Evening star., 1935-11-21
THE POLITICAL
MILL
By C. Could Lincoln.

UcAcSdCcS 1IOil 6Iic AOESy 0t1tcc
the Territories and possessions Of the
United States and the District Of Colum-
bia. There is falling of of 54 dele
gates in the total membership of the
convention, as compared to the list OF
the 1882 convention. Under other cir
cumstances this might make difference
But with the Democrats apparently COM
pletely ready to renominate President
Roosevelt and Vice President Garner
changes in the numbers Of delegates from
the various States next year seems to
mean little. The Shrinkage In the num-
ber of delegates Is due to the reappor-
tionment of the congressional member
ship under the census of 1890. This re-
apportionment was really in effect in
1882. But the Democratic powers, while
willing to grant to the States which
gained in congressional representation
through the reapportionment, at the
same time did not like to crack down on
the States which had lost House seats
A compromise was effected for the con-
vention of 1892. The States, like Cali
fornia and Texas, which gained in rep
resentation in Congress were given more
delegates. The States which lost repre-
sentation in Congress, however, were
allowed to hold on for the time to their
old delegate strength in the convention.
X II
This is changed in the official list now
sent out by the Democratic National
Committee for the convention next year.
1t Is explained that the convention Of
1882 adopted a resolution whereby the
representation Of the States at the con-
vention of 1886 should be two for each
member of the House and two for each
Senator. So the States that have lost in
the congressional reapportionment now
lose in delegate strength in the conven-
ton. There are 81 States which suffer
by this. The greatest loss in delegate
strength is found in Missouri loss of
six delegates. Georgia, the State Of Gov.
Talmadse, g bitter foe of the New Deal,
loses four delegates and so do Pennsyl-
vania, Iowa and Kentucky. Other State
losses are two delegates each for Ala
bama, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Massa-
chusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi. Ne
braska. North Dakota, Rhode Island,
South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennes-
see, Vermont and Washington.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign
Committee is going along with President
Roosevelt in his Endorsement o' Senator
George w. Norris Of Nebraska, Inde-
pendent Republican, for reelection to
the Senate. Senator Guffey of PennSyl-
vania, new chairman of that committee,
has announced that his committee will
support Norris, and that he has been as
sured Senator Burke, Democrat. of Ne
braska also will aid in the reelection OF
to -
the State has come forward in favor of
the reelection of Norris, too All this is
somewhat different from the senatorial
campaign of 1880, when Norris was up for
reelection the last time. There were
plenty Of Democrats then who believed
that Norris should have the backing of
the Democratic organization. But the
Democrats in the State were not willing
to go that far. They nominated the late
Senator Gilbert M. Hitchcock, foremost
Democrat in the State. Norris won.
What the Democrats other than the
Governor and Senator Burke will do
this year remains to be seen. There may
be some who would like to put forward
Democratic candidate again. But there
is the feeling that Norris in Nebraska is
unbeatable.
Senator Norris himself is still travelling
in the West and has yet to say definitely
whether he will or will not be a candi-
date. In view Of the great pressure for
him to become a candidate to succeed
himself it seems entirely likely that he
may accede to the wish of his friends.
II he does, the only real fight he will
have to face is in the Republican pri-
mary. The regular Republicans will do
their best to beat him there. Their
chances to accomplish that feat, however,
seem slim enough. Norris has become
a tradition in Nebraska. He probably
could run as an independent and win.
if by an outside chance the Republicans
nominated another man. His own
strength in the Republican party, plus
the backing of the Democrats, should
make it possible for him to win in a
walk.
President Roosevelt has gone to Geor-
gia for his annual Fall visit, to spend
Thanksgiving day at his Warm Springs
cottage. Arrangements have been made
for big meeting, homecoming meet
ing, during the Presidents stay in
Georgia, at which he will speak. There
has been lot of speculation as to what
part, If any, Gov. Talmadge will be called
upon to play at this meeting. Some Of
the Presidents friends have wondered
whether it would be more effective to
snub the Governor-who is hostile to the
President-or to give him the promi-
nence at such a meeting which Dem
ocratic Governor might be expected to
receive. The President speaks Novem-
ber 20. 1t may be the opening gun in
his campaign for re-election-although
there have already been a number of
opening guns. The Georgia Senators
and other Democratic leaders in the
State who have gone along with the
President are intent upon having Georgia
send an instructed delegation to the
Democratic National Convention next
year-a delegation instructed for Roose-
welt. This would not f1t in with the
plans of Gov. Talmadge-who would like
to see Talmadge delegation or at least
an uninstructed delegation. The advan-
tage seems to be with the President in
this matter, however.
~ u
Criticisms of the new Canadian recip-
rocal trade agreement are on the way,
Every politician would like to know what
the farmers think about it generally.
Some of the politicians are trying to tell
the farmers what to think on one side
or the other. Secretary Wallace of the
Department of Agriculture Is doing his
best to convince the farmers that they
will be benefited, not hurt, by the pact,
which will permit of the entry of more
farm products from Canada into this
foxiF dY,fin ny1-