The Washington herald., 1922-08-06
r -
DEMOCRATIC FIGHT
IS SPUR TO HOPES
OF G. 0. P. IN TEXAS
Volstead Act and Ku Klux
Klan Form Intense
Issues.
BREACH EXPECTED
Ferguson Mayfield Battle
May Make Independent
Republican Contender.
BREACH EXPECTED


Administration leaders who have
been watching the remarkable po-
litical embroglio which has devel-
oped in Texas are of the opinion
that this may AFFORD an opportunity
for winning a Republican Senator.
even in such a Democratic strong
hold as the Lone Star State. With
the Democratic ticket divided. as 1t
is inevitable that they will be on
such intense issues as the Ku Klux
Klan and modification of the Vol
stead law. there is reason to as
sumo that an Independent Republic
an would be a strong contender in
November.
With he primaries in the Middle
West disposed of this week, much
interest will be felt in this run-off
primary in Texas, which occurs Au-
gust 26. The contenders for Sena-
torial honors are Earle B. Mayfield
Of Austin. at present a member of
the State railroad commission. who
Is expected to have the support of
the militant prohibitionists as well
as the Ku Klux Klan, and James f..
Ferguson, the governor who was
impeached. but who has staged a
wonderful comeback" Ferguson
is running on a light wine and beer
platform and is the hope of the very
considerable faction among Texas
Democrats who feel that victory for
the Ku Klux Klan is a menace to
the orderly processes of the good
government.
Breach Inevitable.
The clash Of advocates Of these
two leaders. holding ideas SO dia-
metrically opposed one to another
is bound to result in a breach of
oonsidera BILE magnitude In the Dem
ocratic ranks of Texas. So much
in fact that plans already are in the
making to contest the Right of either
one to a seat in the Senate, regard
less of which is victorious. The
certainty of such a contest, the re-
suit of which would long. be in
doubt. is looked upon as another
factor to aid a Republican candi-
date.
Wayne B. Wheeler. general coun-
sci for the anti-saloon league, an
organization which wields more
power than any other one agency
in Washington outside of the gov
ernment. has declared his inten-
tion of fighting Ferguson "at
every turn of the road" He in
sists that Ferguson is UNIT to sit
in the Senate and, IL selected, that
the Texans right to do so will be
challenged on 'the ground that he
was impeached and removed from
office by the legislature of his
State. There are some Senators
who are inclined to doubt such a
against Ferguson. particularly when
1t could be shown that politics en-
tered into his impeachment. but the
Anti-Saloon League has a way OF
winning that is characterized as
uncanny.
May Run Gauntlet.
However, should II be Mayfield
he, too would be compelled to run
the gauntlet of Senatorial investi-
cation on the basis of his Ku Klux
Klan connection. 1t has been re-
peatedly charged that Mayfield Is
a member of the Klan and as such
has taken an oath which will pre-
clude the one required as United
States Senator. A similar contes,
was filed in 1903 when Reed Smoot
of Utah, first came to the Senate
and when 1t was charged that as
an apostle in the Mormon Church
he, had taken an oath which made
him ineligible as United States
Senator. Smoot's right to his sea,
was confirmed after two years
but Brigham Roberts, also of Utah
was denied a seat in the House
about the same time under circum.
stances quite similar. Moreover
it should be borne in mind that
Smoot was a Republican, tried by
a body in which the majority were
members of his party. the Eenate
dividing in his case 2S to AZ.