The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1922-11-02
WASHINGTON LETTER
By Wallace Bassford

l
and render verdict on the Harding
administration. This does net mean
that it is merely to be an expression
of the attitude of the people toward
the easy-going Golf -Ploycr of the
White House-rather it will be q ref
erendum on the acts and commits
sions of the President, his cabinet,
hte Senate and the House. The cam
paign is ordinary in that it finds the
Republicans with the usual ubundent
funds, supplied by those who" have
an ak to grind. In the case of
the opposition, however, there is more
than the usual scarcity of money,
due probably to the fact that the plain
people have less than usual to con-
tribute. The result is that those
speakers whom the Democrats have
been able to send out have paid
their own expenses. Those speakers
report the people everywhere as dis
satisfied with conditions and the rec
ord Of the administration. If dissat-
lsfled ones take sufficient interest
In the welfare of themselves and the
country to go to the polls and regis
ter their dissatisfaction in the ballot
box, then the Harding administration
will suffer a severe rebuke and the
people will have Democratic House
and stronger bulwark in the SEN
ate to protect them from encroach-
ments of the predatory corporation
influence. But the people will not
only have so to the polls and register
their isapproval-many votes will
be cast that will be wasted just as
surely as the soldier wastes his bullet
who raises his gun and fires at the
sky. To be effective against the cor
poration control of this administration
the votes must be concentrated be-
hind the candidates of the leading
party in opposition to the administra-
ton. Votes cast for the third and
fourth parties are thrown away and
worse than thrown away, for they en-
able the Republican candidate to win.
And the man or woman who condemns
the Republican Congress in talking
with the neighbors, but who neglects
tosvote,e is-surrendering his or her
Americanism without struggle. In
determining the fate of the country
this "voter" is not a voter at all,
but cipher. Thinking right is good,
but if this is not followed by voting
right, then it is of no avail, and he
who is in error triumphs. If the
reports received by the Democratic
headquarters are correct, the Demo-
Gratis alone, without much aid from
dissatisfied Republicans and Progress
sives, could win a great victory if they
go to the polls in something like full
strength, for millions of votes that
were cast for Harding two years ago
will be missing when the returns come
in next Tuesday night. They will
be the votes of those who now know
that they were fooled, cajoled with
false promises and cheated in the
results.
There are many classes who owe
present Republican Congress a black
black ball in shape of Democratic
vote at the polls. Perhaps nothing
stands out with greater clearness than
the deception practiced toward the
veterans of the World War, who were
led to believe in every way that it
could be stated, that they would re-
ceive adjusted compensation with a
view to repaying them in small meas
ure for the losses they suffered by
reason of having been in service for
the most critical period Of their lives.
Surely they realize by this time that
they have no hope of receiving this
compensation so long as Harding is
in the White House, and while this
Congressional election will not turn
him out of the White House, it will
go far toward that end if Demo-
cratic House and bunch of Demo-
cratic Senators are elected. A re-
publican victory will be taken as an
endorsement of, the Presidents stand
on the bonus. The Republican House
and Senate voted the bonus through
because they had to face the soldier
vote this fall, but they did it with
their fingers crossed, knowing that the
President, who does not have to face
the voters for two years more, intend
ed to veto the bill.
But it is not the word bonus which
is so unpleasant to the ear of the
President, it is welcome enough when
used in other connections. He is to
call Congress in extra session on No
vember 20 in order to have law
passed giving a bonus to the wealthy
ship-oWners-but thew don't need it.