Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-16
The Political Mill
By C. Could Lincoln.

quick tongue as OF OLD Wnen ne alnuseu
the Senate and the galleries with ms
rapierlike thrustS at the Repupncan
Opposition. The Democratic candidate
for the senate in Illinois has shown
himself well able to carry on brisk
campaign. despite the fact that IL
wears have rolled by since he left the
Senate and many more years since ne
first served in Congress as a member
FROM the State of Washington. He has
as his opponents two women, whom he
refers to calamity as "the ladies" Mrs.
Ruth Hanna Mccormick and Mrs.
Iottie Holman O'Neill. There was fear
at first that the rivalry of the two wom-
en- might eclipse the campaign wnlch
the former Senator is waging. But y.
Ham" is managing to keep hlmseh IN
the limelight. Indeed, propaoly no
more widely advertised adversarles tnan
Lewis and Mrs. Mccormick nave ever
contested for a Senate seat.
senator Lewis was among the last OF
the Senators to be elected by the state
legislature. The amendment to the
Constitution providing for the direct
election of Senators became eHecuVe
in 1919. and it was comparatively early
that wear that Senator Lewis was
chosen by the Illinois Legislature AFTER
= oroIonped fight. There were two
vacancies at the time. Bill" Lorlmer,
Republican Senator had been eased out
81 the senate by vote Of that BODY, tol.
lowing charges that his election nao
been bought two years carrier. Inc
Bull Moose had split the HepuOIlcah
party and the Democrats were claHoI-
ing for recognition in the choice OF
Senator. After weeks OF argument anu
iockeying, the Legislature agreed W seio
Senator Lewis to washington lor LlIe
long term and Lawrence Y. Sherman,
DayuhIican for the short term, flling
the Inrimer vacancy. Sherman laIer
uas reelected for full six-year term.
Down in Oklahoma there Is announcer
,,;ct,,resoue and veteran politician
attempting to stage comebackLln lat 1aT.;
INC ~ them. The first Is "Afalfa Bill
Murray Democratic nominee Tor GOV.
error Of a State which has 1mpeacneo
,,oora governors than any other. Inc
second Is the former blind Senator,
Thomas p. Gore, the Democratic nonll-
nee for Senator. a.. 49,.
"Alfalfa Bill" is likely to win the
pubernatorial contest, although tne
Republicans have put forward q strohs
candidate, Ira A. Hill, CneroAee
banker. But Bill, who more than =
dozen years ago was member Oh tne
House. seems to have landed IN tne
political campaign at seasonaple LINT
He had not long returned from boi,'la,
broke. after having tried his nano az
a land colonization proJect III Ina a..
country Before he left this country
he sold out his farming interests Tor
s2o0 600 He left his money behind IN
BOLIVIA. however. Alfalfa Biz DECIDED
To 90 into the primary, although ne
had no organization or money. IN q
field of half a dozen or more canol-
dates he won a plurality and IN tne
r1In-off primary he had majority.
"Alfalfa Bill' in his speeches pron-
ises to relieve the taxpayers OF tnelr
tax burden. particularly the farmers.
He is not SO much interested in taking
the taxes of the rich oil operators.
Ianky. tousle headed, with Daggy
clothes and a prominent nose ana a
typical dropping mustache OF the Ola
West. now turning gray, Bill Is more
in keeping with the days OF the famous
oklahoma run-the land rush when the
Territory was opened up for settie-
ment in 1889-than with the SKY
scrapers which adorn Oklahoma ClGy
and other cities of the State today. IL
he is elected Governor it will be VIC
torv after three starts for Bill in the
g1lbernatorial race. He tried twice pc
fore to land the job, but failed. he
has a following among the people.
senator Gore is fighting 1t out with
Senator Pine, Republican, the incum-
bent. Senator Pines Republicanlsm
sits lightly upon him in this race. IN
deed some of the reports are to the
effect that Senator Pine, who belongs
to the insurgent Republican group in
the Upper House which Joined forces
with the Democrats during the last
two sessions of Congress, Is trying 10
prove himself a better Democrat than
is Senator Gore. This may be .gooo
politics in a State which Is generally
conceded TO be Democratic. The Demo
Gratis have fought each other SO oIten
and so bitterly there, however, that IN
more recent years Republican senators
have been elected. The State was
greatly interested in the effort made in
the last session to place duty on oil.
1t failed and Senator Pine has Deen
criticized for the failure.
The big prize politically In chicago
is the office of mayor. The election
takes place next Spring for a four-year
term The next mayor VIII be the
chief executive of the city during the
Worlds Fair for which HUNDREDS OF
millions of dollars worth OF contracts
will be made. William Hale Thompson,
big Bill" if signs are not misleading
will be a candidate to succeed himself
The primary will be bitterly fought as
usual Bill may resurrect the World
Court and King George OF England, ms
favorite campaign issues, when the time
comes, Doubtless he is counting on
some measure of support from Mrs.
Mccormick If she is elected Senator
with his support in November, al
though Mrs. Mccormick has stoutly
denied there is any allegiance between
herself and Bill and the city hall gang.
Here and there talk is springing up
that Senator Charles S. Deneen may
seek to come back politically next year
by being a candidate for mayor of Chi
cago himself If he goes into the race
with Thompson there is likely TO be
lively fight. The Democrats in the end
may have a good deal to say about the
choice of a Republican nominee for
mayor and also about who is elected
They will trot out a candidate them
selves Despite the fact that two years
ago there was a great reform movement
which cracked the Thompson-CroWe-
Barrett organization, conditions have
not been improved in the city mate
rally. There is plenty of reason for
another drive against the "organiZa-
ton" and the gangs.
The Democrats are really worried
about the senatorial race in Montana
Senator Thomas j. Walsh, first OF the
Senates great investigators, appears to
be in some danger of defeat. He is up
against Justice Albert j. Galen OF the
State Supreme Court. Galen is widely
popular He is Catholic like Senator
Walsh, but unlike him he Is a wet and
onposed tn the eighteenth amendment.
The State in two referendums has
voted wet. Senator Walsh last Spring
said in Washington that he would
abide by decision of the voters in an
other referendum on the liquor ques-
ton. Senator Walsh, however, has long
been a dry. Furthermore, the voters
are asking why it is necessary to have
a third referendum on the subject.
Galen is a typical WeSterner and has