Evening star., 1926-08-25
Politics at Large
By G.. Gould Lincoln.

ny u. OOut0 LtncOtH.
The serious situation in New York
Republican ranks, growing out OF
the wet stand taken by Senator James
w. Wadsworth, the outstanding party
leader today in the Empire State,
and the opposition which has develop
ed to him among the dry Republicans
upstate, has aroused the Republican
leaders generally from President Cool
idge down. The defeat of Senator
Wadsworth. stanch Republican
and supporter of the administration
would be a body blow. Not only
would 1t lessen the Republican
in the Senate-it might even
throw the control of the Senate from
the Republicans to the Democrats.
Furthermore, 1t would give the Demo
Gratis two Senators from New York
for the first time in many years, and
the prestige of the Republican party
and administration would receive a
severe Jolt in the State, which casts
the greatest number of electoral
votes in 1928, when a President is
chosen.
More and more the probable results
of the 1926 congressional elections
are being figured with an eye to the
presidential race in 1928. With the
continuance of the present prosperity
in the United States it would appear
on the surface that nothing could pre-
vent the election of a Republican
President, nor the denomination and
reelection Of President Coolidge II he
makes the race, as SO many of his
friends now believe he will do. But
the results Of the congressional cleo
tions will be looked upon as something
more than a straw to show which
way the wind is blowing. The elec-
ton Of a Democratic ma jOrity in the
Senate or House or in both would not
only hearten the Democrats, but would
have a certain psychological effect
upon the ivoters throughout the
country.
The defeat Of Senator Wadsworth
would be little less serious to the Re
publicans and the Coolidge admins
tration than the defeat of Senator
William M. Butler Of Massachusetts,
the friend of the President and his
campaign malager in 1924. And that
would be serious indeed. First. some
of the Democratic speakers. includ.
ing Gov. Ritchie Of Maryland and
former Senator Stanley of Kentucky
went into the lBay State and told the
voters that they ought to beat Senator
Butler because to strike at him would
be to strike at President Coolidge
and the administration. Now Senator
Butler and other speakers for him
have declared that the senatorial
fight in Massachusetts, this year Is
really a forerunner of the presiden-
tial contest in 1928. and that the Re
publicans must win or first blood Will
go to the Democrats. All of this is
not particularly pleasing to former
Senator David L. Walsh, the Demo
cratic candidate for the Senate against
Senator Butler. He has a difficult
strongly Republican as Massachu.
setts without stacking up against
President Coolidge.
n X X X
The rift in Republican ranks over
the wet and dry question has as
sumed such proportions that, in an
effort to placate the upstate drys
the leaders, including Senator Wads
worth, have determined that the Re
publican candidate for governor must
be reasonably dry, or at least strong
for law enforcement. With such can
didate on the ticket, the hope is that
the dry Republicans will be willing
also to vote for Wadsworth and not
split the ticket. The matter has beer
discussed with President Coolidge him
self at his Summer home in the
Adirondacks. And while the Presi
dent has not thrown himself into the
contest in support of Wadsworth, II
has become generally known that he
would consider it q great misfortune
If Mr.. Wadsworth were turned down
by the dry Republicans. The effort
of Senator Wadsworth during the cam
paign will be to force his Democratic
opponent to discuss national issues
entirely and to keep away from the
wet and dry question. He may finC
this difficult. however, if he is con
least, by the dry candidate, Christ
man. who will run as an independent
dry candidate If he fails to get the
Republican nomination, as he will
There Is always the hope, to be sure
that Senator Wadsworth will pick w
a number Of wet Democratic votes
But If Judge Wagner, extremely pop
ular with Tammany and the New
York Democracy. Is the Democratic
nominee for the Senate. as now seems
probable, 1t may be much more diff
ficult to obtain Democratic votes fol
Senator Wadsworth than has beer
supposed. If Wagner can be elected
on the ticket with Gov. AL Smith. II
will be an additional boost for the
governor when the Democratic ma
tional convention rolls round in 1923
Apparently the Republican leaders
in New York are not doing things b,
halves when 1t comes to sidesteppins
the wet and dry question in the selec
rtion of a gubernatorial candidate
simultaneously with the reports from
Paul Smiths that the Republica,
nominee would be a law enforcement
man came an announcement by Presi
dent Nicholas Murray Butler of Co
lumbia University, q strong wet, ant
previously prominently mentioned foI
the nomination. that he would not ac
cept 1t II 1t were offered to him. II
New York as in Massachusetts,, tn,
plea of the Republicans will be fo
victory to support the hands Of Presi
dent Coolidge. and the President Il
just as popular in New York as he Il
in Massachusetts,.
During the 81 years elapsing sine,
the second year of James Buchanan
administration each change Of part,
control Of the Congress or Of one O
the houses has presaged a. change ir
party control nationally. except in tn
one instance when in 1874 the Repuh
leans lost control of the House whil
Grant was President. The Hayes-Til
den contest followed and was decide,
in favor Of the Republican. but onl,
after bitter fight.
The Republicans have had contro
of both the Senate and House sine
the election of 1918, when the countr,
turned down the Democratic admins
tration even during the prosecution
of war. In 1929. to be sure, tn
political pendulum swung away from
the Republicans and the Democrat
gained many seats in both houses
But they did not win actual contro
or majority in either the Senate o
the House