The Redwood gazette., 1936-11-12

THE DEMOCRATIC landslide, the Farm
er-Labor triumph and the county up
sets are all ancient history now and
most of us are tired of talking about them.
However few observations may still be in
order.
The delay in obtaining returns from
Redwood Falls again proves point made in
this column after each election, that the city
should be polled in four places instead of two
for the benefit of all concerned.
Election clerks and judges are subject
ed to great deal of criticism as they plOd
through the tedious task of counting bal
lots. The city council which hires the cleo
tion employees and the system under which
they are paid share the derisive remarks
when the fault is largely with an outgrown
division of the voters. We note that in Fair
mont, which has six voting places, the aver
age vote was 470 per precinct while in Red
wood Falls the average was near the 800
mark.
We note with disappointment the passing
of Julius A. Schmahl from the role of state
treasurer after years and years in state Of
flee. julius made the mistake four years
ago of taking the stump for others on the
Republican ticket when his own election was
already assured. The reaction among per-
sons of other parties who resented his bit
ter attacks gradually cut down his vote un-
til two years ago he had close shave and
this year he loses by small margin, vic
tim of party loyalty.
Both the liberal and conservative ele-
.ments are claiming control of the lower
house of the legislature, the truth being ap-
parently that while the state went farmer
laborite in big way, the county chieftains
failed to cleanup as completely in the minor
elections
A quite evenly divided house means
that relatively small group of independ-
ents, like John M. Zwach and H. M. Aune,
neither rip-roaring radicals or reactionaries,
will hold the balance of power.
If so Minnesota will be fortunate for the
state means more to these men than the
political fortunes of any party. Standing in
the way of progress at legislative sessions
is the disposition of both sides to play poll
tics for the next campaign even though
elected without party designation.
y
Quite frequently we hear comments
that the Literary Digest poll should be in
vestigated, the insinuation that this popular
magazine attempted hoax on the public on
the theory that the will to "be on the band
wagon" would influence great part of the
voters. Personally we doubt if any publish
er would risk so much prestige for what
little he had to gain, even suppOsing he was
paid to do so. From the results, we can
safely conclude that the Digest polls are over
for good, probably that no other publication
will care to risk one in the future.
Secret of the polls wide variance from
the truth probably can be found in the lists
of persons to whom ballots were mailed.
fho iciO of
opinion in the last campaign followed
roughly the financial status of the persons
voting, leaving out those to whom party al
legiance is second nature. Persons who drive
cars and have telephones were with Landon
in greater numbers than were with Roose-
velt Digest polls take names from automo-
bile registrations and telephone directories
primarily, failing therefore to reach great
mass of people with whom the administra-
tion is extremely popular.
Perhaps the phase of the victory which
tasted best to Democrats was the support
in the rural sections which dopesters had
for some unexplained reason given to Lam
don. The poll of widely circulated east
ern farm paper was as far off as the Lit
erary Digest, when it was testing smaller
field and should have been more accurate.
Another phase of the election also confused
the straw poll, the Republican candidate was
stronger six weeks before the election than
on polling day although the trend to Roose- |
welt was not in proportion to the amount the
polls were in error.
We commented briefly last week upon
the attitude of certain newspapers whose
tactics in the past campaign have been SUBJ
ject of criticism by men Of both parties.
Commentators say from 70 to 80 per cent
of the nations press was frankly opposed to
the administration including many large
papers, some of whom were bitter and utter
ly unfair. The power of the press" to
'3mould public opinion" appear to be rather
empty terms when election returns are con-
sidered along with the preponderance of
COP press support. In our opinion news
paper carries weight as long as its argu-
ments are fair but loses the greater part of |
its following when it adopts the attitude i
that any tactics are fair to gain an end.
Early in the summer, readers may re-
call, the prediction was made here that Lem
ke's strength might gain for few weeks |
but would wane to near nothing as election