Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-07-19
The Political Mill
By C.. Could Lincoln.

primaries this year is Senator Erick-
son Of Montana. He Is running third
in his contest for the nomination to
succeed himself in the primary on
Tuesday. while his Democratic col
league. Senator Wheeler. was making
a runaway race for denomination. Mon
tana elects two Senators this year.
Senator Erickson has been filling the
seat in the Upper House left vacant
when the late Senator Thomas j,
Walsh Of Teapot Dome fame died Just
before he was to quit the Senate and
become Attorney General in the
Roosevelt cabinet. Erickson was Gov
ernor Of Montana at the time the seat
became vacant. He resigned as Gov
ernor and was appointed to I'LL the
Walsh vacancy by the Lieutenant
Governor, who had become Governor.
The Erickson resignation from the Of
fee Of Governor In order to be APP
pointed Senator was the first case of
its kind in the annals of the Senate.
Many Governors have become Sena-
tors. They have, however. been elected
to the Senate while still in ONCE either
by the State LegiSlature-the manner
Of choosing Senators before the adop-
ton of the constitutional amendment
for the direct election Of Senators-or
by the voters since the adoption of
the constitutional amendment.
The action of Senator Erickson in
resigning from his office as Governor
in order to be appointed to the Sem
ate was criticized at the time. Charges
were made that he was not entitled to
his seat because he had virtually
promoted the Lieutenant Governor to
be Governor on the promise that the
Lieutenant Governor would then APP
point Erickson Senator. The matter
was referred to the Senate Committee
on Privileges and Elections and sub
committee was appointed. Members
Of the Senate sought in vain for a
case where another Governor had re-
signed to have himself appointed to
the Senate, but were unable to f1nd
one. The subcommittee, however,
never brought the matter up in the
Senate. 1t was Just allowed TO rest.
The Democrats in Montana, whether
they were affected by the course pur-
sued by Senator Erickson or not, have
decided that they are not going to
send him back to the Senate.
Frequently there has been talk,
when a Senator has died, that the
Governor of his State would resign
his seat in order to be appointed to
the Senate. There was some such
talk after the death of the late Sem
ator Howell OF Nebraska, where Gov.
Charles Bryan. brother of the late
Col. William Jennings Bryan, was in
Office. But Gov. Bryan followed a
different course. He appointed Sem
ator Thompson, an old friend, to fill
the vacancy. This year Senator
Thompson is voluntarily taking him.
self out of the picture; will not be
a candidate for the Democratic NOM
nation. Gov. Bryan has announced
himself candidate for the Senate
and is expected to make the race.
The primary there takes place on
August IA.
Senator Wheeler ardent supporter
Of silver legislation in the last and
previous sessions of Congress, had an
easy time of 1t defeating Bert Rep
logic, his Democratic opponent. Sem
ator Erickson, in the latest returns,
with most ofathe State accounted for,
was third in contest with James E.
Murray OF Butte, IN first place, and
Judge James r. OlConnor, second.
Wheeler viii be opposed In the cleo
ton by Judge George NJ. Bourquin,
Republican, and regarded as a strong
candidate The Republican nominee
for the short term, who will probably
run against Murray, is former Rep
resentative Scott Leavitt. The Re-
publicans have been hopeful of pick
ing up at least one Senate seat in
Montana this year. Senator Wheeler
has proved himself a good vote-getter
and a strong candidate, however, when
conditions in the country and State
seemed TO favor the Republicans far
more strongly than they do today.
y ~
The Republicans will make a bid
for a seat in the Senate now held by
Senator King of Utah, Democrat, with
former Representative Don B. Cotton
as their candidate. The State con-
vention selected Cotton by acclama-
ton. He represented the first Utah
district in the House for a dozen
years, but lost in 1892 in the Roose-
welt landslide which carried Utah
with 1t and retired the veteran Sem
ator Reed Smoot from the Upper
House. The Democrats are still to
hold their State convention. 1t is
expected, however, that they will
choose Senator william King to be
their candidate to succeed himself.
Senator Goldsborough's announce
ment that he would be q candidate
for Governor Of Maryland this year
instead of seeking denomination to
the Senate has again changed the PC
litical picture in that State. Sem
ator Goldsborough is regarded as
one of the cleverest politicians in the
State. The fact that he has decided
to be q candidate, and to be a candi-
date for Governor, is indicative, 1t is
said, that he believes that he can de-
feat Gov. Albert c. Richie in his
drive for a fifth term in Annapolis.
Senator Goldsboroughs announce
ment that he would be q candidate
for Governor did not come until it
appeared virtually certain that Richie
would be the Democratic nominee for
Governor. GoldsboroQgh has been
Governor Of Maryland before, serving
from 1912 to 1915, one of two Repub-
lican Governors the State has ever
had. There have been several other
candidates for the Republican nomi-
nation for Governor this year, among
them Harry w. Nice, H. Webster
Smith, Mayor Quenstedt of Annapolis
and former Representative John
Philip Hill. Senator Goldsborough's
entrance at this date may cause some
heart burnings, but he is expected TO
win the nomination. Already John
Philip Hill has declared that he be-
lieves Goldsborough should receive the
united support of the Republicans for
Governor, withdrawing himself from
the race.