The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1922-11-30
ECONOMIC FORCES
SWAY ELECTIONS
This Was Surely the Cause in the
Nationwide Election Of November
7th, According to Robert E. Smith,
of Lumbermans Trust Co., Portland

Eliminating superficial causes and
coming right "down to cases." the
forces which determine the outcome
of any nationwide election are econ
omic. OF specific units which COM
pose the country in its entirty, this
may not be true-in Oregon, for in
stance, economic causes did not con-
troll the result-but the underlying
causes of the discomfort and rest
lessness which found vent on No
vember 7th in electing different"
Congress were surely economic. This
is true whether, as some maintain,
the vote cast was due to popular dis
pleasure over the failure Of Congress
to reduce taxes and expenditures, or
whether it is really nationwide de-
mand for an adequate readjustment
Of the inequalities of life. Great
newspapers of both parties, Republi-
can and Democratic, have made COM
ments on the election which are fee
Bile and inadequate alike; however,
these are purely political and pre-
tend to nothing else. For instance,
the New York Tribune calls 1t "A
great popular blunder," while the
World describes it as "A triumph of
liberalism" The fallacy prevails that
the candidates who are elected "ride
to success on the crest of a wave of
popularity" but as a matter Of fact
personalities play only subordinate
parts in general elections. A man
who Is candidate for an Office for
two successive terms may for the first
term receive overwhelming majorit
les and for the second be as over
whelmingly defeated. The personal
ity in both cases is the same. Of
this Mr.. Wilson is the most promin-
ent example. Whether really respon-
sible or not, the "powers that be"
are credited with responsibility for
prevailing conditions and elections
register popular satisfaction or dis
satisfaction with them. In times of
depression and defation, the masses,
who as rule know nothing of econ
omics, are "forninst the govern
ment. and they register this fact on
election day. Conversely, in times of
prosperity, the government already in
power Is upheld and continued by the
voters, and receives credit for pre-
vailing conditions whether 1t deserves
it or not.
Balance Of Power Fayors Radicals.
The new Congress will not con-
vene until next March, but from the
nature of the new members, predie-
tions are freely, and doubtless with
some accuracy, being made as to leg
islation which it will undertake. The
balance Of power will be in favor OF
the radical element and therefore
the legislation will in all probability
have a radical tendency. The farm
bloc has been immensely strengthen
ed and much Legislation for the re-
lief of the farmer will be attempted,
among them a modification of the
transportation act tending to favor
the farmer, the shipper and the la
borer; heavier taxes upon wealth and
capital with special favors for agri-
culture and labor; and amendments
to the Federal Reserve Act which
would prevent conservative control
of credits as exercised by the Board
In 19l9-1920, satisfying the popular de
mand from the agricultural sections
for monetary initiation, and provide
the farmer with such large credits
that he would be enabled to hold his
crops for higher prices. Besides
such measures as these, soldiers
bonus bill, payable in cash or its
equivalent, even If the funds have to
be borrowed, is expected to be brot
forward for action. Conservatives in
Congress there will still be, however,
and they can be depended upon to use
all the parliamentary skill at their
command to block and defeat such
legislation.
Political and Financial Quietude.
A period Of three months and long
er will intervene before this Congress
convenes, and winter Of domestic
quitude, political and financial, seems
therefore to be indicated. Perhaps
we cannot make better use of the
interval than employing 1t in study
ing conditions in Europe and trying
to formulate some plan for its relief
and rehabilitation, which appears
such a hopeless and impossible task.
European Affairs TO Front.
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