Evening star., 1922-12-20
Politics at Large
BY N. o. MESSENGER.

1ne orltt OF political sentiment In
such key states as New York. Ohio
and Indiana is being watched closely
by politicians. looking forward to the
influence which these commonwealths
will exert In the presidential election
| in 1924. 1t may be said that the in
terest of republicans In possible de-
velopments takes on a keener shade
of anxiety than is felt by the demo-
Gratis. This is ascribed to the fact
| that the democratic party is more
set" and definite in it's declarations
| and stand upon the wet and dry
| question and on progressivism than the
! republicans.
New, York democrats. for example,
have gone to the most extreme posi-
ton they have ever taken in the En-
| pire state on progressivism, APP
preaching, it is claimed by some. To
socialism and radicalism. Now comes
movement in the republican ranks
degree the democratic attitude on
state and national issues.
X x x
Significance is attached to the ac-
| tion of nine republican members of
the United States House of Repre-
sentatives in making a direct appeal
to State Chairman Morris of the re-
publican state committee to call a
conference of republicans in the
House and in the legislature. of state
committeeman and county. "to dis
cuSS and advise on the proper pollcy
to pursue in order to uphold repub-
lican principles and ideals ana re-
store the faith of the people in our
party by adopting a constructive ana
prnHrn ssive program in the state of
New York"
So in New York. reputed to be the
stronghold of conservatism. is found
the lean of progressivism. To be
sure. i. Is TO "a enirg 10 an az
preciable degree thus far, since the
old guard leaders do not seem dis
posed to look with favor upon the
conference. They may modify their
resistance later. however.
X X X
1t was a bold and frank admission
which the nine representatives, in
Congress made to the PUBLIC in their
| letter to the state chairman.
1T is our belief" they said. that
our state ticket was overwhelmed
| in the recent elections because our
party lost contact with the people
and thereby ceased to hold their con
| fdence and support at the polls. The
| loss of our entire state ticket, TN"
control of the state senate by tn
| dem mocratic party and the defeat o.
many republican congressman and
assemblymen was a serious reVerso
which must be taken cognlZance %
and repaired by adopting proper and
adequate policies for the future
guidance of our party If we wish to
avoid even more serious reverse IN
! 1924
! Then they proceeded to point out
measures which they thought worthy
of adoption to again put the party
in closer touch with the people. The
first would be restoration of state
wide direct primaries and abandon
ment of The convention system o.
nominating state officers. They urged
reorganization of the state govern
ment through constitutional amend
ment providing for short ballot and
elimination of overlapping and use
less departments, commissions and
bureaus: a genuine home-ruie amend
ment to the Sta'e constitution for
all cities and villages. particularly in
transit matters: Improvement of ter
minal markets to facilitate distribu-
tion and elimination of mlddlemen
state control of water power: legis-
lation to stimulate homebuilding; a
commission to investigate minim um
wage rates for women and children
removal of the courts from political
domination; elimination of the direct
settlement provision of the work
mems compensation act.
x x X
While the republicans of New York
pnpdarjpO whether fhay shall
meet and discuss the advisability of
adopting these policies. the demo-
Gratis will be meeting in Legislative
assembly and seeking to put many
of the suggestions on the statute
books. The Legislature meets in Jan
! uary, at which time Gov. Smith, who
! will have been inaugurated on New
Year day. will have submitted a broad
and comprehensive program of pro-
and the senate will be democratic.
the lower house republican by a
greatly reduced majority.
The republicans in both chambers
will be Immediately put on record to
! make good their declarations of in
terest in the policies which many of
them claim to favor, and some of
which doubtless would be proposed
by republicans if that party con-
! trolled the governorship and legis-
| lature.
The course of the republicans in
the next few weeks in the legisla-
! ture will. politicians say, demonstrate
to the voters of New York which
party. democratic or republican. is
actually friendly to the progressive
and even radical legislation which the
voters are construed to have demand
ed in their support of the democratic
platform at the polls last November.
Thus sentiment for 1924 will be in
the making. and the voters. even so
the great contest for national and
state control in that year.
X * X
In Ohio it is thought that the re-
publicans are likely to run closer to
regular conservative legislative form
! than in New York. The difficulty in
Ohio the republicans seem to be fac
ing is to stick together on the wet
and dry question. The preponderat-
! ing sentiment, judging from the vote
given Mr.. Fess for the Senate, would
appear to be favorable to the drys
But the political ntanipulators will
have to be reckoned with. many of
them already in the field with sug-
gestion that unless the republican
party yield something to the demand
| for modification of the Vclstead act
| it will be impossible to hold in line
thousands of regular republicans who
are insistent upon modification.
x X X X
Indiana is expected to be the scene