, which con-
ains analysis Of the byelection vote. Il is in
teresting and is follows
When the returns in the special election for repre-
sentative to succeed the late Irwin Pepper IN the Sec
district of Iowa analyzed. the Democrats can
gather small comfort from them, Notwithstanding
Henry Vollmer. the Democratic candidate, cleo
ted Vollmer received a plurality of 1850 votes The
Republican candidate. Henry Hull second with
iotS5 votes and the Progressive candidate, Charles
p. Hanley. third. with 1872 votes The Republican
and Progressive together polled more votes than the
Democratic candidate and this despite the fact that
tae second s resaraeo as ue oniy Denoclaue & us
trict in the state The election OF Nr Pep.
per in 1912 practically unanimous. The
Republicans would not put up a candidate and the
progresives indorsed the Socialist candidate. Ken
nedy who received 316 votes. against 2f69 for Pep
per- and 953 for the Prohibition nominee. plurality
o m 5g3 preceding Congressional election Mr.
Pepper elected by plurality of 2St4. the Repub-
can Grll. running second With 1871 votes and the
Socialist getting 1907.
AS view Il. the Republicans get salts
faction OF this byelection than out OF anything
that has happened since November, 1912 II shows.
that the Democrats losing strength while the Re-
publicans are gaining The percentage OF votes re-
ceived by Hull is much greater, compared with the
vote Of 1910 than the percentage Of votes received by
Yomer. The result shows decided trend back TO
the Republican party. and inasmuch the election
was fought the tariff issue the conclusion Is in
evitabe that the people are not satisfied with the
Democratic position the tariff. II is the sig
nihcan in the light Of the fact that Hull the Repub
ncan. did not into the contest until the eleventh
hour
In addition we find in the Washington Post an
equally interesting editorial analysis of that Iowa
special election There are variances in the fig
ures contained in It and those in the interview
with Mr.. Hall, due, doubt, to the information in
hand at the time, but in its general import the
lytcal result is the The Post says:
The election Of Democrat to succeed Democrat
in district normally Democratic by 5000 is
Of intense qualification to Democrats in Congress.
They refuse TO temper their reoicngs the true sig
nhcance of the result taking refuge In the hard fact
that Democrat was elected. To their way of think
ing. it means nothing that in 1912 Mr. Pepper recently
deceased unopposed except by Socialist polled 24769
votes In the Second Iowa district, whereas Mr.. No-
Democrat has just poled 1855 votes loss Of
100 per cent.
Seeing however that in view of the exceptional cir
cumstances existing in 1912 the result affords no
basis of comparison we must go back TO 1910 for a
better understanding of what happened Tuesday of
this week The vote In 1910 Pepper, Democrat,
19,S15 erik, Republican. 1871 Democratic ma
iority, 2S44. The In 1914 was: Vomer, Demo
crat 1855; Hull. Republican iO.435; Hanley Pro-
gressve, 3672; Democratic plurality, 1885, or 1892
short of majority The Underwood tarif was the is
sue Mr.. Nolmer had the support of the national ad-
mnistration, and President Wilson made a personal
appeal in the Democratic candidates interest
Il hardly be said. giving due consideration to
the full returns. that the tariff after four
months trial. been vindicated in the election Of
Mr.. Vollmer Nor is there anything In the news from
Iowa for the Progressive third party representa-
tyes in Congress to turn their heads Mr.. Roose-
velts vote in the Pepper district in 1912 was 1862
and Mr.. Taft's S,303 Progressive loss of 1880
Republican gain OF 1882 The sheer slump I'm the
Progressives Is the striking from the fact
that the party is essentially national and centers
Its efforts in the election of members of Congress.
Ostensibly, the Progressves rallyng their forces
Tor nationwide and vigorous campaign next fall
hoping to gain many seats occupied by regular
Republicans. They had the prestige and incentive o
sanguine their prospects at least again over
topping the regulars They failed signally, but FOL
that matter, the most they have done in any of the
several special elections held this year 10 fiji vacancie
In Congress has been to poll enough to let tht
Democratic candidates slip in by plurality.
In view of the fact that the Underwood tarin wa
the issue and that President Wilson made persona
appeal the in the district support vollme
his small plurality should be source Of dIsquietud'
rather than qualification, to the Democrats Of tn
nation