The Wanganui Chronicle. “NULLA DIES SINE LINEA.” SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1925. THE PRESIDENTIAL FIGHT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19208, 10 January 1925, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. “NULLA DIES SINE LINEA.” SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 1925. THE PRESIDENTIAL FIGHT

Students of American polities have been busy since November in “weighing up” the results of the Presidential election and the factors contributory thereto. Their finding is that few conI tests of recent years lend themselves so well to analysis or reveal such interesting sidelights and aspects as the tost which ended in the triumph of Mr. Coolidge. It had been feared early in the campaign that the inclusion of a third party would confuse issues and becloud the outcome. It had been affirmed that a single simple question, extremely serious in import, however, would tend to dominate the contest and stop American political progress until it was answered. Honesty in government, it was said, would for the time put aside important economic, considerations. Whatever the beginning of the campaign may have presaged, its ending clearly reversed the earlier outlook. The expected and unexpected mingled in a curious manner in'the verdict of November 4. Mr. Coolidge won, it seems, because his own honesty was unquestioned, and because his opponents either pressed the issue of governmental honesty 100 much or made suggestions for economic and governmental change so radical that they frightened the electorate. Mr. Davis’s charges that there were no honest inen in Washington, and Mr. La Follette’s promises to nationalise railways and natural resources, and shear the Supreme Court of some of its major] powers as concerns the interpretation | of laws passed by Congress, inevitably; brought to the surface the innate conservative feelings of the American I people. They turned quickly and definitely to Mr. Coolidge. Forgotten were alleged Republican corruption in office and the iniquities of an unevenly! balanced tariff. A radical weekly newspaper, commenting on the outcome of the election, said: “Business wins!” That is an accurate, statement of fact. Existing institutions anil existing prosperity in industry, commerce, and finance were too precious to risk. The people voted to conserve them. It seems indicated, also, that, wherever Mr. La Follette showed strength he did so chiefly at the expense of Mr. Davis. According to the popular-vote of 14 western States, Mr. Davis received 400,01)0 fewer votes than Mr. Cox in 1920. while Mr. Coolidge received only 189,000 fewer votes in these same States than did Mr. Harding. In the so-called southern border States, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Tennessee, Mr. Davis received 25.>,000 fewer votes than did Mr. Cox, while Mr. Coolidge received only 215,000 less than did Mr. Harding. In some 12 States, Mr. La Follette ran second to Mr. Coolidge, with Mr. Davis third. Mr. La Follette’s total popular vote of some 4,100,000, was much less than his opponents had feared he would receive. Both the Democrats and Republican leaders had privately conceded him approximately 5,000,000, and early in the campaign xvould not have denied the possibility of his receiving as many as 10.000,000. It was for that reason that the danger of having the election deadlocked and. as a result, thrown into the House ot Representatives, was at first so vehemently discussed. Ou the basis of the organisation he had mustered, however, the showing made by Air. La Follette was by no means negligible. In many States his name could not appear on the ballot. It is virtually impossible to create comprehensive campaign machinery within a few short, .months or with little money —Mr. La Follette’s followers contributed not much more than 260,000 dollars. Nevertheless, he received the endorsement of more than one-seventh of the electorate. That is regarded as one of the peculiar and important results of the election. Local issues everywhere were the subject ot passionate contention, but nationally agreement was fairly general. It must be remembered that the traditional Democratic* stamp of the so-called “solid South” was the only thing that retarded the Republicans from capturing an overwhelming popular majority. It was an open secret that many sections of the South that had clung stubbornly to Air. McAdoo during the protracted fortnight’s fight at the Democratic Convention were against Air. Davis. Yet they voted for him at the polls only because he was a Democrat. This is cited to indicate that the 12,000,000 or so nonRepublican votes east were not all against Mr. Coolidge. Many a convert to the Coolidge “gospel” voted for Air. Davis because the Republican party had prosecuted the Civil War many years ago. Immediately after the election every phase of business life showed great evidence of restored faith. Foreign exchange went up, sterling leading the list with a gain of nearly .10 cents. The New York Stock Exchange indicated a revival greater than at any time during the last five years. Air. Harding’s victory in 1920 was conclusive, but Air. Coolidge’s victory in 1924 is more potent in its effects.