The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-01-16

Conservative Leadership Is Given
Severe Upset at Polls.
WASHINGTON, d. C.-Post-war
construction tendencies manifested
IN almost every phase of national life
were the outstanding feature OF the
oolitical phenomena of 1922. It was
wear of political unrest and dissatis
faction. or revolt against conservative
leadership. of ebullitions OF radicalism
IN spots. OF groupings for new and
more favorable conditIons of existence,
for new partisan alignments.
The political events of the year re-
solved around the election of the sixty
eighth congress on November 9Th:
Nominally the republicans retained
control of congress-by majority OF
10 in the senate and is in the house.
Practically they will be unable to rely
on these paper majorities tor control
nj legislation because some half dozen
republican senators and nearly a score
of republican representatives are out
nj sympathy with the regular leader
ship and are preparing to indulge IN
more or less insurgency and Animation
with the democratic opposition III the
new congress. The insurgents, who
call themselves progressives, virtually
will hold a balance OF power in the
sixtv-eighth congress and wiHsbe able
successfully to obstruct where they
cannot dictate legislation.
Big Majorities Cut Down.
In the present congress elected IN
1920 there are SO republicans and 81
Democratic senators, republican ma
;oritv of %, and 301 republican and
ISL democratic representatives, repub-
lican majority of ITO. In the new con-
gress will be So republicans in the
Senate. AZ democrats and one farmer
labor senator, while in the house there
will be 225 republicans, 207 democrats,
one farmer-labor. one socialist and one
Independent.
About a score of women were can
didates for the senate and house, but
none was elected. Miss Alice Robert
SON republican, OF Oklahoma, the sole
woman elected to the present congress
in 1920 being among those defeated;
Mrs. Winnifred Huck, republican, OF
Illinois. was elected to fill the vacancy
in this congress created by the death
OF her father, Congressman Mason.
On the eve of the election woman
became a member of the senate Tor
the first time. Mrs. Rebecca FELTON,,
democrat. of Georgia, being appointed
10 the, vacancy created by the death
OF Senator Tom Watson. She was
sworn in when congress met IN ex-
traordinary session after the election,
and served one day.
Fight on Volsteadism.
One OF the significant aspects OF the
election was furnished by concerted
movement in MANY parts of the courr-
trv for a modification of the Volstead
act to authorize the manufacture and
consumption of beer and light wine as
Misunderstanding liquor within the
meaning of the 18th amendment.
In this contest the drys lost consld-
cradle ground but the VETS did not
gain enough seats to assure them OF
a majority in the next congress Tor
their program. In the senate, as now
constituted, there are 68 drys and 70
vets. while after March | next the
lineup will be 81 drys, 80 vets and
doubtful dry majority OF from 10
TO So. In the house at present there
are 307 drys and 126 vets, while IN
the next house there will be 24o drys'
l54 vets and 80 doubtful, dry ma
iority ranging from O. to Ia.
On referendums involving the CUES
ton of liberalizing the existing dras-
tic prohibition enforcement law ONO
and California lined up on the dry
side bv decisive majorities, while llli-
nois and Massachusetts were wet.
Prohibition was the predominant is
sue in New Jersey, where Gov, Ed
wards. democrat, who championed I'M,
mediate modification of the Volstead
act and eventual repeal of the 18TH
amendment. defeated Senator Freling-
huysen, republican, defender OF pro-
hibition, in the senate contest.
New York was the scene OF a spec
tacular struggle over the governorshlp
between Gov. Nathan L. Miller, re,
publican. and former Gov. Alfred
Smith democrat, and the prohibition
question furnished one OF the major
issues. Miller was on the dry SIDE,
standing on a platform from which
the republicans had excluded any eX-
preston favoring modification OF the
prohibition regime, while smith APP
pealed strongly to the vets, the demo-
cratic platform having advocated res
torat1on OF beer and llght WlHe. 9ii!ltu
defeated Miller by an overwhelming
and unprecedented plurality.
The result in New York cannot. be
explained wholly by reaction against
bone dry prohibition, for there were
many important local issues, and IN
Smith Gov. Miller had an opponent
who is by all odds the most popular
politician in New York. Smith, who is
a Tammanyite, had a united demo-
cratic party behind him, and, in addi-
ton, large republican support.
At the same time, the prohibition
issue in New York was of sufficient
magnitude to contribute a special sig
nihcance to the result. Not a few re-
publican leaders fear that if the re-
publicans continue to defend Volstead-
ism and sthe democrats continue on
the wet course both New York and
New Jersey will be carried by the
democrats in 1924. Those two states
might be all the democrats would need
to win the presidency.
GOLD MIME MILE DEEP.