Evening star., 1914-10-25
FIRST DIRECT VOTE
FOR j. S. SENATORS
Thrty-0ne States Will Elect
This Year by Popular
Ballot.
POLITICAL EQUATION
FAVORS THE DEMOCRATS
Resume of the Battle in Fourteen
States Where Two or More Can
didates Contest.

, The federal law for the election of
United States senators by direct vote
of the people will have its first tryout
at the election one week from next
Tuesday. The voters in two-thirds' of
the states will have an opportunity to
express their preference for senators.
In two years more the voters of the
other one-third of the states will have
an opportunity to exercise their right
under the new law. In the thirty-one
states that elect senators this year
there are eighty-fve senatorial nomi-
nations
The political statisticians have not
been able to see how anything short OF
a political landslide can materially
change the political complexion of the
Senate at this time. In only fourteen
of the thirty-one states are there con-
tests of such character as to leave any
considera Bile doubt as to the outcome.
These states are California, Colorado,
Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas,
New Hampshire. Nevada, New York,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Wiscon-
sin and Washington.
In eleven of these states the incum-
bent, whose terms will expire March 4
next and whose successor will be elect =
"
republican. The three states in which
the incumbents are democrats are Col
orado, Indiana and Nevada So what
the politicians call the political equa-
ton is favorable to the democrats If
the republicans are to increase their
membership in the Senate they must
win in all eleven of these fourteen
states in which there are spirited con-
diana or Nevada.
California Contests.
The reports received at the two head
quarters here indicate that the contest
in California is most spirited one,
and the outcome likely to be in doub:
until the votes are counted. George c.
Perkins, republican, who has been a
member of the Senate since 1893, was
not a candidate for denomination, and
so the republicans put up Joseph R.
knowland, who is member of the
House of Representatives from the
state. The Democratic candidate is
James D. Phelan, former mayor of San
Francisco, while the progressives are
supporting Francis J. Heney, who ac-
quired some notoriety during the
Roosevelt administration as special
government attorney in the west.
The situation in Colorado is compli-
Gated as result of the labor troubles
in that state. Charles s. Thomas, demo-
crat, is candidate for reelection
George ]. Kindell is running as an in
dependent democrat; Hubert Work is
the republican candidate and l. n
Stevens the candidate of the progress
sives. On account of the split in the
democratic party, the republicans feel
that they have an opportunity to elect
Work. During the last week the demo
cratic national organization has sent 4
1.,ro har Of
state with the hope of Strengthening
the Thomas campaign.
Connecticut Battlefield.
Connecticut presents a battle-ground
that is attracting wide attention
Frank B. Brandegee, republican, is a
candidate for reelection. He is clos
ing his second term in the Senate. The
democratic candidate is the present
governor. Simeon E. Baldwin. The
progressive candidate is Herbert Knox
Smith, a protege OF Col Roosevelt, who
was chief of the bureau of corporations
during the Roosevelt administration,
and who was in at the birth of the
progressive party
The three candidates in illinois are
Lawrence Y. sherman, republican, who
is seeking reflections: Roger Z. Sulll-
van, democrat, and Raymond Robbins.
progressive. Sherman, on his record
as a short-term senator, it is asserted.
will be able to command much of the
vote which went to the progressive
party two years ago. Sullivan for years
has been known throughout the coun-
try as democratic boss of the type of
Charles f. Murphy of Tammany and
Thomas TaSgart of Indiana. There
seems TO be some doubt as to where
the independent vote will go. 1t seems
to be generally admitted that the pro-
gressives selected strong man when
they nominated Robbins. though the
race, if the politicians here are cor
rectly informed, is between Sherman
and Sullivan.
In Indiana there are three candidates
in the field, Benjamin f. ShivelE, demo-
crat. who is completing his first term
Hugh T. Miller, republican, and Albert
]. Beveridgc. progressive, who was for
merly a member Of the Senate. The
republicans feel that if they had a
united party they would be able to
elect Miller. but with Beveridge max
ing Il vigorous campaign, and with 4
following of considerable size, the pre-
vailing view IS that Shively will be
elected.
The republicans of Kansas refused to
make Joseph l.. Bristow, the present