The Washington times., 1923-11-07

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should have begun at places to turn
back the Democratic tide in the
Northwest?
The Kentucky Barometer.
In support Of their optimism the
Democrats point to the astonishing
accuracy with which Kentucky, In
its gubernatofial elections, has
prophesied the ensuing elections in
the country at large for the Presi-
Dental office.
Kentucky elects It's governors for
a four-year term and it elects them
in the year preceding Presidential
elections. Ever since 1891, with one
break, the election OF a Democratic
governor In Kentucky has been fol.
lowed by election Of a Democratic
President in the nation, and the cleo
tion of a Republican governor has
been followed by the election of a
Republican President.
The one break was furnished by
Theodore Roosevelt. In 1898 Ken
lucky elected q Democratic governor,
ana yet In the ensuing year Theodore
Roosevelt was returned to the White
House.
This Il regarded by Democrats as
q startling proof OF Theodore Roose-
velt's capacity to go up against a
jinx and beat It. On all other Presi-
Dental occasions the Kentucky jinx
has worked.
kentucky having gone Democratic
in 1891 the country went Democratic
in 1882 for Cleveland. kentucky
having gone Republican in 1895 tine
country went Republican in 1896 for
Nick inlev
Again in 1899 Kentucky went
Republican, and again in 1900 the
country went for Mckinley and Re.
publicanism.
Then came the Roosevelt excep.
ton to the rule, in 1908 and 1904,
whereafter the rule was resumed
and has continued operating to
to date.
Sequence is Resumed.
In 1908 Taft was elected President
Why? Because, according to the
Democrats, Kentucky, as shown by
the records went Republican in
1907.
In 1911 Kentucky changed its
mind and went Democratic. There
upon In 1919 the country went
Democratic and elected woodrow Will
Four years later Kentcky went
Democratic by only some four hun
dred votes plurality. Thereupon
Woodrow Wilson was reelected over
Charles Evans Hughes by only the
narrowest. sort of national plurality
margin.
In 1919, however, Kentucky went
Republican by an unprecedented
landslide. What was the result?
In 1920 the country went Republican
by an unprecedented landslide
SO the Democrats remember and
observe; and 80 from their triumph
in Kentucky yesterday they claim
the White House next year.
GIee Over New York Gains.
The Republicans, on the other
hand, profess to be quite willing to
lose some border States II they can
make gains in the Empire State
with its votes in the electoral col
lege 50 far exceeding those Of Ken
lucky and Maryland combined. ana
they are already beginning to fig
ure on whether MachoId, Republi-
can speaker Of the New York State
assembly, or Theodore Roosevelt,
Assistant Secretary OF the Navy,
will have the honor Of finally ex-
tinguishing the star of Gov. Al
Smith, Democrat, in 1924.
The regaining Of Congressional
seat in the Twenty.fourth New
York district IL regarded by the
Republicans as q convincing I1roof
that In the North the Democratic
tide of last year has been checked.
Last year that district went Demo
cratic by AGO votes, after having
gone Republican in 1920 by $500
votes. This year It returns to the
Republican fold by what the early
returns indicate to be q consider
able margin.
In Vermont, in the size of the
majority Of the Republican candi-
date over the Democratic candidate
for the United States Senator, the
Republicans did better than they
had expected, in view of the anti
Volstead-law campaign Of the Dem.
ocratic candidate, and in view OF
the undoubted popularity of that
sort OF campaign and sentiment in
considerable part Of Vermont.
Everybody Happy.
In Vermont there was this un-
doubted Though spotty) popularity
for the wet Issue and in New York
there was an undoubted and wide
ly distributed popularity for Gov.
AL Smith: and yet against. those
popularitieS. the Republicans point
out, they retained Vermont ex-
tremely safely, according to the
early returns, ami not only retained
what they had In New YORK; but
made advances.
They accordingly allege that ma
tional issues In the North are sway
ing the voters, and that next year
not Al Smith himself and oil his
local popularity will keep New