Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1915-04-09

COUNTY OFFICIAL PAPER.
CITY OFFICIAL PAPER.
THE NATIONAL OUTLOOK FOR 1916.

already the lines for the presidential campaign
in 1916 are being laid \ Zig publicity bureau for
the Republicans, not supporting any particular
candidate but formed for the purpose of leading
the nation back to thu Republican party" as the
official announcement put it, has been formed,
while various Republican presidential candidates
already have their private press agents at work.
Democratically speaking, t is presumed on all
sides that Woodrow Wilson viii be candidate to
succeed himself, though it is too early yet to
expect any official avowal by the president him
self. To date Air. Wilson has not made one of the
usual swings around the circle which were so
popular pre-campaign stunts during the Roose-
welt and Taft administrations, and so long as the
international situation remains as complicated as
1t is, it is highly improbable that the president
could find the opportunity to make the trip if he
SO desired.
So, as far as the two old parties are concerned
the present outlook for the presidential campaign
SINNERS down to this: on the one hand the Dem
ocratic administration so busted with the gravest
international problems in modern history as to be
unable to undertake political campaign in its
own behalf; on the other, monster Republican
press bureau, financed by means too obvious to
mention, instituting a vigorous campaign whose
sole object, according to the Washington CORE
spondent of the New York World, is to eat sleep,
dream, preach, act and make 'shard times during
the coming months in order to bring about the
defeat Of Woodrow Wilson in 1916.
In such situation, then, the views of the Chris
tian Science Monitor, newspaper which cannot
rightly be accused of any partisanship and one
whose political comments are unbiased, as care
full and as studied as it is possible for any news
paper to make them, will count for more than
those Of rampantly partisan newspaper of any
particular political faith. For the purpose, there
FORE Of presenting the national political situation
as fairly as possible, quote the following edi-
torial from the Monitor:
4 single defeat does not always put national
party in the United States completely out of
power . single victory does not always completely
restore it to power 1t sometimes requires repeat
ed victories and number Of years to establish
political partizan supremacy at Washington. A
presidential victory may be barren triumph SO
far as legislation is concerned. Republican presi-
dents have been without support from one or the
other house, or from both houses, of congress
:. Throughout his whole first term President Cleve
Aauu HdhiuS WCic pldcIcdliy tlCu ny oPPVSAOAoA
at the other end Of the avenue. For considerable
period President Mckinley was without full sup
port from the legislative branch of the govern
ment. This could not be the case in countries
having responsible ministries 1t is possible in
the United States for the president to be Of one
party throughout his entire term, while the house
and senate are Of another party.
The landslide that placed Woodrow Wilson in
the White House gave him also majority in both
houses of congress, large majority in the lower,
q small majority in the upper. The recession from
Democracy last year reduced the administration
majority in the house but it left the president s
support in the senate unweakened. Democrats in
the present senate number ffty-six, Republicans
thirty mine, and there is one Progressive. The
Democrats, therefore, have clear majority of
sixteen over all. On March T. 1917 the terms of
seventeen Democrats, fourteen Republicans and
one Progressive will expire. Successors to these
will be elected in November, 1916. As pointed out
tian Science Monitor, to gain majority of one in
the senate the Republicans must first of all elect
every one of the fourteen Republicans whose
terms are to expire capture the place held by one
Progressive, and take eight seats away from the
Democrats. The advantage is, therefore, with the
latter, or it would be in ordinary circumstances.
There is always the possibility of a revusion in