The Washington herald., 1914-03-07
Political Procession.
BY +. b. g.

| Both Republicans and Democrats out
Nebraska way are triie restive that
their State is hardly as prominent in the
political whirl as In other days when the
Democrats were looking beyond the
Platte for leadership and salvation. There
| is promise, however. of a stirring up this
year which will put Nebraska very much
on the map again, with the Republicans
hopeful Of reealning two Congressional
districts and the Democrats no less hope
full OF keeping them on the side OF the
administration.
The old home district of Bryan has
chosen John Mcguire. a Democrat. three
times in succession, and Mcguire Is con-
fident OF keeping on the roll call. al
though the majority is kmall enough to
keep even a popular Democrat watch
| full.
The Omaha district has gone Demo-
cratic twice I'm succession. with Lobeck
the beneficiary, and while he is sixty
four years old and had less than loo
plurality two years ago. he has confidence
of turning the trick a third time.
Dan stephens. of Fremont, came In
filling a vacancy. and with an ample ma
jority which he can hardly hope for in a
regular campaign.
Sloan, a Republican. of Geneva, has a
osaAt HShN N"ltt
and promises third election without
much stress. Sloan counts himself an
old-fashioned Republican and believer
in old party leaders, pointing with pride
| TO the fact that he named one OF his
| song for James G. Blaine and another
for william Mckinley.
The other two Nebraska members. Bar
ton and Kinkaid. are in districts safely
Republican with Kinkaid securing a sixth
.
SO inclined.
Oddly enough. Nesbraska has but one
native son in the entire Congressional
delegation-Senator Hitchcock. Senator
Norris was born in Ohio. Mcguire and
| Lobeck in Illinois. stephens in Indiana
Sloan and Barton in Iowa. and Kinkaid
in West Virginia. This Is rather unusual
in recent years. as most of the Western
States have taken pains TO select native
sons for Congressional honors.
With the exception Of Lieb. a native
OF Germany. every member OF the Indi-
ana delegation was born in the State.
| including Senators Shively and Kern.
Iowa. with total delegation Of thirteen.
has but four native sons. Missouri. with
eighteen members in the delegation. has
but four born in the State. while Min
nesota has five out of eleven proud of
being native gophers.
Nebraska has ever been eager TO take
IN new issues and to make issues over
night. IL only to attract attention of the
latest promise. Is to make a campaign on
| the issue Of government ownership of
telephones, especially long distance lines.
| This may indicate the desire Of the
Nebraska voters and especially the poll
tical leaders to do much talking and at
n low rate. The Democrats are especially
eager to push the government telephone
proposition and point to tho parcel post
as a Democratic institution which has
| heen approved by the Gear people.
The Nebraska Democrats insist that
they talked parcel post years before II
became a reality and before il was OBJ
scured as an issue by the Bryan free sill
ver notions. There are fifty candidates
| fer Congress in the districts Of the State
and those seeking to sUppIant some MEM
bers Of the present delegation are espc-
cially rampant OIL the governorship idea.
Following the example of Ohio real, Re-
puhlicans. and encouraged hy the evident
success OF the Columbus 'got-tocether''
banquet addressed by Foraker. Rorah.
and others. the Michigan Republicans
are planning a similar gathering as an
adjunct of the State committee meeting
soon to he held at Jackson. II has been
Especially FAdHpf4dliile ~ llltUl-dll lNt-
publicans that they lost the governor
two years ago. while retaining the Sena-
tor and a ma jority Of the Congressional
delegation. They are planning to win
back the governor and also the two dis
tricts carried by Proeressives in 1872
The two Progressive members arc
Woodruff. Of Bay City. and Macdonald.
Calumet. with Woodruff taking pains TO
insist that he is a National Progress
with the single word. He had less than
90 plurality when chosen, defeating OIin
Young. Oldfashioned Republican. who is
confident of coming back this year. Ford
ney. OF Saginaw, has had seven elections
and is hopeful Of another even though
thrown into the same district as Lind
quist. who is serving his first term, and
who is proud TO tell that he never held
political Office of any sort before. lie
has been busy enough piIinS up kopecks
as business man, and his limited eN-
periencc in politics will hardly avail
against the crafty Fordney. who l. a
veteran in the game. with big personal
following.
The startling suggestion Of the prelim-
nary Michigan Republican campaign in
that Senator William Alden Smith. with
four years vet to serve in the Senate, is
willing TO stand for governor only to re-
store the party TO power in state affairs
This was hardly given crCdencc in Wash
ington by the admirers of Smith, who
cannot believe him willing to give up a
Senatorial seat for the sol" purpose of
livening UP things in a State contest.
Yet the proposition is said to no given
approval by Smith himself. il there is
assurance that his sacrifice will got
things going the right way at Lansing
No doubt he would he the strongest
candidate. and do more than any other
Republican TO got the Prugressivcs back
in tho fold. Besides pains would he taken
to select Senatorial successor who
would kindly drop ont when Smith indi-
Gated yearning for a return to the Sena-
torial arena.