Evening star., 1922-11-13
SEE SIGNIFICANCE. !,
INV. Va VICTORY
Democrats Claim to Have
Won Purely on Ma.
tionaI Issues. II, r..
GAINED BY DISC0NTENT
Republicans, However, Lay Defeat
to Apathy and General Over !,
- confidence.
GAINED BY. DIscoNTENT
sneei.l paspateh to The Star.

CHARLESTON. w. Va, EoEember
13.-The democratic groundswell In
West Virginia. which threw out one
republican United States senator and
four Of the six republican representa-
tives last Tuesday. is being viewed
with Significance by democratic
leaders Of the state in relation to
the coming fight Of 1924.
The point Is stressed by them in
this respect that the recent cam
paign was waged almost exclusively
administration the central target. At
tempts OF the republicans to make
the league Of nations an issue failed
by refusal Of the democratic candi-
dates to be led aside. NJ. NJ. Neely.
senator-elect, who defeated Sena-
tor Howard Sutherland. indorsed and
advocated the league in his pre-
primary campaign. and the demo-
cratic state platform adopted follow
ing the primary indorsed the league.
When the Turkish controversy de-
veloped in the near east and strong
horizon the republican campaign
orators uncovered the league and
tried to raise 1t as Tive issue. They
argued that were America q member
Of the league. the United States
would fnd itself facing participation
candidates were challenged to indorse
the league. but they failed to respond.
This silence. whether truthfully or
not. was interpreted by republican
speakers as indicative of fear on the
part Of the democratic candidates Of
the league as an issue.
Woman Accepts Challenge.
But where male stumpers for the
democratic party failed to accept the
Jewell Brown. unsuccessful demo-
cratic primary candidate for the SEN
atorial nomination. who took the
stump for her successful opponent.
tndorsed the league repeatedly In her
speeches and advocated the entrance
Of the United States into it
The voters. however appeared to
take little interest one way or the
other in the league as an issue, and
the results OF the election cannot
rightly be construed either az an in
dorsement or reputation Of the
league.
Much credit for the democratic VIC
tory is being given by democratic
leaders to the efforts of Mrs. Brown
IN behalf of the ticket. In all Of the
places she visited while on the hus-
tings she had large audiences. In sharp
contrast to many Of the other meet
inss. both democratic and republican.
combines an unusually clear and log
ical grasp OF political issues, and
knows how to put her views across
in a most delightful manner. while
her arguments lose nothing in force
fulness through the fact of her being
I a woman.
Democrats give chief credit for
their victory to general dissatisfac-
tion among voters with the record of
the recent Congress and Of President
Harding, They centered their main
fire on this, using the tarfn bill. the
veto Of the soldier bonus measure and
alleged republican extravaganza and
tnemcaency for their targets.
Republicans "OverceaAAent.~
On the opposition side. responsl-
bility for the republican disaster 10
laid to general apathy and overconfi-
dence bred by the huge republican
majority Of 1920. Party workers and
leaders failed to realize the possibili-
ties Of danger involved. according to
those who attempt to explain tho re-
publican defeat, and they did not
put forth their usual efforts. It ID
admitted that there was some dis
satisfaction with the Washington rec
ord. among republicans, but this. they
contend. was q minor factor in the
situation.
The view that indifference Of re-
publican voters was partly responsi-
BILE for the upset 10 supported. to n
certain extent. by an examination OF
figures which show that the republj-
can vote was about 100000 under its
West Virginia 10000, and Harding
282.o0o. In tho election last Tuesday
Neely had approximately $4,000 and
Sutherland 173,000. Other figures. too.
show that the democrats polled q
larger percentaEe OF their vote than
uted TO the fact that democratic
leaders realized from the drst that
the party stood q good chance to win
but that victory could not be achieyed
without hard work. Consequently
they perfected strong crsaniIatlons
main efforts to bringing out the DEM
ocratic vote, while the candidates
themselves were engaged in persuad-
ing as many republicans ~ possible
to kick over the traces.
Neely Perseaally Popular.
The personal popularity Of Nicely
also was a not unimportant factor
In his victory. He had served four
terms In Congress from the first dis
Representative Benjamin Rosenbloom.
The latter. however. won by a ma
jority OF only about 500. and in the
huge anti-Wilson landslide Neely led
his ticket by $4,000 votes. This was
argued In his favor by his supporters
when he was being groomed as a
candidate for the Democratic nomina-
ton. Neely and Cordell Hull. demo-
cratic national chairman. are personal
friends, having served In the House
ing forward to renewing this friend
ship when he returns to Washington.
where Hull also will 90 as a repre-
sentative from Tennessee. ="
The two congressman saved from
the republican wreck Of Tuesday are
Representative Rosenbloom and Rep
resantattve Stuart r. Reed Of the
third district. The four democratic
conRressmen-e elect are: r.. Ell Allen
Of the second district: George w.
Johnson, the fourth; Thomas ]. Lilly,
the NTH. and J. Alfred Taylor. the
sixth.
RaDuAlleans Hold State Senate.
Although the republicans lost con-
troll of tho house Of delegates they
fetained . small majority in the
state senate. Discussion Of the or
ranixation Of the legislature which
moets in January n claiming atten-
zion In the capital now. Senator C. c.
Coalter Of Hinton, hold-over. has an
nounced hts intention. subject to re-
vision should the advice Of party
leaders make 1t advisable, Of becon-
inR . candidate for the presidency Of