Evening star., 1924-08-17
M'KELLAR FIGURES
DEMOCRATIC HOPES
Cites History in UNFOLDING
'DoubIe. Barrel" Chance
to Win Election.

THE Democrats have a double-ba
relied chance to elect a President
Senator McKelIar of Tennessee.
Democrat declared in a statement
issued last night.
They can elect Davis by his
cetVfng majority of the electoral
college," he continued. They also
have another chance in being able to
keep Coolidge from getting a ma
1or1ty of the electoral college, and
thus throwing the election into the
House of Representatives. In the
first case, Mr.. Davis would be Presi-
dent; in the second case, as hereto
fore pointed out, Mr.. Bryan would be
President. 1t is a very unusual sit
uation that confronts the American
voters. Senator La Follettes candi-
dacy has upset all calculations, and
may result in the Senate electing the
President for the first time in our his
tory. New York and New Jersey go
ing Democratic would, of course, pre-
vent such a result
states Called Doubtful.
Senator Mckellar in his survey Of
the situation, gives Davis III cleo
toral votes sure; Coolidge, s6, and La
Toilette. 81. He says 203 are doubt
full" He includes Massachusetts,.
Rhode Island and New Hampshire in
the doubtful column, however. along
with New York. New Jersey, Ohio
Illinois. Indiana and others.
Senator MckeIlar says that Senator
La Fcllette, if he got all the electoral
votes of the doubtful States" would
still be votes shy" of the necessary
266-a majority of the 531 votes in
the electoral college.
He continues:
"One of the most hopeful situations
for the Democrats in the present
campaign is the division in the Re-
publican party. 1t is idle to say that
Senator La Toilette, lifelong Re
publican, and who is running as an
Independent Republican, is going to
take more votes from the Democratic
party than he is from the Republican
party. If our Republican friends
proceed upon the theory in this cam
paign that Senator La Toilette is 60
ing to get more Democratic votes
than Republican votes. they are going
to be woefully mistaken. The COM
paratively recent political history in
this country uniformly shows that
where a political party is divided
there is always disaster to that party
in the presidential election.
Other Elections.
In 1892 the Democrats were united
for Mr.. Cleveland. The Republicans
had two candidates-Mr Harrison
and Mr.. Weaver. Gen. Weaver was
lifelong Republican, who had
turned Populite. He lived in Iowa.
and he got % electoral votes. Mr..
Cleveland was overwh elmingly
elected. and largely because of the
division in the Republican party.
In 1896 the Republicans were
united under Mckinley The Demo
Gratis were divided Mr. Bryan had
the regular nomination. the old Demo
Gratis. splitting off and nominating
Palmer and Buckner. The result was
disastrous for the Democrats owing
to their divisions
In 1912 the Republican party was
again divided, the regulars nominal
ing Mr.. Taft. and the progressiyes
nominating Mr.. Roosevelt Roosevelt
got more votes than Taft; Mr.. Wilson
being the unanimous choice of the
democrats, was oyerwhelmingly
elected.
In 1924 Republican history is
again repeating itself Mr. Coolidge
has the regular nomination and MIR.
La Toilette the independent Repub
lican nomination.
Unless all of these precedents are
done away with. it is fair to assume
that a divided Republican party can
not win. and that Mr.. Davis will b.
elected"