Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-06-03
Politics at Large
BY ". o. Messenger.

President Coolidge's Memorial day
address continues to furnish the poll
ticians in both parties with subject for
discussion and comment. 1t Is recog-
nized as state paper Of prime impor-
lance. That II will continue to at
tract increasing attention and free
discussion is freely predicted as its
| analysis proceeds.
In some quarters it is suggested that
the speech in support of local self
government and the differentiation be-
tween the functions Of the Federal
Government and the reserved rights
OF the States was an attempt TO ap-
propriate the principles of the Demo
cratic party.
Such a stanch Democratic organ as
the New York World refutes this
charge, pointing out that the princi'
pies of local self.government ard per
sonal liberty have not been claimed
by any particular party for such a
long time that all property rights have
long since lapsed. "If Mr.. Coolidge"
contends the World, can find q home
for them and treat them little kind.
ly for while no Democrat can posi-
bly, object. The original owners have
almost forgotten what they looked
| like"
The World contends that the Demo
cratic party stands today as the spon.
sor Of the greatest invasion Of States
rights and local self-governmer1t which
has occurred since the adoption of the
| Constitution. The World charges the
Democratic leaders in the West and
South with furnishing very large
| proportion Of the force behind the
eighteenth amendment and the Vol
stead act and having within the last
year "paltered with it's heritage of re-
ligious freedom
| Is < 4 r.
Pity the SORROWS of the perennial
candidate. Mayor Hylan. He surely
has been humping the bumps in the
past few weeks on the road to re-
nomination by the Democrats of New
| York City for the mayoralty. Affairs
have not been breaking according TO
his liking at all The severest blow
he has suffered was the reputation
by his own board and organization
of his subway plans. The other day
the board having them Under con-
sideration rejected them as unfeasible
and calculated to increase the cost
of transportation in New York City
IL carried out. OF course, it is well
known that Mayor Hylans great po-
litical aim and object is to maintain
, the scent fare and provide at the
! same time increased facilities of trans
portation.. In it he moves, breathes
and has his being. He says 1t can
be done. while this board. producing
facts and figures, says IL cannot. And
| there you are. And now comes the
unkindest cut OF all. The republicans
are setting out to appropriate the
mayors pet campaign cry. Believing
! that the mayors dream of a great
municipal subway Is nothing now but
a punctured balloon. they are pre-
| pairing to advocate the retention of
the scent fare by a unified system
| of transit. They propose to revive
| the recommendation of former Gov.
/ Miller, Republican. made in the spe-
Cial MESA &c TO the LEGISLATURE in JAN
uary, 1921, of municipality owned
and unified system OF subways, ele-
waited and surface car lines. operating
at a single fare The Miller proposal
called for thorough reorga nization
OF the agencies handling transit in
New York City, the squeezing of al
water from the stock and their sub.
mission to the Jurisdiction of 2 single
regulatory agencv. This agency was
TO have sweeping powers of revision
of the present 5-cent-fare contract
and the right to fix temporary rates
pending appeal of the traction com
panies for a higher fare.
Republican leaders in all five Dor
oughs are urging this week that the
Miller plan of transit reorga MIA ton
be examined again in the light of pres
ent conditions and the changed cir
cumstances of home rule. They are
convinced that the recent report of
the transportation board on top of the
revelations of the McAvoy investiga-
tons show the necessity of Il worka-
BILE construction plan to be substituted
for the Hylan special assessment plan.
r = + 8
| Mayor Hylan and his friends are
reported as being highly indignant
over this undertaking of the Repub-
licans to take his campaign candy
away from him right in the beginning
of the campaign. Conferences of Re-
publican leaders have brought about
an agreement for concerted attack
upon him to thus despoil him and
leave him to the tender mercies OF
his opponents in Tammany Hall, be-
reft OF policy.
| Reports come to Republican ma.
tional leaders in Washington from
! Iowa OF q vast Improvement in party
| harmony in that State. 1t is indi-
Gated that radicalism of the Brookhart
4
Republican factions are coming to-
gether in support of President Cool
idge's administration. The Brookhart-
La Toilette combination is reported
as rapidly losing strength. Chairman
Butler of the Republican national
committee intends to visit Iowa in
| September to help along the harmony
work now in progress. One of the
most favorable signs of progress is
reported in the abandonment of the
La Toilette. Brookhart organization by
Dante Pierce, Des Moines farm news
paper publisher, who Is expected to
support Senator Cummins in his con-
test for reelection.
x x x
One Of the important side lines of
| political activity is recognized in the
| "Get-out the Vote movement A
! Washington man, Simon Michelet, is
the president of the National Get
IOut-t he-Vote Club" which is expected
to cut an important figure in the next
campaign. He has recently made a
| statement summarizing the statistics
| in other countries compared with
those Of the United States on how the
| people Use the right of franchise. Mr.
! Michelet was seeking an answer to
! the question, What nation holds the
world voting record7" He declared
that country is no longer the United
States. Forty years ago." he says,
when 80 per cent Of the American
voters went to the polls. this country
was in the first column in point Of
voting efficiency. But in 1920 and
1924, when only so per cent of Amer.
lean voters took interest enough to
vote for President. the United States
| dropped way down to. the tail of voc.
| ing nations.
Great Britain, from whom we re-
| hn11nd In, 1TrR "a AStnhlini. 4. ...-...S-