The Washington herald., 1915-11-02
Today's Elections.

With only eight States balloting today so many
and varied the issues involved that unusual
interest is attracted to this oyear election aside
from that which naturally centers in results q
year before Presidential contest New York
Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, are to decide the
fate of woman suffrage, and besides New York is
to vote proposed new State constitution, the
result of months of elaboration by convention
made notable by the activities of Elihu Root, its
chairman, and Ohio is to decide the question Of
Statewide prohibition.
From purely political standpoint the contests
in Massachusetts,, which elects a governor, legis-
lature and tate officers; New Jersey, which
chooses its legislature, and Maryland. where a
governor, legislature, comptroller and attorney
general are to be named, are the most absorbing.
In Massachusetts Gov. Walsh aspiring to a third
term, is opposed by former Representative Nc
Call, and national ssue-the nations business
has figured in the campaign. With the advantage
that the collapse of the Progressive strength in
the Bay State gives him, Mr. Mccall standing for
tried and sound Republican principles, hopes to
overcome the prestige of Gov. Walsh's two sue
cessfui administrations and his personal popu-
larity, as we'll as the hostility of the prohibition
lists resulting from the failure of the Republicans
to include q dry" plank in their platform The
the contest is close and heavy majority is not to
be expected The result may be regarded as a
fairly reliable indication OF the trend in New
England, and the winning side, looking forward
a year, will have cause to rejoice.
In New Jersey the Republicans, who con-
troll the legislature hopeful of increasing their
majority in both branches, and if they succeed
will be disposed to make much of their victory
indicating that Democratic dissension in the Pres
ident's own State will make it debatable ground
next year. The Democrats profess to believe that
they will elect majority of the six senators and
sixty assemblymen to be chosen, though their
claims do not betray overconhdence. Only a
sweeping victory for either side would be real
cause for jubilation over future prospects.
If the Democrats can win the governorship to-
day in Maryland, which State will hold first in
tcrest for great many residents of Washington,
they will feel no apprehension as to how its vote
will be cast next year. On the contrary, should
the Republicans elect Weller by anything short of
a landslide vote they will have little cause for
in figuring the States electoral
vote in 1916. The explanation is that the Demo
cratic ranks were rent by the bitter contest for
the domination and if revenge is sought at the
polls, as is predicted, their united Republican OPP
ponents can hardly lose. The reasonable expecta-
ton is that Weller will be elected in which event
the detailed returns must be studied to discover
any promise for next November, bearing in mind
that the Democratic breach may easily be healed
in year.
All the returns will be carefully studied to-
morrow morning, but the politician is likely to
discover the greatest significance in those from
Massachusetts,.