The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-10-29
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
BUREAU
THE ELECTIONS.

Washinstnn. d. C.

facing each other over coffee and CT
\ gars. ''Well, it will be air over with
publican said. You ought to be max
ing the best of it while it lasts
Best of what?" asked the Demo-
crat.
'Why, the last Democratic congress.
You won't have more than a handful
in the Sixty-sixth.''
"See here" said the Democrat sus-
piciohsly, Have you been making any
trips to Baltimore. lately? In the
| Sixty-sixth we'll have a working ma
| jority of fifty in the house and fifteen
| in the senate
This conversation serves very aptly
| to illustrate the surface attitude of the
leaders of both parties regarding the
elections which will tame place in a
few days. Both Republicans and Dem
ocrats claim everything on the map"
The Republicans seem confident of
victory everywhere save in the solid
SOUTH" and their opponents concede
nothing but Maine. where the election
has already taken place.
Though it has been much over
Swallowed by the war issue, the cleo
ton this year is of extreme impor-
lance. Leaders on both sides know
this and are trying with shifting sue
cess to bring it home to the voters.
The Sixty-sixth congress will un-
doubleday be peace congress, and a
congress of reconstruction. and Re
publicans and Democrats differ widely
in their reconstruction aims.
For the first time in many years
the two parties really represent rad
ically different theories of government.
If the Republicans dominate recon-
struction, it may be safely predicted
that all of the experiments in govern
ment control and ownership. govern
ment protection of labor and reguIa-
ton of price, which the war has
brought forth, will be brought to an
end, and the state of things before the
war will be restored as nearly as pos
sible. If the Democrats win, the
tendency toward the ownership OF
public utilities by the people thru the
government, rather than by private
individuals, will be strengthened. The
Republicans also stand pretty general
ly for intense nationalism, and for the
offensive and defensive alliance with
one or more European nations. while
the Democrats stand for a league of
all civilized nations to preserve the
peace.
Here, then. are really great and
fundamental issues. The old ones are
gone. The tariff is as dead as free
silver. But the very character and
tendency of our national existence will
be determined by this election and the
one in 1920. And the result of this
one will be an augury of the final
result
In the senate of the present congress
are fifty-two Democrats and forty
three Republicans. In the house of
representatives there are PA Demo-
Gratis against 210 Republicans. The
Democrats expect to increase their
lead in the next house to thirty and
in the senate to ten or twelve. The
Republicans expect to gain control of
both houses by majorities of from ten
to twenty.
Woman suffrage is also live issue
in this election. In New Jersey a
senatorial contest is being fought over
the question. Senator David Baird.
appointed by Governor Edge to fill
the vacancy caused by the death of
Senator Hughes, is a candidate for
regular election to the seat. Before
the senate vote on suffrage, President
Wilson wrote to Mr.. Baird asking his
vote for the amendment. Baird re-
Now, the women of his state are
making an energetic campaign for his
Democratic opponent. c. o. Henessy.
However. New Jersey has defeated
measure for feminine franchise, and
just how much influence the suffras-
lists command cannot be guessed.
A similar situation holds IN New
Hampshire, where George H Moses. a
Republican, is fighting Senator John
h. Jameson for the unexpired term of
the late Senator Gallinger Moses has
refused to support suffrage, and vari-
Gus women's organizations are busy
in the state soliciting votes for Sena-
tor Jameson. The long term contest
between Eugene f. Reed. Democrat,
go to the latter, thus ousting the
Democrats from one seat in the
senate.
The greatest interest attends the
campaign in Illinois. Both contes-
tants, Senator James Hamilton Lewis
of the pink whiskers and Medill Nc
Cormick, son-in-1aw of the late Marc
Hanna, are well known national
figures Both possess considera BILE
popularity in the state, and both are
adroit and capable politicians The
president has many times expressed
flattering approval of Senator Lewis.
while Mccormick is given strenuous
Endorsement by Theodore Roosevelt
and what is left of the Progressive or
ganiZation. At the present time Con-
gressman Mccormick seems to have
slightly the better of it: but some Re
publican clements are reported to be
dissatisfied with his candidacy and are
prepared. so it is said, to knife him
at the polls
Watched with almost equal interest
is the fight in Michigan. Henry Ford
was defeated in the Republican sena-
toria1 primaries by Truman H. New
berry; but was nominated by the DEM
ocrats. A computation of primary re-
turns shows Newberry to have a con-
siderable lead. but since that time
Newberry's name has been mixed with
a scandal concerning illegal campaign
expenditures, which fact may lead TO
a shift of sentiment toward Ford.
There is no doubling Ford's popularity
with the labor element of Michigan.
He has, moreover, been warmly in
dorsed by the president. In any event,
the election in Michigan will be close
A curious situation has arisen IN
Nevada Anne Martin, the suffrage
leader. is running independently for
the senate against Senator Henderson,
Democrat, and E. E. Roberts Repub-
lican. and is thought by many TO have
good chance of winning out Me-
vada is normally Democratic" but