COOLIDGE ELECTED

Southland Times, Issue 19393, 6 November 1924, Page 5

COOLIDGE ELECTED

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY TUESDAY’S GREAT CONTEST LA FOLLETTE A BAD THIRD. (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright). (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association). NEW YORK, November 4. (Received November 5, 9.5 pjn.). Ideal weather favoured voters at the Presidential election in nearly every State, and there are indications of a heavy poll. General reports show more than half the ballots were cast three hours after the polls opened. Women voters turned out in especially great numbers and excellent weather enabled the aged and feeble to go to the booths. SEVEN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. The chief interest naturally centred on the three major Presidential candidates, viz., Mr Coolidge,* Mr Davis and Senator La Follette, but it is also interesting to note that there were seven candidates for the Presidency, the others being: Mr Frank Johns (Social Labour), Mr William Foster (Workers’ Party), Mr Herman Paris (Prohibitionist) and Mr William Wallace (singletaxer). Polling generally was quiet, there being only a few minor disturbances, while two or three more serious revolver fights occurred at a Chicago booth, two men being fatally injured. The Judge and his son were shot dead by disappointed candidates at Jackson, in Tennessee. Two were wounded in other affrays. Early reports showed that Mr Coolidge was leading his two opponents by an overwhelming majority in New England, New York, Ohio and Illinois with their big blocks of votes in the Electoral College. The President likewise held a good lead in several States formerly claimed by the Davis and La Follette forces, including Indiana, lowa, West Virginia and Maryland, while the Southern States, as usual, showed heavy Democratic majorities. Senator La Follette’s officials announce that their organisation will be kept intact for the Congressional elections in 1926 and Presidential election in 1928. In some parts of the country, the drift to Mr Coolidge threatened to rival the Harding landslide of 1920. “THE COOLIDGE LANDSLIDE.” Mr Coolidge expects a vote in the Electoral College of at least 350 and a majority in the House next session of 20 or more. Official returns confirmed the first anticipations, Mr Coolidge commanding an absolute majority in the Electoral College, representing a popular majority of 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 votes. So far 38 States distribute their votes in the Electoral College as under: Coolidge . .. .. .. 308 Davis 149 La Follette 13 THE FUTURE POLICY. COOLIDGE WILL TAKE COMMAND. WASHINGTON, November 4. (Received November 6, 1 a.m.). Immediately Mr Coolidge’s election became definitely established, White House informed waiting correspondents concerning the President’s future course of action. As regards the Republican Party policy and inter-party relationships, the President, during the past 15 months, had been carrying out Mr Harding’s policies and he hesitated to depart from the programme laid down by his predecessors, feeling bound to continue the same Cabinet. Mr Coolidge now feels that he can initiate policies of his own and will take command of his party, which requires leadership and discipline in order to end the bloc system whch threatens to obtain control of the National Legislature. THE IMPORTANT POINTS. Mr Coolidge will give his chief attention to three problems, viz., reduction of taxation, modification of the tariff in certain respects where glaring inequalities exist, afid putting the farmer upon equality with other producers. It is expected that restrictive immigration law will continue for some years, although a Commission will be appointed to study the question scientifically. The only pressing foreign question is the World Court. The President will consider association with other nations as worthy of attention only after more peaceful conditions exist and the European Budgets are balanced. “TRUST IN THE PRESIDENT?’ Mr Coolidge’s friends ascribe his re-elec-tion to the electorates’ trust in the President, while the Republican Party generally has been discredited by the oil scandals. The President will endeavour to restore confidence in the party. He will reorganise the Cabinet and initiate a new Republican Senatorial leadership. It is expected that Senator Gillett will succeed Senator Lodge, while Representative Longworth will replace Senator Gillett as Republican Leader in the House. : New York State re-elected Governor I Smith, who defeated Mr Theodore Roosevelt, son of the famous President. WOMAN AS GOVERNOR. j Mrs Ferguson (Democrat) will probably Ibe elected Governor of Texas, with a majority of 225,000. Mr Buttle, her Republican opponent, was leading on earlier reI turns and was at first hailed as the first Republican Governor in the State’s history. Mrs Ferguson faced a bitter Ku Klux Klan opposition and the inherent disinclination to vote for a woman.