THE AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1591, 7 November 1912, Page 4

THE AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

......•; :-:\.; ■>. ■ ~,.■ ■; ■ y It is 'clearv. that; the wave of. revolt against the' Republican : Jratty , Which afc'the Congrissipnarefeofcions in: ISIO 'converted;: aKepiiblican '{majority of ,47- intoV'Democratic majority- of 66—the first,"Democratic victory, since 1893—50 far. from spending itself, has grown in force and.volume. In this quickly-moving''age it may be as. well to recall thatjthe Democratic victory two years ago. was due, not to that mere desire for change which -affects nations, 'but ,to a weariness of the growing cost, of living,and of the tenderness of > official ■ Republicanism towards .the big . At that time it was;;.freely predicted that the next President would come from ,the Democratic'side,. - and - although all the figures jare not aVailahley it is certain that. Dr. .Wilson- has .already obtained his majority, ;and that the' Democratic majority in the House df Representatives will be greater than ever.; To secure'the Presidency, Dr. Wilson required at least 266. supporters in the Electoral College. It may be assumed that the States which were solid in returning Democratic electors, in 1908 were faithful to the party, and this would give' Dr. Wilson . 176 votes. Ho carried Minnesota,. .1 Republican State returning 12 clcctoi's; and New York, which returns .45. This makes altogether 2'.!3. Theii it'is practically .certain Not J'erßey^/Whic'E

swung over from the Republicans in 191Q, and which chose Dn. Wimon foriitsGoyernor, went solidly Democratic. Its 1$ electors would bring the Wilson votes up to 245. That k'ffc only 21 Wore ; votes to .be obtained. ■' How easily they were obtained is clear from the first interim return: Wilson 267, Roosevelt 2i), Taft 8... Of the remaining 277 electors 'Dr. Wilson- scented.enough to carry him over the-300 mark.

' The Republican domination is .plainly smashed and for a party to be smashed in' the present rapidlymoving march of political thought in America is to bo eternally ruined. It had been the hope of the Roosfc" velt party that, if.their man could not win, Dr. Wilson might fail to socurc an absolute majority in the College.. For, as we. explained yesterday; in that case there ivould bo a series of deadlocks which would necessitate the temporary investiture of Mr. Philander. Knox,'-the Secretary of State, and the holding of a •fresh election as- soon, as 1 possible after March ;i of nex,t year. Such a set of circumstances, the Roosevelt people fancied, would play into the) t hands by giving the •"ex-Pi%sidpnt time to complete/; his organisation, and drive his campaign thoroughly throughout the States, .Mr. BoOsevelt is reported to' ha-ve/ accepteJtl the verdict with "good humour and contentment,'.'and to have salved, his wounds father cleverly by declaring, that his defeat is of little consequence since the "progressive" cause, must ultimately triumph. One would bo able, to this with more sympathy,.if it--had not. been very clear'all, along that so ; 'f'a'r Us. Mr. Roosevelt is concerned the "p regressive", cause was just he'himscll;' ■The new. President, stands for a/.faf saner national, policy- than 'the-mud-dled' mixture. of Socialism, and .Conservatism an4Ccxperimerii'ta,tipn that | served the Progressives:'.if or -a;.' pro- . gramme. He.,.is; 'a man of- .•courage j and little too. Radical, perhaps, but oii the whole.-sano and rpatriotic, and-.no, friend -of the Tammany wing of- tho Demo'crafclc party., ■,'■ ' .'■■./ '