Evening star., 1925-09-09
Politics at Large
By G.. Could Lincoln

defeat and enectually smash William
Randolph Hearst, who now, as for
years in the past, has sought to con-
troll Democratic politics in the Empire
state. The struggle and it's effect on
the political fortunes of Gov. Smith in
the future is of far more interest than
the result of the mayoralty election.
ANY way you look at IT, Gov. Smith
today is one of the big outstanding
| figures In political life OF the country,
and of the Democratic party. He has
been governor three times of the most
Ipopulous State in the Union. What
he does next is matter Of considera-
bic Importance.
The governor has been put forward
In some quarters as the logical nomi-
nee for United States Senator next
year on the Democratic ticket against
Senator Wadsworth, Republican, who
must stand for reelection. He has
also been suggested as the Democratic
nominee for Governor OF New York in
the gubernatorial campaign Of 1926.
Those who are close to the governor
insist that he is anxious TO get into
private life for a while; that he does
not want to make next year a cam
,paign for Office in the State, either
Senator or governor. He has cam
paigned in the State 16 or IT times,
or perhaps more. He would like now
to be allowed little time to get into
business and accumulate some Of the
worlds goods for his family and him
self.
This is not what lot of the Demo
cratic political workers and offlcehold-
ers want, however. They have won
with Al" so many times. he has drag
ged SO many of them into Office again
| nd iY1 n
| have him continue on the political
| treadmill of the State. The primaries
for senatorial and gubernatorial norni-
nations are nearly a year off. and the
political exigencies may yet act with
compelling force to bring the governor
into the race. His personal inclina-
| ton is against the Senate. He knows
New York and New York's affairs as
few men have ever known them, and
he is not as familiar with the Senate
and national affairs.
/ On the other hand some political
observers in the metropolis insist that
Gov. Smith will be a candidate against
Wadsworth; that he will seek to use
the Senate as stepping stone to the
White House. But 10 do so he must
first defeat Senator Wadsworth, and it
is generally admitted a contest be-
tween the two would be a. horse
trace"
While the governors inclinations
are against making a race for Office
next year, it does not necessarily fol-
low that he is against making bid
for the presidential nomination in
1928. Indeed, everything now points
10 an effort to win him the nomina-
| ton in the Democratic national con-
vention of that year. The New York
delegation is likely to go to that con-
L Qf Al
Regular Republicans in the Senate
are watching the campaign in Wiscon-
sin for the Senate seat made vacant
by the death of Senator Robert NJ
La Toilette, now being waged by
young Bob La Toilette, son of the
Senator, to determine in their minds
how he shall be treated if he be elect
ed Senator. If he assails President
Coolidge and his administration; If he
assails the Republican party generally,
| they will never recognize him as a
| Republican in the Senate organization,
| according to Senator Jim" Watson of
Indiana, chairman of the Republican
| committee on committees.
| In that case" Senator Watson
said. I'VE will never let him into the
party, even though he shall have re-
ceived the Republican nomination
and been elected pursuant thereto.
! Why should we? 1t won't be a case
| Of throwing him out of the party or
the party organization as it was with
| Senator La Toilette and other insur-
! gents who had formerly been recog-
nized as Republicans in committee as
| signments and the organization of
the Senate. We declined longer to
consider them Republicans in Senate
| organization matters during the last
| session OF the Senate. It will be Just
case Of not ever recognizing him as
| Republican"
| If young La Toilette doesn't ham
| mer the Coolidge administration and
| the Republican party generally too
| hard, the implication is he probably
will be placed on committees as Re
publican-if he will take such assign
| ments.
La Toilette has attacked the Cool
| idge administration-thou he has
not denounced personally the Presi-
| dent. He has criticized some of the
appointments made by the President
as we'll as the policies Of the admins
l tration. The Republicans will prob
ably consider these criticisms in pass
| ing upon La Follette's republicanism
If he reaches the Senate. Progressives
| in both parties Of national standing
| have sent their messages of sympathy
and good will to La Toilette; Demo
cratic Senators have taken the trouble
in several instances to write or wire
| their best wishes for success to the
youngster who is now engaged in a
whirlwind tour Of the State.
| q X -
| The primary system, with direct
elections for party nomination, is on
trial again this year, both in New
L vn,-lr
mary laws of the two are vastly diff
ferent. In New York only the en-
rolled voters may vote in party pri-
| mary. In Wisconsin any one en-
| titled to vote may vote in any pri-
mary contest he sees fit, either as a
Democrat or as a Republican or as
Socialist. In both States there are
primary contests of far more interest
| than ordinarily Is the case. There
are intimations from influential
sources in the Democratic party of
New York that if the percentage of
| the enrolled Democratic vote and Re-
publican vote which is cast Septem-
Der Is in the mayoralty primaries IS
| small, there may be an effort to
change the law in some particulars
The direct primaries were intended
1 to make the nominations the real
| choice of the people. But If the voters
don't take enough interest to go to
| the polls, there seems to be little
reason for continuing such scheme.
it Is argued.
In Wisconsin the primary laws
were enacted after a long and bitter
| fight, while the late Senator La Fol-
llette was Governor of the State. There
has always been more or less criti-
cism of them, the regular Republi-
cans insisting that the primaries do
not mean a thing. since Democrats