Milford chronicle., 1927-04-01
CITY VOTES SMOTHER COUNTRY
BALLOTS
Editorial in Philadelphia Sunday
Ledger, November, 1926

Ledger, November, 1926
One of the most striking of the
political signs of the times is writ
ten in the election results of Novem-
/ Der 2. The tremendous voting DOW
er of the greater American cities
made itself most emphatically felt
in many States.
Massachusetts normally is a Re-
publican State. 1t was the vote of
the City of Boston that elected David
1. Walsh, Democrat, over Senator
William M. Butler, Republican, for
outside Of the Boston area Senator
Butler led his opponent.
1t was the massed vote of the
City of New York which carried
Governor Smith to his fourth victory
over Republican opponent. The
same vote was a powerful factor in
the defeat of Senator WadswOrth,
Republican, and the election of a
city Democrat in his place.
In Pennsylvania the party labels
were different, but the trend was
the same. Pittsburgh and Philadel-
phia elected William S. Ware, Re-
publican, to the Senate, and in the
final analysis it was Philadelphia
votes that saved the Ware candi-
dacy. Outside the city, including the
Pittsburgh area, William B. Wilson,
Democrat, had a lead of approx
mately $4,000 over his Republican
rival.
Maryland, by reason of the vote of
Baltimore, elected Senator Tydings,
Democrat. City votes turned the
tide against Senator Weller, Repub-
lican.
In Missouri the vote of Republican
st. Louis, shifting to a wet Demo-
crat, made Senator Hawes the sue
cessor of the Republican, Senator
Williams. City votes smothered
country votes. In Illinois the down.
State districts rallied against Chic
ago and the Brennan Democratic
vote there. Had they failed to rally,
what happened in the senatorial
battles of Massachusetts, New York,
Pennsylvania, Maryland and Mis-
souri, might have happened also in
Illinois.
The population drift to the cities
is working out in terms of political
force. The massed ballOting power
of the Big Town in this last election
left it's mark on the personnel and
political complexion of the Senate.
For 1876 years the farms and villages
of America have dominated the Fed
eral Government. Their power is no
longer secure.
Today about sixty-five of every
100 Americans are living in cities
or under city influences. COnse-
quently, New York City dominates
New York State; Chicago lords it
over Illinois; Philadelphia sits in
the seats of the mighty in Pennsyl-
vania; Boston is beginning to en-
force its will upon Massachusetts as
Baltimore is upon Maryland.
Political maps are being redrawn.
Many of the great cities are turn
ing to a "city Democracy" Demo-
cratic Mayors are no novelty in
Boston. Certainly they are not in
New York City. Chicago has a
Democratic Mayor. Some of these
changes menace the Republican
Party in what have been its great
and ancient citadels. Others of
them have weakened the Demo-
cratic Party in its traditional
strOnghOlds.
This national shifting of political
strength affects both the old politi-
cal parties. In the States them
selves it is affecting the everyday
lives of their people. The cities are
at war with the country over prob
lens of taxation, of public improve
ments and of law enforcement.
More and more the great metro
politan areas are trying to impose
their will upon the States. In Ill
inois there is an undying feud be-
tween the dOwn-State districts and
Chicago. New York has similar
situation. So have Pennsylvania and
Missouri and a half dozen other
States.
There has been a steady growth Of
what might be called "City Party"
in the urban areas of the Nation.
Its purpose is to wrest from the
country districts, from the farms
and the villages, the political power
that has been theirs for generations.
In spite of the fact that the country
districts are firmly intrenched in
the national and State political sys-
tens, the cities are gaining in polit-
ical force.
United voting in the cities over
whelms divided voters in the coun-
try. Political machines, once salts
fed to dominate city, now seek to
rule a State. City "bosses" reach
out for State "boss-ship." Rural dis
tricts are overwhelmed by the mar
shaled and ticketed, regimented and
nose-led, votes of the Big Town.
The clash between town and coun-
try is one of the most interesting
and significant movements in Amer
lea. It may prove the most fateful
and dangerous.