The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-04-09
Aamit Hard Times Argument.

| Admit Hard Times Argument.
/ Misgivings that the republican VIZ
tories in Chicago. st. Louis ana otner
cities yesterday indicate tendency
on the part of the people to hoio ths
Wilson administration Responsible ior
the hard times" from which the couh.
j try has been suffering for couple OF
years are entertained by many admin
| istration leaders. There is the fear
\ that the people have not been suffi-
GENTLY impressed by President VIII
sons frequent assurances that the
slump in business was psychological.
Many democratic politicians frank
/, " admit that it was the stomach
vote, that administered the setback
/ to the fortunes Of their party last NO
yember With factories closed and
thousands of people out of work, with
business curtailed in every line and
customers asking extension OF credit,
million or mere voters COULD not
bring themselves to giving the demo
cratic party another endorsement and
accepting the democratic plea that
their troubles were all the fruit OF
the European war.
Hoped Feeling Was Dying.
The president and his advisers have
been hoping that this feeling Is dying
out, that with the revival Of business.
the people would cease to hold the
democratic party responsible Tor
hard times
The results in the municipal cleo
items yesterday. therefore, have been
particularly disappointing to the ad
ministration. 1t is noted that the
greatest republican pluralities were
rolled up in Chicago and other large
cities in which the lack Of employ
ment has been an exceedingly acute
condition for a year or more.
While the democratic leaders point,
for publication. to the religious, demo-
cratic factional, racial and other local
issues which are reported to have
cut considerable figure in the Chicago
election. they admit that unemploy-
ment and the business depression
doubtless Influenced a large number
of voters to cast their ballots for the
republican candidate.
Fear Fusion Of Rivals.
Not the least disappointing OF the
aspects of the Chicago election, in the
view of the democrats, is the indica-
ton that the progressiyes are back in
the republican fold. 1t is realized
that so Overwhelming victory could
not have been won by Thompson had
not the progressives lined up with
practical unanimity with their former
political associates.
Inasmuch as Illinois was one OF
the banner progressive states and
Chicago the stronghold of the pro-
gressive territory in that state. the
democrats fear that the third party
which made possible the election OF
Wilson in 1912. is as good as dead.
Hope In Washington.
WASHINGTON, April THE re-
publican congressional committee
telegraphed congratulations to Mr.
Thompson tonight The message
stated that the result of the election
would strengthen the republican par
ty throughout the nation and tremen-
dously increase the chances of sue
cess in the presidential campaign
next year. According to the congress
sional committee, national political
issues were conspicously involved in
the Chicago election, the chief one
being "the empty dinner pail" for
which democratic policies are blamed.
The committee says that 1t sent
speakers to Chicago to discuss this
and other national questions for the
benefit Of Thompson.