The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-10-27
Usually Helps the Candidate
For Re- election.
TWO NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS
Cleveland and Harrison Both Suffered
Defeat Despite Good Times During
Their lncumbenoy Of Presidential
Chsir-Pre- election Interest and the
Cause For IL.


President Wilson Is reelected 1t will
be on account of the prosperous times
which such a large proportion of the
people are enjoying. Prosperity al
ways helps the man In Office. Let
well enough Alone" peace and pros
perity," He's kept us out Of war"
have been effective slogans when ac-
companied by the bald fact that man.
~ufacturers have been making money
and have orders ahead for a long
time. workmen are employed at good
wages, farmers are getting good prices
for their products, and there is no
likelihood of the European war stop
ping and interfering with all this mon
ey getting In the United States.
1t might well be said that no candi-
date for reelection ever had every
thing his way more than Mr.. Wilson.
One can scarcely remember a time
just like the present. The nearest ap-
proach was In 1888, when, in spite of
the good times, Grover Cleveland was
defeated when a candidate for re-
election, and again In 1892, when Ben
jamin Harrison was defeated for a
second term. The times were very
good In both years.
Issues Not Absorbing.
OF course we all have TO recognize
that the issues are not absorbing. 1t
must be acknowledged that Hughes is
making a very good fight and has Gre
ated an interest which seemed tagging
for several months. But the great
question Is whether some people have
forgotten oil hat they have dissp-
proved of In the administration, with
the dislike they have formed for the
president and the Democratic party
during the last four years. and are
going TO re-elect the president and re
tain his party In power upon the pres
n conditions throughout the country.
Pre- election Interest.
Why is 1t that the whole country
seems determined to decide the cleo
ton In advance Of the polli Why is
IL that We all read the straw votes,
the polls of newspapers, and study
the predictions of campaign managers
Is II because, as often claimed, that
hundreds OF thousands OF voters sim
ply vote on election day the way they
think the election is going so as to be
on the shouting side when the returns
are In? 1t Is unfortunate that there Is
a great deal of truth IN this assertion.
There are q great many people who
care more about being on the right side
OF the contest than they care about
political principles. 1t Is probably for
the purpose of influencing voters of
this kind that prediction statements
of certain victory are made by both
parties.
Small Issues.
President Wilson in bringing John
Shelton Williams into the canvass re-
minds n Of Hughes when he brought
K. Dana Durand into the first
speeches he made. There are so many
too. Mighty few voters care whether
any man goes or stays In public Office
as a result of a presidential election.
Does Not Arouse Interest.
I'LL y Ahi GhOAtS nhNC bCNh
made to get the American people to
take an interest In the ''open door In
China. But they simply will not see
II. Now. when something Of a stir is
made In regard to the protest of Japan
and Russia against the building of
railroads and canals In China by
Americans. our people do not betray
4 Tho lnnGt tntnpnot ~ 40 rAt -
whether they are permitted TO invest
their money In such enterprises or not.
Closer at home we have shown an In
difference as to whether the people
who invested their money In Mexico
lost It. There is an idea that Amer
lea for Americans Is a pretty good sys-
tenn.
Women In Politics.
The more women voters the more
perturbed will be the politicians. They
cannot tell anything about what the
women are likely to do under stress OF
a presidential campaign. 1t has been
shown that ON state issues they &c
with the men voters, but this Is the
first time they have had IN opportu
nifty to u a wide swath In a presiden
tial contest. and they are giving the
campaign managers the greatest guess
ing contest they have ever had. The
women may swing enough votes In the
! west to decide the contest and thus
take New York out Of its masterfu
position OF being the deciding state
They may. but 1t is not likely.
Rural Credits.
Upon the behest OF the farmers, or
at least, 1t was said to be the farmers
congress passed a rural credits law
Now the farm loan board. which oper
ates the law, is trying its best to tel
the farmers what they got In that law,
trying to tell them what 1t was they
were clamoring for so vociferously
The farm loan board Is conducting q
campaign OF education and trying to
educate the farmers In the way to OBJ