The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-08-22
SEEN and HEARQ>
around the laRN
NATIONAL CAPITALA< /
BY Carter Field ~
FAMOUS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT ~

dsnihb loH.-SoHlineHtS by duilln-
istratlon leaders, including Vice Chair
man Grove of the Democratic ma
tional committee, that President
Roosevelt would be reelected by the
votes of the West and South. thus
virtually concedng the Northeast as
enemy country, have driven political
wiseaeres to the electoral vote table.
What they have found Is highly signl.
ficant.
In nutshell. II the Democratic
campaign for Roosevelt should be
waged on that basis next year. New
York would again be the pivotal state,
as 1t used to be In calculations at
the turn Of the century For New
York has not been the decisive state
since the Cleveland days. In fact,
In the only close election held since
Cleveland-that OF Wilson versus
Hughes In 1916-New York was on the
losing side. She cast her electoral
vote for Hughes, by the fairly tight
majority OF 10000.
Talk of re-electing Roosevelt with
the West and South has brought back
interest In that very close election.
when everyone waited for word from
California to see who had been elect
ed. An inspection of that vote, how
ever, brings out the highly interesting
fact that the real key state In that
election was Ohio. The Buckeye state
was the only one, so to speak, to go
tout OF line" Ohio voted against the
trend In surrounding states, for Penn
sylvania, Michigan, Indiana and West
Virginia all went for Hughes
Had Ohio gone for Hughes, no one
would have waited three days to see
how California went. Hughes would
have been elected.
The point of which now Is that the
entire South and West are not enough,
unless the candidate carrying them can
also carry one OF the big states, at
least. east of the Mississippi and north
of the Ohio. New York, with all the
West and all the South, would be
enough. So would Ohio, or Illinois
Or combination of Indiana and Wis.
consin.
Now Vital State
All this, too, 1t must be remembered
Is on the assumption that the candidate
carrying the South and West carries
California. That state Is now VITAL
far more important, with Its heavily
Increased electoral vote, than 1t was
In 1916-before election day of that
year.
Rumbllngs from California are that
the Golden Gate state today is no
more friendly to the New Deal than is
Rhode Island, whose vote precipitated
all this talk. Washington attorneys
who attended the bar association
meeting In Los Angeles most of whom
also visited San Francisco and some
OF whom visited San Diego, bring back
these reports. They say California
that 1t has swung all the way con-
servative.
Add to this possibility, the fact that
Ohio never was a strong Roosevelt
state-that even In 1882 Its majority
for him was only about 73,OOO-and
since then II has had many squabbles
that both Its senator's voted against
the -AAA northumberland 1t becomes
clearer why New York's Al electoral
votes are apt to be absolutely essen
tlal to Roosevelt next year.
Which again brings up the question
OF Tammany. So far the Tiger has not
put stone In the Presidents path.
1t rolled up a tremendous majority
for him In 1882. Its delegation In the.
house has voted almost solidly for
everything he wanted--in many OBJ
ylous instances against the local sell
fish interests OF the New York tax
payers Whereas Tammany has got
ten very little. Farley's backing OF
Mckee for mayor OF New York result
ed Ia the election OF La Guardia,
which deprived the Wigwam OF local
plumber, and 1t has Jared very badly
on federal patronage.
Now, no one accused the Tammany
chieftains OF being stupid about this
sort Of thing. And there will be no
forced municipal election In Novem-
Der, 1896, as there was In 1882, fol-
lowing the resignation OF Mayor Walk
er. So do not be surprised II sudden
iy there should be manifested a much
more kindly spirit toward Tammany
at the White House.
Churches and Charities
Sudden realization of what the
Roosevelt tax Ideals would do to their
sources OF incomes-not to mention en-
dowments-has been driven home to
prominent churchmen as well as those
interested In hospitals and other char.
tiles.
Up to about month ago the atti-
tude toward the New Deal of most
persons, whose chief interest was In
churches, educational and charitable
enterprises, had been rather benevo-
lent They were glad--especially
those interested primarily In church
and charity-to see the federal govern
ment take 80 much Of their burdens
from them. This was especIallv trua