Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-10-12
1922 ELECTION
FORECASTS ONE
FOR PRESIDENT
Rl FREDERIC j. HAsK1N.

W ashlngton, Oct. 11.-Off-year
campaigns and elections are inter.
esting chiefly for their bearing on
the next struggle for the presiden-
cy. This is especially true of the
fight now on which will terminate
| November T. 1t will determine the
political complexion of the next
congress and which party will con-
troll the official machinery of va
lrious states, and all that is inn
portant, but the big thing it will
do will be to spotlight the men
who will contest for the great prize
in 1924. In a way it will be the
qualification or elimination round
of the presidential tournament.
At the same time the general re-
isults of the 1922 elections will be
accepted as indicative Of the polit-
| ical trend throughout the country.
| foreshadowing what will probably
happen two years hence.
If the republicans retain control
OF congress and are measurably
successful in the state contests.
they will look forward to 1924 with
redoubled confidence, for they
would regard this as an endorse
ment of the Harding administra-
ton and of the party's legislative
program.
On the other hand, II the demo-
Gratis should carry either the house
or the senate, and if they should
win in one or two of the pivotal
states. they would have grounds
for the belief that their party is
about to stage come back. They
would go into the next fight with
a far more aggressive spirit and
their forces that are now somewhat
disintegrated could be marshalled
far more easily into a formidable
lighting machine.
Peculiarly enough, while all re-
publicans are of one mind as to
the desirability of their retaining
control of congress there are diff
ferences of opinion among demo-
Gratis as to whether it would be
"a good thing for them to eject an
actual majority in either branch of
the national law making body. A
few democratic leaders insist that
all they want is to score substan-
tial gains in the congressional cleo
tons, leaving the republicans in
control of congress by the mar
roWest possible margin. This. they
say, would not only make the re-
publIeanS solely responsible for
whatever happens in a legislative
way during the next is months,
but would also make it impossible
for the republicans to explain any
failure to carry out their program
by blaming the people for electing
q democratic house or senate.
These democrats also point out that
If their party gets control of con-
gress it will be incumbent upon 1t
to make an affirmative record on
which to go before the people in
1924. That Is to say, the democrats
would be expected to pass bills en-
bodying their views on the more
important issues, and it is quite
possible that they might get into
II wrangle among themselves over
such questions as the tariff, the
bonus, ship subsidy, industrial re-
lations, and the like, that would
prove. disastrous.
Harding Might Use Veto Power.
Moreover, even IL they could get
together on a constructive program
OF legislation anything they might
do would doubtless be nnllified by
the veto of President Harding, and
in disappearing democratic meas
ures the republican president
might find it easy to make consid-
cradle political capital for himself
and his party.
Such may be said to be the views
of the NOR cautious democratic
leaders. Others who are more mill
liant insist that 1t would be a good
thlng Tor their party to win every
possible seat in the house and SON
ate. This element is willing to take
chances on being able to make
record that will appeal to the peo-
pie and believes that It will he AL
together to the advantage of their
party to be in a position to make
it impossible for the republicans 70
carry out their legislative program.
:, All thls mas to do with the
iihesse or the great game Of poll
tlcs. by far the more interesting
Phase of the possible results of Tho
present campaign is the develop-
ment OF star players Of the game
ost democrats who figure in ma
tlohai atfairs and practically all the
eApelt poilt1cal observers agree that
lne democratic standard bearer for
lS24 VIII emerge from the elections
next month. Somewhere, in one of
the important fights for n povar-
norshlp or for a seat in the senate
a man Will loom up. they saw, who
p,,ersonifies the leadership of whicly
the party is so sadly in need at
present. At
There are big men in the demo
cratic party, but none of them Il
sucn an outstanding figure that he
must be accepted as the nartv
leader leader, Not even former President
Wiison IS TO be accorded that dis |
JUNCTION. Cox, McAdoo, Palmer
Marshall and Underwood are con.
splcuous by reason Of their promi. |
hence IN past presidential fights. |
ana William Jennings Bryan is still
very much alive and in evidence,
but 1t can not be said that the
a ,4at Il. s4,S,