The Omaha morning bee., 1922-11-10
THE REPUTATION or "HlrcHcocKrsM."

size Of Howell's majority impresses itself When
the last votes are counted Nebuska's new repub.
IIcan senator will have around $4,000 majority.
That Ia greater majority by three times than
ever given TO a successful senatorial candidate In
the whole history of Nebraska. II approaches the
proportions Of the Harding landslide Of two years
ago II Is greater than the combined majorities Of
Wilson and Hitchcock In 1915 by $4,000. II is the
greatest majority ever given any citizen Of the
state on any ticket In any election In which there
was an opposing candidate. This spontaneous
demonstration Is not 10 be accounted for by the
votes Of the women, Of any group
II is by this same majority that the people Of
this state have rcpudiated their senior senator and
the methods and policies and lack of policies for
which he stands--the thing that has come TO be
known m "Htchcockism."
"Htchcoekism" Is dead in Nebraska, dead in the
birth Of new era Of rclfconscousness OF the west
srn farming states, Of progreSsiveness with
serystism Above all, this new demands OF It's
exponents sincerity Of purpose and consistency Of
action.
In leading editorial in his paper this morning,
over the signature Of one Of his writer's, Hitchcock
explains" his defeat.
X would be unchartable TO use the language Of
the defeated senator's paper, used at time when
Brother Charley was giving an Explanation" OF
victory: "A pretty bum sport, and rather hopeless
sort Of aa." =.. ...
We do not apply such terms TO the "explana-
ton" Of the senator Of his defeat. We merely
pause here to comment on the danger Of over tex
planstjon' OF defeat as well as personal exatation
over victory.
After ALL no man has won victory, although
there has been decisive victory and overwhelming
defeat.
IL is the people who have spoken 1t is the
people who have triumphed, giving victory to their
chosen representatives and administering disastrous
defeat to those they have repudiated
II is no time for an alibi.
II IL no time either, for arousng old prcjudices
and old fears to explain new defeats.
A few weeks ago II was suggested in Nebraska
that there was something to be gained with the
German vote by few words to be spoken in CON
gress regarding the Of colored troops on the
Rhine. The Omaha Bee is in position to know
that this suggestion made TO others than Sena-
tor Hitchcock. To none, however, did it appeal as
a political moye-cxcept to the senator.
And no he rose in the senate at the eleventh
hour and denounced this condition on the Rhine
front BY this political four-hush rejected by
others, he hoped to make an impression on the
German vote" and to benefit politically. This
peeeh was printed in German and circulated widely
about Nebraska as part Of the food Of propaganda
by which Hitchcock hoped to capitalize racial feeling
IL the senator is correct, that he failed to gain
the "German vote" it is not because of duty per-
formed during the war, but because citizens Of Ger
man blood in common with the vast majority Of all
voters in Nebraska, have lost confidence in the SEN
ator's sincerity, and the last minute fourfush on
the Rhineland only served to evidence further this
lack Of sincerity.
All that Nebraska asks of is citizens is that
they abide by its laws. protect its institutions and
guard the spirit of liberty. The effort to make it
appear that any one class of voters is responsible
for the defeat Of the democratic senator must be re-
sented as tending to arouse class feelings and divide
the citizenship wrong lines.
The vote received by R. b. Howell came from
all sections Of the state and from all sorts of homes
The republican majority large in Custer
county, which contains scarcely any persons of
German extraction in any Of those counties that
were settled largely by members of that race 1t /
was two to one for Howell in Custer county and II
the proportion similarly against Hitchcock IN I
others where Germans are scarce Thus Holt +
county gave Howell 3.020 votes while Hitchcock /
received only 2io7. Franklin county gave Howell \
I 2s3 and Hitchcock only s72 Frontier and liar-
Ian counties are other examples Of sections with
few Germans cast votes for against any candi-
date, and Howell won there.
In fact there are not more than half dozen i
counties IN all Nebraska that. according TO unofficial
returns. voted in favor cf Hitchcock,
The politicians ~ this country, particularly OF 4
the middle west, and more particularly Of Ne
hraska. must come 20 realize that the hest politics
|, 10 use no politics Al all II
when will the men ssekiag public office IN Ne.
hraska learn that, above all the voter demands sin
rsri,y Of purpose and consistency u estteaf Men
and womsn ~ the west are tolerant II the views
81 rahhs men, provided enly they are convinced
those yisws arc sincerely held The sin they vii .
net forgive i the sin ~ insinesry the change ~
treat At he eleventh hour, iaf before sieftiou sed
ss,s. IN Washington thai a nei ihs With speeches
ia Nshfsska