Show CROPS AND ELECTIONS IF THE democratic party is dubious about the 1936 election it may be because of the drought history of our political campaigns indicates that the size of crops has an important bearing on national elections in other words if there be a scarcity of farm products the party in power is turned out of office none can say that this is an infallible rule yet there are notable periods and events which tend to prove its truth A seven years I 1 drought for example starting in 1833 is the first widespread destruction st truc tion of crops of which there is record at the end of it martin van buren was voted out of office and the whigs chias came in with i great show of strength A second drought occurred shortly before the civil war but the latter event dominated of course every trend of political development for that period in 1874 there was a large republican majority in the lower branch of congress but ut there had been drought years immediately preceding and democratic congressmen were elected in droves beginning in 1887 1837 ten years showed a deficiency of rainfall and crops naturally suffered it was during this period perhaps more than in any other that the american voter practiced assiduously his right to vote parties in and out of power conditions may be changed today the democratic democrat tic party which cn happens to be in the saddle has survived one of the count rys worst crop years 1934 there are political observers who assert that we are too much an industrial nation today for old man weather to lay such a heavy hand on political fortunes only time will teu tell if this estimate of the situation is coi correct when this is written however indications point clearly that burning dry winds have destroyed a large part of the spring wheat crop in the dakotas and montana industrial nation or not it is at least an even bet that when the campaign warms up particular attention will be paid to those three states by hamilton and farley not to mention congressman lemke who hails from that area himself 0 western newspaper paper union |