The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1918-04-04
THE TUESDAY ELECTIONS

The Tuesday elections have one
gratifying feature in common, they
constitute a reputation of the anti
war element everywhere. In Wiscon-
small plurality was discounted be-
forehand by the lineup. Lenroot was
less radically pro-war than Davies be-
fore the declaration, occupying in
some respects the same position in
the Republican party on that issue at
that time that Bryan did in the Demo-
cratic party. Like Bryan he enthus-
iastically supported war measures az
ter the United States entered the
struggle While his patriotism can
not be called into question, and was
sufficient to hold pro-war Republi-
cans, his previous record was such
that no pacifist or lukewarm Republi-
can could be expected to leave his
own party to cast a ballot for Demo-
crat so radically in favor of war
declaration and prosecution as JOS
eph e. Davies had proven himself to
be at all times. Under the circum-
stances no Republican could vote for
either Davies or Berger and still claim
to be Republican.
Wisconsin has been steadily Repub-
lican by large majorities for many
years at presidential elections. except
in 1912 when Wilson carried 1t ow-
ing to a division of his foes. In 1914.
on account of a detection of La Fol
lette men, Paul o. Husting, Democrat |
ic candidate for United States sena- |
tor, was elected. In the gubernatorial |
contest that year, the Republican won |
by 21,27S over his Democratic oppon-
ent. In 1916 Hughes carried the state |
by 2S,2S1, and Phillips, Republican
candidate for governor, by 65,334. |
That year progressive Democrats, dis |
satisfied with their candidate, voted |
for La Toilette, who won by the over |
whelming majority of 1863. This |
could not be considered a partisan |
vote any more than could the vote for
Hurting two years before Early in !
March the Republican state commit |
tee issued statement, praised by The |
TIMES at the time, In which they |
pledged unreserved support to the war
policies of President Wilson. Later. |
before the primaries, various excep-
tons were made regarding this sup
port, and a critical attitude assumed |
by both Republican aspirants, so that |
after the nominations 1t was not sur
prising that partisan issues became |
involved. On the face Of it, a Repub- |
lican has been elected in a Republi- |
can state by greatly reduced plur-
atty approximating one-third of the |
plurality given to the Republican pres !
idential gubernatorial candidate in |
1916. The outstanding fact is that
Berger, whom some thought a posi- |
bility, has been hopelessly beaten.
If neither Republicans nor anti
administration Democrats can claim
any vindication from the Wisconsin
results; neither can administration
Democrats claim such. if so inclined,
from the Democratic plurality in Chi
cago, or the overwhelming triumph of
the city ticket in Kansas City. In
Chicago the anti-war men lost, abso-
lutely and relatively, compared with
their vote of last year. Issues were
complicated, and while the carrying
of the city on a straight partisan is
sue would have been a great Demo-
cratic triumph, the fact that the Dem
ocratic vote aggregated $4,000 more
than the Republican, under the cir !
cumstances was not a tremendous
party triumph. The same cause for
rejoicing exists there that exists in
Wisconsin. The traitor ticket was de-
feated
In Kansas City, the Democrats won
from disorganized foe, on local
issues. so that the victory has no ma
tional significance OF moment.
1t is to be hoped that Senator Len
root will bark back to the early March
declaration of his party committee
and consider himself bound to sup
port the war measures of the admin |
istration at a time when II Is essen |