Evening star., 1916-09-20
WASHINGTON COP.
SCONF|DENT.
Hughes Visit Said to Have
Added Nothing to
Cause.
POINDEXTER VICTORY
ALSO CAUSES UNREST
Woman Voters Say Wilson Kept Us
Out Of War"-Republicans May
Win Most of State Offices.
Special Dispa tch to The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
SEATTLE. September 2o.-There has
been noticeable a greater moderation In
the claims of the republicans in the
state of Washington during the last
few weeks. This state went heavily for
Roosevelt in 1912. and when the colonel
espoused the cause Of Charles E. Hughes
the republicans computed their forces
republican vote. Recent developments
indicate the fallacy Of such a claim.
For one thing, the visit of Mr.. Hughes
to this state added nothing to the inter-
est in the republican cause. The people
here had clothed Mr.. Hughes with a fic-
titious personality; they had an idea
at least the republicans had-that he
was a sort of superman. His visit dis
illusioned them to the extent that they
now see that he Is only human and that
he is not infallible.
Generally il was believed that he was
too critical of the administration in
matters looked upon here as of little
Importance. The people here would
more time to constructive things and
less to building bonfires under the ad-
ministration.
Adds to Republican Unrest.
The recent victory of Senator Miles
Poindexter over Representative W. e.
Humphrey for the republican nomina.
tion for United States senator has added
somewhat to the republican unrest. Mr..
Humphrey. who has served fourteen
n he of
was regarded as representing the or
thodox brand of republicanisn. Senator
Poindexter voted for the Underwood
tarln bill and generally has been closer
any other republican or progressive
from the west
The issue here was the tariff. While
senator Poindexter voted for the I'm
oerw act, he declared during the
campan2n that he was at all times in
favor of tariff on shingles and lum-
Der, the principal industry of the state
The results of the direct primary
show that many democrats asked for
republican ballots solely for the pur-
pose of nominate Poindexter Hum
phreys attacks on the administration
had made him distasteful to the demo-
Gratis and they accepted the opportunity
to rebuke him.
Now that Senator Poindexter is the
republican nominee for United States
senator. there is noticeable a lot Of dis
satisfaction among the so-calIed regu-
lar republicans. Many of them have an
nounced their purpose of voting for
Judge George Turner, the democratic
nominee. at the general election, on the
ground that a straight democrat Is pref
cradle to them. Whether this move
ment will attain importance cannot be
foretold at present.
Stand Of Woman Voters.
n1A .triLtn. Sn-~,~S-x
eral situation is that the woman voters
take q good deal Of stock in the demo.
cratic claim that Wilson kept us out
OF war" Recently the Washington
National Guard returned from the
Mexican border safe and sound and
there has been good deal Of rejoicing
among the woman voters that there
was no clash Of arms.
The republican leaders have pleaded
In vain that Wilson's Mexican policy
brought us dangerously near to war
ana that Hughes or a Roosevelt
ture war at Vera Cruz, or the march
ing in and marching out Of Pershing's
column Many woman voters decline
utterly to accept any such line of rea-
soning. They say that the country II
at peace and that war was at all times
a possibility, hence Wilson kept US
out of war" From a republican stand
point, the obstinacy of the feminine
mind is very exasperating.
month ago, when prominent pro.
sressives who formerly had been re-
publicans went over to the Wilson
side, the republicans smiled good
naturedly and gave themselves little
no danger in few progressives going
TO the opposition. The disconcertin6
thing 10 that there had been noticed
a steadily increasing sentiment among
orators have been in the habit during
the summer of estimating the repub-
lican plurality IN Washington at 5000
and $4,000. 1t requires a hardy speaker
that the republican plurality will be
$4,000: Secretly the republicans hope
that IL will be $4,000, and some have
put the estimate as low as $4,000.
The democrats have no means Of tell
There has been no test by which II
could be estimated. The republicans
are better organized and are almost
certain to elect all the state oficers,
save. perhaps. the governor. The dem
ocrats are basing their hope on the
tendency of the women to vote for Will
son; beyond that they have not gone.
Prohibition Question Factor.
In the gubernatorial race the prohi-
bition question will be a factor Wash
ington prohibited the sale and manu-
facture Of Intoxicating liquor January
!. 1915. Since then the brewerfes have
initiated a bill providing for the manu-
facture and sale of beer. That meas
ure will be voted on by the people at
the November election. Gov Liste.
who four years ago was elected as |
democrat, is pronounced dry Henry
Mcbride. the republican nominee.
while pledged to oppose any change in
the prohibition law by the legislature.
is acceptable to the vets. Eight years
ago he was the wet candidate for gov
erEor, when local option was a burning
issue. OF the eight candidates at the
primary. he alone was able to rally
the anti-prohibition forces
1t is freely predicted that many dry
republicans will prefer Gov Lister.
the democratic nominee, to Mcbride.
whether this detection will be fmpor-
tant depends largely upon the margin |
Of safety which the republicans viii
have on the presidential ticket Nobody
at present considers IL at all likely that
a x.yflf ~.