The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-11-08
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A COMEDY OF ERRORS"

SoN VT TttttohO
.--A-- - :, g.l
1t now appears to be certain that
to a very great extent, at least, the
letter of President Wilson, urging the
election of Democratic Congress to
sustain his administration, resulted in
what might truly be termed "com-
edy of errors" The fact is now quite
apparent that it was that letter
which contributed very largely to the
defeat of not only Folk for the U. S.
Senate, but also of Brewster in this
Congressional District, as well as
Tetley in this State Senatorial Dis
trict. Therefore, the Presidents let
ter was an error, because it was err
roneously received by the leaders of
the Republican opposition, and such
leaders were enthusiastic and vigorous
in presenting the terror" to the rank
and file of that party.
The Times is thoroughly convinced
that it was a feeling of patriotism,
in which partisan politics had nothing
to do, that caused President Wilson to
draft that letter to the American peo-
pie, in the hope that they would see
and understand his desire to render
unto the whole people the best pos
sible service, in speedily bringing the
war to a successful close, and bring
ing home as many of the American
boys as possible, at the earliest mo-
ment, to enjoy the many blessings that
they are so valiantly fighting for.
That the President was abundantly
justified in making such a request
there is absolutely no room to ques-
ton, among sane, unbiased folks.
The whole trouble, it seems, result
ed from the fact that the wording of
such request was such that semb-
lence of an "excuse" could be found in
placing a wrong construction on that
simple request, in which the Presi-
dent submitted "my difficulties and
my hopes to YOU. Such "excuse" was
not only eagerly, but even venemously,
seized upon, in many instances by Re-
publican leaders, and again was the
"bloody shirt" waved with telling eff
feet, by whipping into line practical
ly all Republicans and causing them
to vote the Republican ticket without
a scratch. Nor did this "error" stop
there. Many Democrats We're per-
suaded to believe that the President
was in "error" in his request that his
administration be upheld and endorsed
by returning Democratic Congress.
This view is absolutely upheld in the
fact that all Democratic candidates
for legislative positions ran behind the
rest of the ticket throughout the diff
ferent districts, as we'll as through
out the State. In st. Francois county,
for instance, Folk ran about $50 be-
hind the rest of the State ticket, while
Brewster for Congress fell about 100
behind the average Democratic tick
ct. 1t is true that in this, his home
county, Tetley ran more than 100
ahead of his ticket, due wholly to his
personal strength and popularity.
But in the remainder of this State
Senatorial District the same condition
prevailed in his case as in the other
races for legislative positions.
1t was this same misconstruction
of the plain intent of President Will
sons letter also that very materially
decreased the Democratic. majorities
for all the Democratic candidates in
this county, and the election of two
Republican candidates. So The Times
is persuaded that it was this miscon-
struction of the Presidents honest
intention, in making his simple plea
for support Of his stupendous work in
the present trying times, that worked
somewhat disastrously against the
Democratic ticket in St. Francois
county. 1t was, indeed, comedy of
errors" nt.