The New York herald., 1922-05-23
TUESDAY, MAY 2s. 1922.
Further Observations on the
Pinchot Triumph.

A week ago to-day something hap
pened in Pennsylvania. 1t was the
biggest domestic political happening
of many years Overturning the po-
litical machine in any State substan-
TALLY singlehanded is real achieve
inent: overturning the biggest and
strongest political machine in the
Union, as CLIFFORD PINCHoT did in
Pennsylvania, is a mighty achieve
ment.
The achievement of BEvERIDGE in
Indiana, signal and striking as it was,
does not begin to rank with the
achievement of PINcHoT in the vast
State of Pennsylvania. BEvERrDGE
undertook possible thing: PINcHoT
undertook an impossible thing.
BEvERIDGE was a good bet from the
start; PINcHoT was no bet at all. And
PINcHoT, without BEvERIDGE's bril-
liancy, without BEvERIDGEs genius as
a speaker, without BEvERIpGE's back
ground as a scholar, a historian and
q statesman, won out.
In Indiana the State machine was
not officially against BEvERIDGE. Indi-
vidual members of the machine were
against him. In Pennsylvania the
State machine was officially against
PINcHoT and fought him until there
wasn't any further fight left in it.
The smoke of battle has cleared
away. The figures are practically all
in. They show PINCHoTs nomination
by something like $4,000 majority.
The hardboiled of the Democratic
press gets great comfort out OF
PrNcHor's victory in Pennsylvania,
as 1t did out of BEvERIDGE's victory in
Indiana. 1t ascribes 1t to a repudia-
tion of the Harding Administration.
This is mere stuff and nonsense.
There is no logic in the conclusion.
BEvERIDGE ran as a Republican in
can in Pennsylvania. 1t was a Re-
publican tea party in Indiana. Re-
publican tea party in Pennsylvania.
in neither State did the election fur
nish any evidence as to the relative
strength of the Democratic and Re
publican parties.
In the same primary election in
Pennsylvania Senator PEPPER, a Re-
publican thoroughbred, rolled up an
enormous victory over his bonus
stained Republican adversary. 1t
would be quite as sound reasoning
to ascribe the defeat OF PErPERs ad-
versary to Republican disaffection
and to reputation of the Harding
Administration as to ascribe the tri-
umphs of PINoHoT and BEvERiDGE to
Republican disaffection and to repu-
diation of the Harding Administra-
tion.
But IT would be folly to assume
from the triumphs of BEvERrDGE and
PINcHoT There is very big lesson
TO be drawn from these triumphs and
from the anti-bonus triumphs. The
meaning is that the American voter is
thinking for himself, that he refuses
to dance at the crack of the polit-
ical whip, that he has had about
all he wants of political selfishness,
political greed.
Tt means in the choice of PEPPER
and PrNcHoT and BEvERIpGE that the
American voter is demanding better
grade men. more patriotic men, big
ger men than we have been getting
in Congress and In our State Offices.
It means, too, that the spirit Of in
surgency in respect Of politics is so
widespread with the people that the
efficiency Of the political machine Is
no longer a thing to count on and
that the security Of the selfish poll
tician is no longer a thing to
bank on.
Moreover, the people generally
have had about enough of the way
politics is played by both the old
parties. There is no considerable
difference in their methods. or the
lengths to which each will 20 for
political advantage. The people have
had about enough Of fake political
issues--issues worked up by poll
ticians, not great basic natural is
sues. Most Of the old basic issues
between the two parties have passed
into history and the rest are in the
process Of passing.
The student Of the trend Of politics,
however, must not lose sight of the
extraordinarily effective methods pur.
sued by BEvERrDcE and PrNcHoT in
their campaigns. Each went to the