Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-28
EARLY POLITICAL INDICATIONS
BY Frederic J. Haskin

However. when Mr.. Roosevelt vas
elected, Judge Parker pofied but s.
0s4Asi yotes--roughly 100000 less
votes than Mr.. Bryan received four
years before The total Republican and
Democratic vote IN 1900 wae f3,577,-
sol. -Four years later. despite the fact
that hundreds of thousands Of voters
had come 10 legal age IN the inter
yening years, tho combined popular
vote OF Roosevelt and Parker was H.
1895, roughly $50 900 less than tho
vote in 1900.
Politicians, whose success in that
game for decades gives their opinions
weight, point 20 this as meaning that
lin 1904 Democrats had reached a state
OF disgust, and while they would not
become turncosts and vote for Re-
publican candidates, they refused to
vote at all. The figures would appear
70 bear them out in this argument.
| The special election in the Old
Houghton district in New York state
is taken by these old timers 10 mean
that the Republican voters may sun<
| in their tents, and that large numbers
| OF them will refuse TO vote at all In
the special election for Congress, only
40 per cent OF the normal Republican
voting strength could be gotten out 90
the polls. However. there was soma
falling or in the Democratic strength
l-17.o00 against about 10000 two.
years ago. However. 1900 r. IS
per cent OF the normal Democratic
strength. which Is a worrying figure
to Republican politicians.
Some Reaction Expected.
Some reaction from the tremendous
IRepublican victory Of 1920 was natur.
ally expected. Then Republicans won
the House by tremendously increased
majority. and President Harding was
swept into office by the greatest ma
: jortiy ever heard Of in this country.
His majority in the popular vote was
greater, for instance, than the total
= vote received by Woodrow Wilson in
9 1915, when the Republican vote was
split between Taft and Roosevelt.
Politicians, whose views carry
, !, weight look for a reduction IN tho Re-
!, publican House membership. whils
= they would not care 20 say so publicly,
the present majority in the lower
branch OF Congress So unwieldy. II is
bad for party discipline. they contend.
because a mere matter OF 20 or 30
votes the wrong way on party rnea-
sure now is no cause for moment =
3 worry.
n It IS an open secret in Warrington
= that the Democratic National Commit
~ tee IS beginning to he a little fearful
g. that the apathy Of Republican voters
m this year may result in a Democratic
n majority in the House. with an eye
y. TO the future, frankly this is not de-
w sired by the Democratic organization.
nt In order TO have a good ground for n
general attack in 1924. when another
" Presidential election occurs issues
&c would be clearer If the party now ont
" Of power could duck responsibility for
" all measures. This could not be true
~ 4 the Democrats should win the House
Id this fall.
LII This is the situation as IL Is gen.
orally viewed in Washington at the
ne present time. About six months remain
IN before the election in November
'n Within that period it is possible, OF
43 course, that Congress may be able 70
lis redeem itself somewhat in the eyes O.
d. the people. However. there are pessi.
ty mists in the Republican ranks in Con-
e- gress who declare that the country ex-
pected a Republican administration
II to perform some miracle OF legisla.
ri ton TO put the country on its feet in
ur a business way almost overnight, re.
ne ducing taxes and bringing prosperity
n Some Of these men look forward con
in fldently, but naturally with no JOY
T.. TO being returned 10 private life.
he business should have a sharp reviva
fr. within that period. the prospects 70
re- many present members of Congress
would revive with the business boom