The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-11-21
Washington Letter.
FIND AUGURY OF 1920
IN OKLAHOMA ELECTION

Washington, Special Correspond
members of the
House and Senate regard the outcome
of the Congressional by-election in the
fifth Oklahoma district on Saturday
the 9th of the month as more i'm
portant augury of Republican sweep
in 1920 than any result attained in
the general election on the previous
Tuesday.
By majority of 900, in the most
important district in the home state
of Representatives Scott Ferris,
chairman of the Democratic Congress
sional Committee, the Republican cam
didate. John j. w. Harrald, wiped
out q normal Democratic majority of
5000 and defeated his Democratic
opponent, Claude Weaver. And he
did it on the sole issue of opposition
to the league of nations covenant as it
was presented to the Senate by Pres
ident Wilson with the admonition that
it was not to be changed in the slight
est particular. In the campaign pla-
cards spread broadcast throughout the
The Photographic likeness of Herald
had above it an appeal for america
! firstD and the Monroe doctrine,c and
under it called attention to the unful-
filled Democratic promise to reduce
the high cost of living, and to the six
votes for England and one for the
United States in the assembly of the
league of nations.
The Democratic speakers in the
! campaign declared that the national
administration should be upheld and
contended that the election of the Re-
publican candidate would be consider
/ ed a vote of lack of confidence in the
Wilson administration and the league
of nations covenant. They were conf
dent of victory In 1914 their major
ity had been 4,754. In 1916 it went
up to 5000, when it gave President
/ Wilson 6,953 majority for reelection
in 1918, only year ago, in face of
the Presidents letter attacking the
loyalty of the Republicans during the
war, the majority was 4,123. This in
! the Democratic state of Oklahoma,
! kwheFe .Dicky Morgan has been the
sole Republican member of Congress.
AS the result of the Oklahoma and
bother elections this month, the Re-
publican leaders confidently predict
that they will elect five more Republi-
can Senators next year and make the
score after March A, 1921 in that body
81 Republicans to AZ Democrats. That
this is not at all unreasonable may be
easily proven by an examination of
the facts underlying the prediction.
Senator Phelan, of California, DEM
ocrat, was elected at the time of the
Republican split. In 1916 Senator
Johnson carried the state by some-
!; thing like 100000 majority. Hence
it is not considered doubtful that
Phelan will be succeeded by Repub-
lican. Kentucky has gone Republican
! by 10000. The last Republican Sen
, ator was chosen when the majority
in the state was much less, at the time
of the Roosevelt landslide. J. G. W.
Beckham has not greatly distinguish
ed himself in the Senate, and so his
successor is more than likely to be a
} Republican Senator John F. Nugent
, was elected last year in Idaho as q
? Democrat by small majority-a few
: hundreds. Senator Borah, who was
. in the same election victorious by more
than 10000 majority, will have much
to do with the selection of Republi.
can nominee and will probably insti.
tute vigorous campaign for him, es.
pecially as Congress will not be ir
session, and hence Nugent's successor
is counted as surely Republican. In 9
national election, with all the tendency
against the present Democratic adj
ministration, it is considered highly
3 probable that the senator who follows
. John Walter Smith in Maryland will
| be Republican In South Dakots
, Edwin s. Johnson, Democrat, will
it is thought give way to Repub.
lican.
ut is hard to see how a rupture be.
tween this administration and the
r American Federation of Labor could
be more complete. The question be.
, gins to present itself whether Presi.
: dent Wilson will in his second term
" 90 ehoiOuSniy at OuuS WIFI organ
lied labor as his Democratic prede.
cessor, President Cleveland, during
his second term, in 1893-97 BY break.
ing the Debs railroad strike in 1884,
because of it's interference with the
United States mail, Mr.. Cleveland
; incurred hostility in labor circles
that was implacable and which was
powerful element in bringing Mr.
: Bryan to the front, supported by Q
radical like Governor Altgeld, of III.
, nois, in 1896. The country must be
. already impressed by the points ir
common between that period and this
one."-Springfeld Republican.
ut is announced that money to the
, amount of 100000 sent by st. Loui.
: last August, accompanying orders fol
supplies advertised by the government
,, has been returned. The government
!, it now appears, did not have the stuff
that had been advertised. variou,