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POLITICS.

The past year has witnessed one of those great political revolutuions which at intervals sweep over the United States, changing the destinies of parties, altering the political map, relegating to private life men long prominent in the public eye and bringing new men to the fore.

The overturn of 1910 differed from some of those in the past in that it was not unexpected.
Premonitory signs were visible early in the year, and thoughtful politicians in both parties professed to see the change coming.
To be sure, its magnitude and far-reaching effect were greater than had been anticipated, and in that respect it was a surprise to every one.

No one had contemplated the possibility of the state of Maine, which had not elected a democrat to the United States Senate since 1858, going democratic in both branches of the legislature; few of the political wiseacres and prophets dreamed of New York state, "gerrymandered" as it had been under republican rule as to its legislative districts, going democratic; the most reckless prognosticators hardly ventured to picture New Jersey with a democratic legislature; since 1893 West Virginia had been a high tariff state, and it was not deemed probable that it would show such a change of sentiment, yet the political revolution swept the dominant party out of power and the democrats into power in those states.

It went further and elected a democratic governor in Connecticut, a democratic legislature and governor in Ohio and in Indiana; turned the republicans out of the legislature in Missouri and in Nebraska.

Democrats Capture House.

Not less surprising was the change in the congressional districts throughout the country.
From a republican majority of forty-three in the present Congress to a democratic majority of sixty-two for the Sixty-second Congress is a far cry in politics.
The slaughter of republicans throughout the eastern states was terrific.
Democrats were elected to the House in districts that for years had been republican in Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and the far west.

But these were not the only political changes of the year.
In states that were so rockribbed in their republicanism as to forego the hope of electing democrats to Congress there was a change in the republican party.
A spirit of progressiveness was manifested.
The people expressed their disapproval of reactionary and "standpat" principles.
In many places were they did not choose to elect a democrat they turned out the reactionaries and put in progressives.

New Hampshire elected a progressive governor and legislature.
Michigan turned out the standpat Burrows from the Senate and sent young Townsend, who had followed Roosevelt; Iowa and Wisconsin and Minnesota and the Dakotas declared with added emphasis for progressiveness.
The state of Washington selected as senator through its primaries Miles Poindexter, who had been one of the most active progressives in the House.
California was progressive, and, indeed, all of the intermountain country.

Thus the revolution, as between the two parties and the reformation within the republican party, indicated most clearly and pronouncedly a widespread change of sentiment among the voters, dissatisfaction with old principles and methods and with the men in power.
Many causes were assigned for it.
One man's guess was as good as another's, and for weeks after the election people discussed the revolution from different viewpoints.

Some claimed that dissatisfaction with the new tariff law was responsible.
Others insisted that it was the result of the existence of a spirit of restlessness, a desire for a change, and that the revolution was "due anyhow."

Miss Democracy Has Hopes.

The first immediate result of the elections of November was to stimulate the democrats into renewed hope of carrying the country for the presidency in 1912.
Democratic presidential timber was discovered in several states—Harmon in Ohio, Marshall in Indiana, Folk in Missouri, Woodrow Wilson in New Jersey, Dix in New York and Simeon Baldwin in Connecticut were marked by the politicians as presidential possibilities.

It was recognized that the first step toward success in 1912 must be wise legislation by the House in the next Congress.
A general conference of democrats was called to meet in Baltimore January 17 to talk over policies.

In the meantime, the republicans seemed stunned by their overwhelming defeat.
The close of the year found the republican party in Congress resting upon its oars, drifting and apparently waiting for the democrats to come in and have their try at national legislation.