Evening star., 1925-06-11
Looking to the West.

AWNING w tAAC WCSI
Politics Is never entirely adjourned
IN the United States. Although the
Congressional campaign is still a year
off and the national elections are
three years away, the iockeying for
place has already begun. Not unnat-
urally Republican eyes are turned par.
ticularly to the Northwest, the Sec
ton of the country that has caused
and trouble In Is years. outside Of
the solid South" Last year. with
President Coolidge as the standard
bearer and improving agricultural
conditions. the Republican national
ticket carried all of the Western ter
ritory and cut into some Of the radical
strength in Congress. The Republi-
can leaders intend, II possible, to fol.
low up these successes Recent hap
penings have indicated that this Re-
publican drive Is to be consistent, con-
tinuous and OF considerable proper.
tions.
President Coolidge has just returned
from Minnesota, where he was given
hearty reception. not only by the
people Of that State, but by many OF
those Of adjoining States. He has per.
sorai popularity throughout the eouh.
try. He has added to IL In the North.
west by his recent journey. With the
presidential campaign still three years
OFF. 1t would be neither polite nor
wise for the President to state now
his plans for the future. But viewing
the prospects today, the likelihood of
the denomination of President Cool.
idge by the Republicans seems very
great. The Republicans realize that
it was Calvin Coolidge, more than any
other factor. that made a national
victory possible in 1924.
The visit of the President to the
Northwest was entirely proper. 1t is
the duty Of the President whenever
possible to get first.hand knowledge of
the problems OF the various sections
Of the country, to visit them, and to
see the people. Special provision to
defray the expenses Of the President
on his travels about the country has
been made by Congress. He went. too.
to the Northwest to participate in the
celebration of a great event, the I'M
migration Of the first Morse people
into this country.
But the presidential trip cannot be
stripped entirely of political signifi.
canoe and effect. The way for the
Republican drive in that section Of
the country has. in a measure. been
paved by the titular head Of the party.
Secretary Jardine Of the Department
Of Agriculture and Secretary Hoover
of the Department Of Commerce are
to follow with visits and speeches to
the people Of these States, and they,
in turn, will be followed by Chairman
William M. Butler Of the Republican
national committee, who successfully
put more business into politics during
the last campaign. A glance at re.
cent presidential appointments shows,
too, that the Northwest Is being recog-
nized. The new Solicitor General Of
the United States Is from Minnesota.
and the President has picked former
Senator McCumber Of North Dakota
for one Of the choicest plurns, mem
bership in the International Boundary
Commission.
The Democrats have had their trou.
bles because Of party division into
Southern and Northern wings Of the
party. But the Republicans have had
their Western and Eastern wings. with
serious difficulty therefrom. The plea
that the Democrats of the South for.
sake the East and North and seek an
alliance with the people Of the West
has been put forward. In some quar-.
ters Republicans are urged to angle
for the support of the people of the
South and to let the West do as 1t
chooses.
Economically. the division of the
United States lie largely between the
Industrial East and the agricultural
West. The farmers Of the West must
sell their produce high and buy their
clothing cheap. The industrial work
ers of the East must sell the clothes
they make high and buy their food as
cheaply as possible. Economic differ.
ences are usually at the bottom of po-
litical issues. AS a matter Of fact,
there is just one question that keeps
the solid South in the Democratic col
umn. 1t is the economic differences
between the South and the West. type.
fed by cotton on the one hand and
bread on the other, that would make
the political union suggested by Col.
Bryan and others particularly diff
cult. But the struggle OF both the
Republicans and the Democrats for
the West contributes very largely to
the political importance Of less popu-
lous sections Of the country.
The city gardener has to take into
account a limited water supply along