The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1936-11-26
THE NEXT FOUR YEARS

A major political party can sur
yive a long period OF defeat OF lts
Presidential candidates - as the
Democratic Party, which didn't even
get close to control of the White
House in 1920, 1924 and 1928, SO WV
idly demonstrates today.
But can major party survive
an election in which it's officehold-
ers-who are the sole source OF the
patronage that is so vital to any
political machine ARE reduced to
the lowest number in history?
That question is now being con-
sidered privately by Republican
leaders-and publicly by practical
" all of the country's publicists and
political columnists.
Under the American elective sys-
TEN, a party can receive a respect
able popular vote and still be out In
the cold when the time comes for
calling the roll in Congress, State
Legislatures and municipal coun-
ellis. That is what happened to Re-
publicans in the debacle of 1886.
Governor Landon polled around 81
percent of the popular vote-yet re-
ceived only III percent of the Elec-
toral College vote. Republican cand-
idates throughout the country poll
ed about 100000 votes as against
about 27,OOO,0O0 for the Democrats
yet they were victorious in only a
microscopic proportion Of the con-
tests.
Best example of this is the House
of Representatives. It was uni
versally conceded, before November
8, that the Republicans would make
gains, irrespective of who won the
Presidency. Democratic spokesman
said hopefully that these gains
would not amount to more than 20
or 80 seats, while Republicans
claimed that they would gain over
100 seats. Non-partisan commenta-
tors placed Republican gains at 40
to so seats.
Actual result was startling. In
stead of gaining seats, the Republic
cans lost Is. Instead Of losing seats.
the Democrats gained -. Farm
labor candidates gained 2.
In the Senate, it was mathemat-
ically impossible for the Republic
cans to achieve control, but every
one thought they would have bet
ter showing next Congress than last.
Result: The COP lost 6 seats. The
Democrats gained S. The discrep-
ancy of one is explained by the re-
election of Senator Norris on an In
dependent ticket.
Worst Of all, a number of the re-
naming Republican senators belong
to the Progressive Bloc" which is
bitterly opposed to Hover, Landon,
Hamilton and other leaders.
The next Congress, then, will an
swer the roll as follows: Democrats
In the House, 1884; Republicans, SO;
Democrats in the Senate, IS; Re-
publcans, II.
Also vitality important to any par
ty are Governorships+a great deal
Of the patronage that keeps politi-
cal machines well oiled and men,
bers contented flows from state
houses. Here again the Republicans
made the worst showing in their
long history. There were 80 Guber-
material chairs to be filled-and
Democrats won 81 of them. This
gives the Democratic party 80 State
Chief Executives.
So the party that received the
largest vote ever accorded a losing
ticket, got almost nowhere in at
tanning representation in high Of
fices. Complete figures for county
and municipal elections are not OBJ
tainable, but the Democratic sweep
was overwhelmingly. Leaders Of the
party thus say, with some justice,
that our elective system is unfair to
minorities. On the other hand, the
Democratic spokesman says the
Roosevelt victory is important not
only because Of the majorities at