Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-09-01
AUTUMN ELECTION
RESULT IN DOUBT
UNREST AND Discomfort OF
THE PEOPLE WORRY THE
REPUBLICAN LEADERS.
SECRET CONFERENCES HELD
National Organization Won't Attempt
to Direct the State Campaigns
Democrats Not Yet Making Political
Capital Out of Strike Troubles.
Rn JAMIE ?. HoRNApAY

BY JAMES P. HORNADAY
Washington-The 1922 elections
are approaching. In three months
from now the country will have in
dicated how it feels about a good
many matters some of nationwide
import, others Of purely local inter-
est The politicians. would be hap
pier if they had better line on what
is likely to happen.
If surface indications can be re-
lied on, there are many cross cur
rents to be reckoned with. The
United States is about the only coun"
try where people should be happy and
contented, but great many of them
are not. Unrest is manifested in
many ways The season has brought
bountiful agricultural crops, there is
now work for nearly every man who
wants work wages are high compared
with wages in other countries; the
country is at peace with all the world.
And still there is disturbed state of
mind.
The Republican party is more con-
cerned about the existing conditions
than the Democratic party because,
being the party in power in the fed
eral government and in nearly all the
states, it has much at stake. The Pc
culiar situation received attention at
"a series of secret Republican confer
ences held at the headquarters of the
party here recently. Many of the
best minds of the party participated
In these conferences. The situation
In Is or 20 northern states was ex-
amined by the party chieftains, and
some 100 congressional districts re-
ceived attention
Hard to Plan the Campaign.
These conferences, according to per-
sons who attended them, did not find it
easy to decide on a plan of campaign
that would obviously meet the situa-
ton The representatives of the par
ty who were called here have gone
home with the understanding that the
national organization will probably not
attempt very much in the way of
leadership in the campaign. Local
conditions, it is asserted, are so I'M
usual that it is deemed wise for each
state organization to work out it's own
salvation, so to speak.
The Democrats, who also maintain
national headquarters here, have been
comforting a good deal and while they
are hopeful that things will come their
way in November, they realize that
no well-informed person would at
tempt at this time to prophesy as TO
what will happen on election day The
outstanding feature of the situation
less than three months before the
, people are to go to the polls, accord
ing to spokesman for each of the ma
tionaI organizations, is an unusual
lack of interest among the masses of
the people in purely partisan politics.
Party leaders, it is asserted, are
not acclaimed as they once were and
in some sections of the country may
consider themselves fortunate if they
get a fair hearing 1t is not in evil
dence that this attitude Of the voters
generally is directed specially at either
of the old political parties. Rather
according to the spokesman for the
two national organizations, it is an
indication of a growing tendency
among voters to cut loose from purely
political affiliations.
No Real National Issue.
It appears row that there will not
be any outstanding national issues in
the coming campaign, unless the tar
if can be made such an issue. The
sfrategists in The two old parties are
not disposed to get much excited about
the tariff They are Of the opinion
that, generally speaking, the people are
not likely to take the tariff issue very
seriously. The Harding administra-
ton will, of course, be up for indorse-
ment. Until recently the Republican
leaders have regarded the Harding
record as a big asset. Just now they
are not certain az to the value they
will be able to place on it when the
campaign comes on.
There has been criticism Of the adj
ministration's handling Of the indus
trial situation, but the Republican
politicians believe that in the end the
country viii approve the Presidents
handling Of the problem. The Demo
Gratis thus far have not been inclined
to attempt to make any political cap
itaI out of the administrations ham
ding Of the strike situation. One de-
cision reached by the Republicans in
their series Of conferences here this
week was that an heroic effort will be
made to overcome the feeling against
the congress. The congress is, Of
course, a liability today. The Repub-
lican speakers who will go out into
the campaign wi be under instruc-
lions to attempt to show that the
record of the special session and of
the regular session is not as bad as
the public has been led to believe. It
was the sense of the Republicans who
came in for the -veek's conferences
that the tariff legislation should be
disposed of as quickly as possible and
that the. congress should adjourn by
the middle of September.
President Sticks Close to Job.
President Harding has abandoned
all hope of getting vacation
BAD TASTE IN CIsTERN WATEF