The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-04-24

Washington, D. c., April 22.-
Recently special election was
held in New York state, and while
| it was only to fill the unexpired
term of a single congressman. il
was watched all over the country
with the greatest interest 1t is
taken by some to be the first straw
to show how political winds may
blow in November
In this district, for some years
represented by Alanson B. Hough-
ton, the Republican vote is normal
ly large. In the special election
Lewis Henry, Republican won.
but by a greatly reduced majority.
The recent primary elections in
Illinois are taken as being of great
interest as indications of the feel
ing on questions before the coun-
try. These were held at the same
time, with the result that there
were two upsets in sitting con-
gressmen-Ira C. Copley and Cliff
ford Ireland. However, the New
York election is taken as better
material for judging feeling in the
country, as Republican votes beat
Mr.. Copley and Mr.. Ireland. Issues
confined to their districts entered
most largely into the fight, al
though some significance is seen
in the fact that both were defeat
ed by vets" as both Mr. Copley
and Mr.. ireland have voted dry"
consistently.
Around the capitol, Republican
politicians who do not try to de
ceive themselves know that there
is dissatisfa ction with congress
throughout the country. The de-
lay in the passage of the tariff bill
is one of the great causes of this
feeling. And because the average
citizen does not pause to analyze
what is causing the delay, he
groups his grievance under a gen.
eral crouch against congress as a
whole.
This displeasure is being felt by
House members who will come up
for reelection this autumn. The
business men want the tariff a set
tied thing. They feel that the I'M
certainty as to exact provisions
the law will contain when it is fin
ally approved by the President is
adversely affecting business. 1t
cannot properly settle down to pull
ling out of its present situation IN
til this is done. The House passed
the bill along to the Senate months
and months ago. It is in the Sen
ate Finance committee that the de-
lay is being experienced. Yet the
House members are feeling the
wrath of constituents on this and
other accounts.
Election for Short Term.
The election in the New York
district was held because Mr..
Houghton resigned to become
His vote in 1920 amounted to &c.
000, in round numbers, his Demo-
cratic opponent receiving in the
neighborhood of 10000 votes In
the special election the Democrat.
Frank Irvine, received about IT,
600 votes, the successful Republic
can about 10000 votes.
As the election had the wet and
dry issue in it, a great deal of
importance has been attached to
the tremendously reduced majority
in this normally strong Republican
district. The dry element has
been worried by it, and the vets
perhaps more jubilant than the
showing would justify.
The situation is compared with
the mistaken idea the country re-
ceived in 1904 Then Theodore
Roosevelt won by a popular ma
jority of 2,544, 343 votes over Judge
Alton B. Parker. This was hailed
at the time as a tremendous trib-
ute to the personal popularity en-
joyed by the late President Roose-
welt.
However, on that occasion wise
politicians analyZed the vote in
comparison with the presidential
vote four years before, and discov-
cred some rather startling facts.
William Mckinley, running for the
second time in 1900, received a
popular vote of 7,219,530, while
William J. Bryan, the Democrat.
polled 6,35s,071 votes. Mr.. Nc
Kinley's popular majority, there
fore, was less than 100000 votes.