Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-11-11
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N/ I'LL mlndS set 1T rest as to the actual
w Issue OF the great contest waged III this
country last Tuesday. the people of the
United States are trying now to answer the
question, What. does the result mean"
There Will be nearly as many answers as
there are types OF mind to attempt solution
What the election means to The Times
dispatch already has been Indicated 1t
means. for one thing. that this people will
not tolerate a divided allegiance. and that
any support which can be gained by appeals
10 alien passion and prejudice will be more
than counterbalanced by the votes of those
who place America first-that such incite-
ments to disloyalty are not only dastardly III
inspiration. but Improbable i'll result.
IL means also the downfall OF that care
FULLY nurtured Republican superstition that
the Republican party is the only party fit to
he ntrustcd with the business interests of
the nation. and that Democratic rule must he
synonymous with soup kitchens. panics,
failures. perjury and starvation. The cleo
ton OF Wilson pUnctures the ingenious theory
that the way TO reduce tho high cost OF living
is 10 increase tariff schedules. 1t expresses
disbelief in the other remarkable theory that
with the advent Of European peace the United
states will be delugcd with ''pauper- made
European goods. miracuousi: produced. in
time OF world war. by peoples now devotins
every energy to wiping one another off the
face OF the earth.
The election result means confidence in
Wilson. gratitude TO Wilson and affection for
Wilson
These are the obvious implications OF the
popular verdict. but there are others which
may not be quite 50 apparent. |, was not
a partisan verdict for most OF the Western
States which swung into the Wilson column
have been regarded overwhelmingly Re
publican in political tendency. They voted
for Wilson. not because he is Democrat
but because lie is a democrat New England
showed the same trend for New HAMPSHIRE
is the Presidents. or doubtful. and in Maine
Connecticut. Massa chusetts and Rhode Island
normal Republican majoritieS we're enor-
mously reduced.
II cannot be said. with accuracy that
womcns votes cXcrted any controlling in
nuencc OH the result So far as the dis
atcheS show. the women in most of tho suf-
TRACE states divided about as tho men did
but in Illinois a majority Of tho women voted
against Wilson. while majority Of the men
voted Tor him. As the female plurality Tor
Hughes exceeded the male plurality FOR
Wilson, this threw the States electoral votes
to the Republican candidate. Something OF
the same sort is said 10 have occurred in
Oregon
Wilson's victory in the West had nothing
TO do with votes Tor women. lie lost suf-
iracc Illinois ana suffrage Oregon and won
suffrage California and suffrage Washington
lie lost nonSuiiragc Iowa and nonsuffrae t,
Wisconsin, and Won nonsunrage Nebraska and
nonsulrasc North Dakota. So Tar as the re-
turns Indicate. there is nothing to justify the
statement that wo!nen's votes reelected the
president. What can--and should--be said
Tor the women is that they declined to he
caught With the chan OF Mr.. Hughcs's sudden
conversion 10 the Susan Il. Anthony amend
m.lt
- all
into service 10 lead the parade IL the uroposal
Democratic celebration?