Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-06
The Political Mill.

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In an election fun Of anomalies, moth
ing seems, on the surface, more strange
than THE fact several States have gone
Democratic in senatorial and guberna-
torial elections, but have continued to
elect Republican majoritieS in their
congressional delegations. Take Mas
sachusetts, for example, where Marcus
A. Coolidge, Democratic candidate for
the Senate, and Joseph B. Ely, Demo-
cratic candidate for Governor, have
both been triumphantly elected. In
that State the Republicans hold in the
present Congress IL House seats to
for the Democrats. Now that the dust
of battle Is over, 1t appears the ratio
has been absolutely unchanged In
New York, Gov. Roosevelt, Democrat
won by more than 100000 votes over
his Republican opponent, Charles II.
Tuttle. Yet there has been no Demo-
cratic gain in the New York delegation
in the House. It stands as it stood be-
fore, % Democrats to 20 Republicans
\ y ~
The Democrats apparently had every
right to expect gains in both Mass
circumstances, with depression and pro-
hibition both working in their interest
in those States. 1t Is a fact, however,
that the hold sitting member of the
House has on his or her district is not
easily overcome, even in a landslide in
favor Of the opposition party. Members
of the House have a habit of looking
out for their constituents. no matter to
which political party these constitu-
ents may belong. They hold their dis
tricts by winning friends. In a con-
fQt De faY-
of accomplishment than for a Senator
to hold the entire State.
Always there are men and women
who look for auguries Of future events.
Doubtless many are today seeking some
signs to show that the next presiden-
tial election will see victory smile on
the Democrats. When John j. Hemp
hill, Democratic and wet candidate for
Governor of Pennsylvania, seemed to
have good chance of defeating Gif-
ford Pinchot, the Republican and dry
candidate, there were plenty who saw
in such q victory portent. They look
ed back TO 1882 and to 1890 when the
Democrats elected Governors of Penn
sylvania, victories which were followed
two years later by the election of
Democratic Presidents. The Democratic
President, in each instance, was Grover
Cleveland. The vets also looked for
ward to the election of a President in
1882 who would be, like Hemphill, ia
vorable to the repeal of the eighteenth
amendment, in the event of a Demo-
cratic-Libral candidates winning the
governorship of Pennsylvania. But Gif-
ford Pinchot has put rude ending to
these dreams He has won In Pennsyl-
vania. Perhaps, after all, his winning
may not settle the 1882 presidential
race.
John ]. Raskob, chairman Of the
Democratic National Committee, seems
to have a political jinx in the State Of
Delaware There he has made his
of the powerful du Pont family. Two
years ago Raskob did his utmost to
carry this State, the second smallest
in the Union, for AL Smith for Presi-
dent. He failed, however. by very
considerable majority. On Tuesday,
Raskob sought earnestly to bring his
State into line for the Democratic party
by electing former Senator Thomas
Bayard, Democrat, to the Senate over
Daniel o. Hastings, Republican. But
he failed again, despite the fact that
Bayard was rated as wet, with plenty
of wet sentiment in Wilmington, the big
sion of business and unemployment.
Hastings won by more than 1900 votes,
which Is a considerable margin In
State which casts so few votes.
Raskob went into Delaware in an eff
fort to bring about the nomination OF
Bayard over the late Josiah Marvel,
president of the American Bar Asso-
citation, who was a dry. The wet cause
is as dear, probably, to the heart Of Mr..
Raskob as the Democratic party itself
The drys rallied back of Hastings, who
had the political sagacity not to trim
on the wet and dry issue, and COM
which undoubtedly exists in the State,
put him across winner.
y X NJ
Tuesdays election brought victories
to the Democrats in States which were
close, but were supposed to be inclining
toward the Republicans. On the other
hand, they brought victories to the Re-
publicans in States where the advaf1-'
tage was supposed to lie with the Demo-
Gratis. Take, for example, the States of
South Dakota and Kansas, especially
the latter. Who would have supposed
that the Democrats could defeat can
didate for United States Senator in
the Sunfiower State? Yet here Is
~
cratic opponent, McGill And in South
Dakota that stalwart Republican in
surgent, McMaster, has gone down to
defeat before the Democratic Governor,
Bulow. The Democrats seemed to have
far better chances to win in Rhode
Island and in Delaware. But the po-
litical dope was upset in those States.
Metcalf, Republican. was returned a
winner in Rhode Island, and in Della
al
with q substantial majority. Even AL
Smiths visit to Rhode Island was not
sufficient to pull former Senator Peter
Goelet Gerry through in the senatorial
race.
Out ON the Kansas prairies the
Democrats did things to their Repub-
lican opponents. Besides beating Henry
Allen for the Senate, they came very
near electing their candidate for Gov
ernor. Only Senator Arthur Capper,
probably the most popular man in pol
tics in the State for many years, rolled
up anything like his usual lead in Kan
sas Tuesday. Aliens defeat was due,
in part TO Republican fac
tionaliSm, just as was the close race
Tor Governor. Furthermore, Allen had
the opposition of organized labor, in
part. because when he was Governor
If Kansas he instituted the so-called
industrial court and sought to force
arbitration in labor disputes with en-
ployers. good many Republicans
have been opposed to Allen, also. He
to a different faction from
hat of Vice President Curtis, for ex-
ample When Vice President Curtis
took Office and Senator Allen was APP
pointed to the Senate, there was talk
If "burying the Ratchet" But the fac
ions opposed to Senator Allen appar-
entity have only buried the Ratchet in
his head
It won't be long now before they
begin talking lot about the next |
Democratic nominee for President. |
rn-.sn..nIA IL IA.