The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-11-24

Washington, Nov. 21.-As. the
experienced and most non-parti.
san political observers in Wash.
ington study the picture present.
ed by the results of the recent
elections, several definite con-
cluslons stand out, upon which
practically all Of these seasoned
watchers of events are agreed.
These men, the Washington
correspondents Of the nations
important newspapers and the
great press associations, are the
most unbiased and cool-headed
group in the national capital. II
is their business to- report the
facts as they find them, without
prejudice, and to keep their edit
ors and the reading public in
formed of the trends and proba-
bilities. Only in a few instances
are their reports colored by the
political bias of their employers.
Many of them have spent their
entire working lives as Washing
ton correspondents, some of them
forty or fifty years. They come
nearer to knowing the Utmost
thoughts of the political individ-
uals and groups that come and
go than do many of the profess
sional politicians.
They have seen so many chang
eS, some of them that seemed
revolutionary at the time, and
have seen the pendulum of pub
lie opinion and government pol
icies swing so violently from one
extreme to the other, that they
they not regard any change as
permanent.
The first and major conclusion
of these observers is that the
swing toward the Republicans in
the late elections was a natural
and normal swing away from
radicalism and toward conserva-
tism such as has occurred many
times before. After a sufficient
period has elapsed the pendulum
will swing the other way, but just
now it is swinging toward con-
servatism.
AS these observers see the pic
ture, the most important result of
the elections is not the gains Of
Republican seats in Congress, but
the capture of control in eleven
more state governments by the
opposition. That gives the Re
publican party an opportunity
which it has not had for several
years, to build up a solid work.
ing organization.
For under our two-party politi-
cal jobs for the. party workers.
Even with a gain of 80 seats in
Congress, the Republicans are
still in the minority in Washing
ton and cannot look for much
more Federal patronage than
they have had for the past six
years.
But with eighteen state organi-
cations under their control, in
stead of seven, there will be lot
of political jobs for faithful Re-
publican workers, which should
make it possible to build strong
party organizations in those
states.
Even in New York, where the
Democratic Governor Lehman
was reelected by a narrow ma
jority over Thomas E. Dewey, Re-
publican District Attorney of
New York County, the Republi-
cans captured control of both
houses of the State Legislature
and of numerous county and mu-
nicipal governments.
Had Mr.. Dewey been elected,
Washington observers almost
unanimously agreed, he would
have been the inevitable Repub-
lican candidate for the Presiden-
cy in 1910. AS it is, he proved
himself such an effective. and
popular campaigner that he is
certain to pull a strong oar in
party councils from now on.
It cannot be said that any one
of the victorious Republicans is
out ahead of all the others as a
Presidential possibility, but sew
eral new political figures have
come to the front and there is no
longer the feeling that the Oppose
tion has no frst-rate Presidential
timber.
Among the names most fire.
Quently mentioned as possibilities
for 1910 are those of Gov. Lever
EFT Saltonstall of Massachusetts,
and Gov. John w. Bricker OF
Ohio. How far they may develop