Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-11-08
COOLIDGE ELECTION
Is CONSE: RVAT|VES'
GREATEST VICTORY
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Especial Leased Wire to The Journal-Copy
rinht 1904


right, 1924
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6. - The
conservatives have won their great
| est victory in the era Of modern
politics in America. Democrats who
| feared the invasion by third party
of vested rights abandoned their
party faith and tradition to join with
Republican brethren in fighting their
common foe-the radicals.
The victory of Calvin Coolidge is
an anti-La Toilette verdict as much
as it is an acquiescence in things
as they are" The president on the
final count may poll substantial
margin above a complete margin. In
other words, his triumph over his
TWO opponents is clear cut. He is
not a minority victor as Wilson was
| in the three-cornered race of 1912.
The Democratic party was cut in
half by the election. 1t lost more
heavily to the third party than it
did to the regular Republican ticket,
but the conspicuous fact is that if
the total Democratic vote in the
northern and western states is added
to the La Toilette vote there still is
comfortable margin for Coolidge.
The effect of this will most certainly
be felt IN congress, where, if Mr..
Coolidge asserts himself as a leader,
he will feel more confident than be-
lore OF the support of public opinion
throughout the nation.
Hesitant and cautious heretofore
because he was serving the unex-
pred term of his predecessor, Mr.
! Coolidge can now feel in the next
few months as well as in the four
year term beginning March 4th, that
he has the country back of him. He
can remake his cabinet and with
sure-footedness lay before congress
his legislative program
Two Theories Tested
Two political theories were tested
at the polls this time. One was
whether guilt was collective, whether
party could be held strictly ac-
countable for the misdeeds or a few
of its members and the other was
whether economic issues could be
made paramount in the voters mind.
The peopl ereplied that guilt is in
dividual, that Calvin Coolidge was
not tainted with scandal of preced-
ing administrators and that bis per-
sonal honesty and integrity were
sufficient answer tc the cries Of hon
esty in government. Nobody in the
campaign accused him of dishonesty,
but opponents asserted that the Re-
publican party should be punished.
The country chose to think not Of
parties, but of persons.
AS for the doctrine that an admin
istration in power cannot be over
turned if business conditions are
good and agriculture is faring well,
this election furnished another cor
roboration. Just as in 1916, the ad-
mlnistration was retained on the
prosperity issue, just as in 1920 it
was voted out of power because of
economic disturbance and the after
effects Of the war, so did Coolidge
benefit this time by the relatively
big Improvement in the business and
farm world developed this year.
Whether politics can make better
times or save the day when distress
comes is secondary to the all-im-
portant fact that the incumbent
benefits when prosperity is either
being enjoyed or near at hand. I'm
questionably, the American business
men, for the most part, convinced
themselves that the election of Cool
idge meant better business for them.
Most Democrats in the north and
west felt that way in mercantile cir
cles. 1t ought to mean an unprece-
dented boom irrespective Of whether
it had substantial foundation for
business history shows that psychol-
ogy often rules the day.
Should Derive Comfort
If all the business men Of the ma
ton feel they ca n go ahead with
plans of expansion because Coolidge