The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-09-24
PREPARE NOW
FOR ELECTION
OF NEXT YEAR
Only More Optimistic Demo-
Gratis Hope to Gain Major
ity in Lower House =
Party Encouraged.
PULLING PARTY WIRES
BY MARK SULLIVAN

The Democrats are cheering up They
national committee in October to
elect a new cha airman and otherwise
pull things together and get ready for
the election next year Those cleo
tions will name third of the senate,
80 in number, and a whole new lower
house.
To the politicians these elections
don't seem so far away as they may
seem to the voters.
The primaries which will name the
party candidates begin in less than
six months, and in nearly all of the 81 !
states where there are senatorial cleo !
tions it is already possible to tell
pretty accurately who the nominees |
will be
In these elections next year the !
Democrats will make some gains; the !
only question is how much. Such a
landslide as the Republicans had in
1920 never comes twice in succession. |
While the Democrats are bound tol
make some gains. and while it is |
within the possibilities for them to
achieve a majority of the lower house,
only the more optimistic among them
really hope to go that far.
Nevertheless, things are shaping upl
in a manner to encourage the Demo
Gratis. If next year were a presiden-
ital year, it would be easy to proph-
esy that Harding would get the Re-
publican nomination and win readily
But next year is not a presidential
one. That is just the point. The Re
publicans will not have Harding on
the top of the ticket as an asset.
To "Point With Pride"
When the elections arrive next year
it will be found that the Republican
senatorial and congressional candi-
dates for reelection will do their
pointing with pride" not to what
they themselves have done. but TO
what President Harding and his cabi-
net have done.
President Harding, as a loyal party
man. will undoubtedly do what he can
to stretch his mantle over every Re-
publican running for reelection. But
if things go on as they have been GO
ing, the voters will refuse to see II
that way They will listen respect
fully TO Mr. Harding's plea for a vicar
ious Endorsement of him in the shape
OF re-electing Republican senators and
congressman, but good many of them
will make their own distinctions.
Harding popular, congress not.
Harding Popular.
What is happening throughout the
country, according to the universal
testimony of politicians of both par
ties, is that President Harding who
won't run for reelection next year, is
increasingly popular, while the Repub-
lican majority in senate and house,
which must run next year, is increas-
ingly lacking in public approval.
1t would be true expression of the
characteristic point of view of the
average voter to give silent approval
to the Republican president, but re-
buke the Republican representatives
and senators at the polls.
So far as Republican senators and
representatives are concerned as dis
tinct from the Republican president
and his cabinet. things really are 60
ing pretty badly. The public approves
of the Republican president and his
cabinet, ii does not approve of the
Republican president and his cabinet,
ii does not approve of the Republican
senate and house.
Leadership Bad.
And there is no reason to anticipate
that this view of the Republican SEN
ate and house will change. 1t is
more likely to grow more So" There
is no reason to suppose that the Re-
publican majority in the senate and
house will make any better impress
sion in the coming six months than
they have made in the past. There is
no denying or concealing the fact that
the Republican leadership in both SEN
aoA i5 IN, had
The Republicans have big majorities
genius OF leadership TO organize their
big majorities and inspire them and
discipline them. The Republicans
know all this and in confidence dis
cuss ii freely
The situation is made more difficult
and the possibility for remedy is made
more remote by the fact that ii is
not anybody's fault particularly.
All who are close to the situation
know what the trouble is, and it is
the sort of trouble which in human
feeling. no one wants to complain
about II isn't the fault of individuals,
II is a combination of unusual person
al equations.
Some Lack Qualities.
Some men who are officially in po-
sitions of leadership, don't happen To
have the temperament and personal
ity that leadership calls for. They are
in all other respects, able, high mind
ed and experienced But they just
don't happen to fill the bill for leader
ship.
In the cases of some individuals II
is age; in the cases of others, illness; /;
in the cases of still others it is per-
sonal things with which everybody Is
too sympathetic to be willing to do
anything about il except struggle
along and do the best possible under
the circumstances.
There is a good deal of talk about
making changes in the leadership. but
much of this is half hearted The
probability is something along that
line will be done. But those who have
opportunity TO know what is likely &c
be done don't believe it will mark 9
revolution.
Politics. in the personal sense, be-
ing what it is, and generous human
Continued on Page TwelYe.)