Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-07

Those who may have had tears that
the kaiser was TO WELD a formidable
influence In the elections held in dif
ferent parts Of the United States yes
terday ought TO find considerable COM
fort in reading the returns. If the
Hun ruler can see where he accom-
pllshed anything for his sutocrati7
cause IN the personnel Of the success
ful candidates, or in approval Of is
sues supporting his ambitions inject
ed into the campaigns, he is welcome
10 throw his steel helmet into the
air and pass the cigarets To the fellow
who serves as bis auto camoudage.
The truth is that there was no turn
in the elections OF yesterday that
might he interpreted as in the slight
est sense un-American. The war was
introduced into the campaign in New
York, where the mayoralty was at
stake, and in Chicago, where the So
cialists attempted 70 rout the fusion
judicial ticket. the latter standing be-
fore the public as the loyalty ticket
with the Socialists, pacifists and pro
Germans lined up solidly behind The
nominees of the opposition. The So
cialists failed even to carry single
ward. Americanism also was the out
standing issue in the New York may
orally contest, this phase having beer
brought to the fore by the managers
Of Mitchell, the independent IT mus
be said 10 the credit Of HYlan, the
Tammany or Democratic nominee
that he declined to recognize the wal
issue. maintaining that he did moi
have to defend his loyalty or patriot
ism In his home city, and that whether
the United States government wa
right or wrong in entering the Euro
pean fight was not a question TO be
determined by the voterc vi New YoFl
yesterday.
% Hylan took the position that thu
voters would support the candidate
they thought would best serve then
as mayor. He was right In this at
titude In combining his campaign &
local issues Mitchel's managers mad,
mistake that had its answer at tn
polls in seeking TO drag the kaise
into the contest New York ha
proved its loyalty in its Liberty LOAF
subscriptions ana in other ways sine
the beginning OF the war, and Their
is no reason to disbelieve that it vii
continue as loyal with Hylan as mayo
as IL Mitchell remained at the post
II did seem a pity that Mitchell c0ul
not have been reelected, for his ad
ministraiion has been hailed as tn
cleanest and most efficient that tn
city ever has had. But il appears tina
the young mayor made the mistake @
hobnobbing too closely with wealth i
cosmopolitan community; at leas
that was the accusation that turne
thousands Of votes away from hin
among the common classes. Further
more 1t is thought that the charge tina
Hylan was the candidate Of the kaise
was resented by many of the voter
who knew that the Tammany ma
was anything but what he had bee
pictured by his rival. II was a ra'
bit of demagoguery that contribute
as much as anything else TO the defes
Of Mitchell. Hillquit, Socialist, IA
third, and Bennett, Republican fourtl
In Chicago, however. there wa
some justification for raising the lol
atty issue, as the Socialist judicii
ticket there was sponsored by all {
the factions that from the outset ha,
been discouraging the national unde
taking in Europe. And the voters 4
Chicago promptly registered the
dlsapproval of the Socialists eute
prise by rejecting it by a matter
about one hundred thousand vote
The difference between the New Yoi
and Chicago elections was shat in Il
former city the loyalty question vi
foisted by candidate who thougl
20 profit by his boasted Americanisi
while In the Illinois metropolis IL WI
made by the cohesion of pacitist ell
ments for a display Of strength in Il
assumption that the sixth large
German city" would convincingly re
ord It's disdain Of the national W
aims II afforded opportunity TO do
At the polls Chicago, happily, is st
IN American city, Big Bill Thomps,
and some others to the eontraI
Notwithstanding.