Evening star., 1917-12-26
C. 0. P. TOF|GHT
FOR SENATE SEAT
Contest in Nevada Next Fall,
Due to Senator NeWIands'
Death, viii Be Spirited.


Nevada, consequent upon the death OF
Senator Newlands, focuses rather upon
the election next fall than the appoint.
ment by the governor for the interim
Gov. Boyle, democrat, has been in Wash
ington recently and. now is en- route
home. There is but scant ground here
for speculation as to his choice.
The contest for this Senate seat WILL be
one OF the features OF next falls campaign
duo to tho closeness of tho vote in Nevada
between the democrats and republicans
The state in 1916 elected democratic
senator-Pittman--a democratic governor
and a republican representative -at-iarge-
Roberts-who had held the Office since the
Sixty-second Congress. The governor
plurality was 1893: Senator Pittman's
2.2ls. and Representative Roberts. ass;
The socialists cast vote which exceeded
each of these pluralities.
Republicans Feel Encouraged.
The republicans feel encouraged to make
a fight for the Senate seat in this state on
the face of these flgurees and by the belief
that no man in the democratic party has
the hold upon the state which Senator
Newiands exerted and probably would
have continued to WELD during his life
time IL he chose.
So, commencing at once, the democratic
and republican national organizations will
begin work in Nevada for the contest next
November. Candidates for the nomination
probably will begin to announce them
selves soon. 1t is not known whether Mr..
Roberts will enter the field or not, as he
had been counting upon another fight with
his old foe. Mr. Caine. whom he defeated
for the House in 1916 and who has started
p campaign for nomination for another try
for the House. Mr.. Roberts is regarded
by republican leaders here as timber for
the Senate. as his successful campaigns for
representatiye-at-large have been neces-
sarily statewide in character. He Is es-
pecially strong among the labor men. it is
said.
The campaign in Nevada will be
waged mainly upon the issue of 10y
atty to the government and support
of the national administration. Feel
ing is said to be running high upon
this phase of politics. and the voters
have little patience with pacifists or
pro-Germans.
Selecting Committee Chairman.
Senator Martin of Virginia. the dem
ocratic leader, said today that in all
probability the question of who shall
be chairman Of the interstate com
merce committee in place OF Senator
Newiands will be left to the democratic
steering committee, and 1t IL it not set
tied there 1t Will go to the democratic
caucus.
The democratic members Of the COM
mittee besides Senator Smith and SEN
ator Pomerene are Senator's Myers of
Montana, Robinson of Arkansas, Sauls-
bury of Delaware, Thompson of
Kansas, Lewis of Illinois Gore of Okla
horna and Underwood of Alabama
1t is not believed at the Capitol to-
day that the principle of seniority will
be abandoned in the selection Of the
committee chairman. The Senate has
rarely. IL ever, deviated from this
principle in assigning committee chair
manships.
Non-Partisanship Talk.
partisanship in the support of the gov
ernment during the war, the democrats
being particularly urgent that all party
politics be laid aside and the republi-
cans join with them In supporting the
administration. And the republicans
of the Senate have been as active as
the democrats in working for the sue
cess Of the administration In carrying
on the war.
It is not considered likely, however.
that the democrats will carry their
demand for non-partisanship to the ex-
tent of selecting a republican as chair
man OF the interstate commerce COM
mfttee to aid at this crisis, although
the ranking republican on the commit
tee is by his knowledge of the railroads
better qualified than any other member
OF the committee to take charge. That
is Senator Cummins of Iowa