American Elections

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIV, Issue 277, 3 November 1924, Page 5

American Elections

The Presidency MB COOLIDGE’S ASCENDANCY. HOW THE STATES ARE EXPECTED TO GO. I By Cable—Press Association—Copyright.] (deceived 3,10. a.m.) New York. Nov. 1. With all the signs indicating Mr Coolidge’s ascendancy, there is sonic questioning concerning its degree oi decisiveness. The Republicans are the only party claiming that its candidates are certain, of success, and boast that Mr Coolidge will obtain at least 300 electoral college votes, only 266 being necessary for a choice. Observers, dividing the country into three general categories, North, South and West, indicate that group 1, having 24C electoral votes and containing Maine, New Hampshire. Massachusetts, Connecticut. Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio. Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wiseconein. and Vermont, will probably give Mr Coolidge 225 votes. The second group, including Minnesota. lowa, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming North Dakota, South Dakota. Montana, Idaho, Nebraska, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, California. Oregon and Wshington, toalling 108 votes, is expected to give Mr Coolidge the remaining 75. The third group contains .the so called border and Southern States, namely Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky. Tennessee and Missouri, totalling 59 votes, whose political sentiments arc undetermined. The remaining States, the so-called “Solid South,” with 124 votes, are ab Milutely Mr Davis’s. The Republicans ar? content that Mr Davis should obtain between 171 and 183 of the total votes, and Mr Lafollitto between 48 and sixty.—(A. and N.Z.) PROSPECTS OF TO-MORROW’S VOTING. GROUND GAINED BY REPUBLICANS. New York, Oct. 31. With the national campaign rapidly entering the final stage, fairly definite indications are available concerning the firobabl© outcome. There now seems . ittle question that the Coolidge movement has gained such popular strength in the last fortnight that hi s election by a definite so-called electoral college majority is discernible- Earlier contentions that no candidate would be able to obtain such a majority, due to inability to obtain the requisite popular majority in a sufficient number of States, now seems to be baseless. The possibility that the election will be thrown into the House of Representatives resulting from such a situation has dwindled into a mere academic consideration. Mr. Coolidge’s campaign managers have shrewdly utilised the element of popular psychology very successfully, and no charge of corruption, inefficiency or economic injustice emphasised by Mr Davis and Mr. Lafollette has been sufficient to gainsay it. Mr. Coolidge’s major slogans. “Safety aftd sanity.” and “No overturning of existing institutions,” have appealed very closely to the greatest mass of the people, who are, above all. desirous of maintaining the economic and institutional equilibrium. Mr. Davis and Mr. Lafollette, overemphasising otherwise legitimate issue® have driven great blocks of popular votes to Mr. Coolidge, possibly through fear. The campaign funfts inquiry continue, to repeal diverse and often humorous details. The Republicans have already spent 4.000.000 dollars but collected only 3,500,000 dollars- The Democrat*have collected approximately 600.000 and spent 1,000,000 dollars. ‘ The Lafollette treasurer testified that a group of actors attempted to solicit a fee of 50.000 dollars from him offering to introduce helpful witticisms durinp variety theatre performances. The treasurer declined the proposal, and tin actors bodily joined the Coolidge campaign. It ir curious to note that Mr. Davil- - probably prove the greatest sui ferer from the loss of the popular vote Mr. Lafollette apparently- continuin’.' to hold his original strength. Anti-prohibitionists claim that thev hate 23 senatorial and 302 congressional candidates pledged against prohibition while the Anti-Saloon League assert« that a very small minority of the candidates for the National Legislature arc openly against the maintenance of prohibition. Some observers allege that the Conservative victory in England will have a notable effect on the American elections, increasing Mr. Coolidge’s strength. Various candidates, including minor aspirants, arc concentrating theiefforts in the last week in the large industrial centres, and hope to command the support of the Labour elements. The Democratic Presidential candidate. Mr. Davis, was endorsed by the executive committee of tin* Oentru’ Trades and Labour Council -of Grcatei New York. This is hailed bv Demo cratic officials as a revolt against Mr. Lafollette in the American Federation of Labour ranks, which has assur<*' Mr. Davis the support of approximate!’ 700.000 votes. In a speech at Boston Mr. Lafolfc»f> assailed the foreign policy of the United States which had been launched “unma career of imperialism, which leadinevitably to war and to decay, which has destroyed every great empire in the world’s history. Our Government has adopted the aims and methods of Euro pean diplomacy, and slavishly- conind the politics upon which the British Empire wa.« built. We are to-da\ creating in Central and South America our Irelands. Egypts and Indias.”(A. and N.Z.) CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS. SENATE AND HOUSE PROSPECTS Nev York, Oct. 31. The Presidential campaign, because of its peculiar character, has tended to overshadow the vitality of the impnrtant congressional and senatorial campaigns which likewise exhibit extra ordinary features. Neither Republican* nor Democrats have a’clear majority in the present Senate, due to the presence of two Farmer-Labour senators and a. group of progressive Republican followers of Mr. Lafollette. Thirty-three senatorial seats will Infilled at the present election, of which 17 are now held by Republicans •, 14 bv Democrats and one by Farmer-Lahour. The Democrats must capture 20 and ♦he Republicans 21 in order to obtain thn requisite majority. The Democrats are certain of seven Senatorial victories pince within seven Southern States there are no RepuMicandidates for the Senate. The Republicans already hav© one victory—namely, in Maine, where a Republics ” Sonator was elected. There are no outstanding issues in ♦ho Senatorial campaign since upon ♦ he last two years’ legislation ♦lipr* J>a R been no party uniformity. Both parties therefore are emphasising tha* thev only need to give one party Spnn-i-nrial control in order to make possible unity of policy with the Presidential Although there is a nominal Pepul»linnn majority in the House of Representatives. the Republicans actually will need to win 238 seats in order to

assure effective control while the Democrat a require to gain only 218. The Democrats have waged a vigorous Congressional campaign and whatever the result of the Presidential election they will be able to secure in either the Senate or the House Labour’s active support. Many Democratic candidates for th* House during the campaign have lent weight to the Democrats’ claim that they will hold a majority in the now House. The Democrats expect to K victorious hi the South and We,st, while ♦ho Republicans claim the East and Middle West, to be theirs. There being no Lafollette candidates for Congress, the situation naturally is specially interesting. There are now 21 women candidates for the House.— (A., and N-Z ) INFLUENCE*DF BRITISH ~ ELECTIONS. REPUBLICANS ENCOURAGED. Washington, Oct. 31. The British Conservatives’ victory and Labour’s losses tire hailed by the Republicans as forecasting the results of Tuesday’s voting in the United States Mr. Coolidge’s leaders hold that the pendulum i R swinging towards (Jonsej vat ism in the United States as in Britain and that Tuesday will see Mr. Coolidge sent tr office by a largo majority.—(Reuter).