The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-22
PRESS ON MINN. ELECTION

farmer-Iaborlte, defeated Governor Preus, old-line Republican, in the re- cent senatorial battle almost every body could take satisfaction from the result. The Democrats could chuckle over the event as one might enjoy a family quarrel among the next-door neighbors. The radicals had no diff ficulty in discovering in the vote support of their ideals, whatever they may be. The Republicans could say that the sudden slump in wheat coming just before the election caused the farmers to vote without thinking, and that another time the result would be different. Alibis are the friend of mankind. Alibi il Alibi. Alibi is good.
 The Memphis Commercial-Appeal finds it's joy tempered with serious reflections: "There is a serious side to the affair when great states like Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and Minnesota send such wild visionaries as LaFollette, Brookhart, Frazier, Shipstead and Magnus Johnson to the nations highest lawmaking body. All of us cherish the hope that this quin- tette represents nothing more than 8 passing protest against unsatisfactory conditions, and that all, or most of it, will pass, just as the populist and greenback movements passed, when conditions improve. But we should not allow such hope to blind our judg- ment away from the necessity to safe guard the traditions and institutions of the republic. It is true they are in no great danger right now, but at least the presence of the northwestern quintette stands as a threat. It is up to the people of the United States to make of theis senate something more than a museum of political freaks"
 That the vote is revolt against the tariff is the opinion of the Florida Times-Union, which concludes "That group of extreme radical states will not remain radical, but the men they elect to office, while attempting many vicious extremes, will vote against pro tection." Likewise, the Atlanta Con- stitution: "Sooner or later this con- bination will go to pieces in Mime sota just as it has in every other state where it has been effected, and where it has met with temporary success. In the meantime 1t is combination that must be reckoned with in the presidential campaign of next year, and in the reckoning the Democrats have less to fear than the Republi- cans, for the chances are that La Toilette will prove another Roosevelt and that the Republican party will go before the people next year split in twain"
 The sentiment against radicalism transcends consideration of immediate partisan gains, in the eyes of the Chat tanooga Times, which declares; Party consideration aside, however, neither ents of the Republican faith can view the revolt in the North and Middle West with equanimity. It is signifi- cant of an unrest, of an inclination to force legislation for the special benefit of a certain class, of the growth of the dangerous bloc in our legislative halls at Washington that does not au- gur we'll for the welfare of the nation in general. It is situation that must be met by larger statesmanship and broader, saner and better policies if national unity is to be restored"
 That the new senator has blanks in his platform that are appealing enough" Is admitted by the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, whic h continues: "But along with pledges for a down. ward tariff revision and waterway de- velopment, are pledges for government price fixing for wheat raisers, and pledges for statutory limits on the power of the supreme court in decis- ions. He is committed to a rather ex- tensive program of tinkering with rail- road laws and banking laws and to new taxes. Would it not seem that once in a while, when official honors come to a man popularly invested with the good common sense of the plain citizenry, he would demand less, not more, government intermeddling? If the demand does not come from such men, supposedly representative of classes who insist on government mind ing it's own business, how can it be expected from those already of long service in public life and habituated to continual extensions in the scope of government" As to the probable legislative effect the Globe-Democrat adds: Minnesota has replied to the Fo1'dney act and one-dollar wheat in way that creates senate division favorable to deadlocks and doing noth- ing" Which, heaven forbid!
 The Cleveland Plain Dealer is op- timistic, doubtless with good reason: 'The bite of such group is never quite as bad as it's bark. Contact with cold, hard facts has cured many rad ical." The Providence Journal views Magnus Johnson as "redoubtable" and