USA > New Hampshire > A synoptic history of the Granite state > Part 9
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On July 15th, 1921, President Harding appointed former Governor John H. Bartlett President of the U. S. Civil Service Commission where he served until March 12th, 1922. The President then appointed him First Assistant Postmaster Gen- eral of the United States, in which office he served until May 23rd, 1929, at which time President Hoover appointed him Chairman of the American Section of The International Joint
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Commission between the United States and Canada. He is now serving on this tribunal.
President Harding appointed George W. Morris of Lisbon Judge of the U. S. Court for the District of New Hampshire to succeed Judge Edgar Aldrich who passed away on September 15th, 192 I.
Rev. Jonathan S. Lewis of Amherst was appointed Federal Director of Prohibition for New Hampshire.
Stephen S. Jewett of Laconia became "Naval Officer of Cus- toms" at Boston. Jewett was succeeded by Harry W. Spaulding of Manchester and the latter by Dwight Hall, lawyer, of Dover -son of former Congressman, Joshua G. Hall.
Hon. David A. Taggart of Manchester, one of the State's most esteemed citizens and acting Governor in the Goodell Ad- ministration, died February 9th, 1922.
In 1922 a prolonged textile strike occurred in Manchester.
Fred H. Brown, Governor. In 1922 Fred H. Brown (D) of Somersworth was elected Governor over Ex-Councillor Wind- sor N. Goodnow (R) of Keene by a vote of 70,160 to 61,526. Mr. Brown had been Mayor of his home city for many terms, and U. S. District Attorney for New Hampshire under the Wil- son Administration. Congressman Wason (R) was re-elected. The Democrats elected a majority in the House which chose William J. Ahern (D) Speaker. The Senate was presided over by Wesley Adams (R) of Derry. The Councillors elected were Oscar P. Cole of Berlin, Stephen A. Frost of Danville, Thomas J. Conway of Manchester, Philip W. Faulkner of Keene and Arthur P. Morrill of Concord.
In 1922 it became necessary for Republicans to nominate an- other candidate to Congress in the First District as Congressman Burroughs, in order to resume the practice of his profession, had declined to run for re-election.
John Scammon of Exeter (later Judge) was nominated, re- ceiving 4,789 votes to Hobart Pillsbury of Manchester 3,866, Ex-Mayor F. W. Hartford of Portsmouth 1,901 and A. E. Shute of Derry 399. Shortly after the Primaries, Mr. Burroughs was
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suddenly stricken with pneumonia and died January 27th, 1923.
William N. Rogers (D) of Wakefield received the Democratic nomination unopposed.
At the November elections Rogers defeated John Scammon (R) by a vote of 36,793 to 30,694.
Progressive Legislation Blocked. Governor Fred H. Brown, being a Democrat, found his hands tied by a hostile Republican Senate and Council. Much progressive legislation was blocked by destructive partisanship. Governor Fred H. Brown recommended the passage of a 48-hour law, a so-called "Home Rule Law," a gasoline tax, economy measures, repeal of the poll tax, and other forward looking measures, but the re- actionary Senate killed every proposal he made, so intense was the political division.
Irving A. Hinkley (D) was appointed Attorney General in lieu of Oscar L. Young and John E. Sullivan (D) Insurance Commissioner, in place of John J. Donahue.
CHAPTER XXXVII
PRESIDENT HARDING'S DEATH. COOLIDGE PRESIDENT. SCANDALS IN HIGH OFFICE BROKE. COOLIDGE FIRM IN PROSECUTIONS. NEW HAMPSHIRE IN NO WAY INVOLVED. DEATH OF LYFORD AND WOODBURY. BROWN IN CONVENTION. COOLIDGE AND DAWES ELECTED. SPAULDING, GOVERNOR.
P RESIDENT HARDING died August 2nd, 1923, at San Francisco, Cal., on his return from a trip to Alaska. Gover- nor Fred H. Brown issued a noble memorial proclamation on Harding's death. Calvin Coolidge, Vice-President, took the Presidential oath of office immediately at his former home at Plymouth, Vermont, before his father, who chanced to be a Justice of the Peace. Coolidge dealt firmly with the scandals in high office which broke in amazing fury at this time. The Tea- pot Dome steal, and the Secretary of the Interior in jail, were some of the results. The general verdict of history seems to be that Harding was betrayed by those whom he honestly trusted. New Hampshire was not involved.
New Hampshire's ter-centenary was observed. The Commit- tee in charge consisted of Governor Fred H. Brown; Henry H. Metcalf of Newport; Arthur G. Whittemore of Dover; Charles S. Emerson of Milford; Harry T. Lord, Manchester; and J. Winslow Pierce of Portsmouth. It provided general observances and celebrations over the State.
James O. Lyford, Bank Commissioner and leading citizen, died September 19th, 1924.
Gordon Woodbury died June 17th, 1924. He had been As- sistant Secretary of the U. S. Navy under President Wilson.
Governor Fred H. Brown was a prominent figure at the Democratic National Convention in 1924, receiving votes for
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President; he was also seriously considered for Vice-President.
John G. Winant, Governor. In 1924 Col. John G. Winant, having secured the Republican nomination over Col. Frank Knox, the organization candidate (later a candidate for Vice- President), was elected Governor running against Governor Fred H. Brown who was re-nominated. Neither Winant nor Knox were native sons of New Hampshire. At the same elec- tion Senator Keyes was re-elected over George E. Ferrand (D) of Concord. Congressman Wason was re-elected over William H. Barry (D).
Fletcher Hale of Laconia was nominated by the Republicans to "redeem" the First District. He succeeded by the following vote: Fletcher Hale, 44,758, William N. Rogers (D), 36,306.
His record in Congress became conspicuously statesmanlike. Nationally, Coolidge and Dawes defeated John W. Davis and Charles R. Bryan for President and Vice-President, the New Hampshire vote being 98,575 to 57,20I. LaFollette and Wheeler polled about 9,000 votes. The Coolidge landslide swelled the whole Republican ticket in the State.
C. W. Tobey of Temple was chosen President of the Senate, and George A. Wood of Portsmouth, Speaker. The Councillors were: John A. Edgerly, John A. Hammond, Arthur E. Moreau, Samuel A. Lovejoy and Jesse M. Barton.
John W. Weeks of Massachusetts, born at Lancaster, died on July 12th, 1926.
Huntley N. Spaulding, Governor. The election of 1926, though an "off year," was an important one. Governor Winant desired a second term, but Huntley N. Spaulding of Rochester gave him a winning battle, capturing the Republican nomination by the following figures: Spaulding, 30,901, Winant, 25,522.
There arose a fiercer political battle over the nomination for U. S. Senator. George H. Moses was ending his first full term, and Bull-Mooser, Robert P. Bass, set out to unhorse him. Per- sonal politics raged. Bass went down to the tune of 37,655 to 17,654.
The election contests were not so avid. The results were: for
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Governor, Spaulding (R), 77,394, Eaton D. Sargent (D), 52,236. For Senator, Moses, 79,279, Robert C. Murchie (D) of Concord, 47,395.
For Congress, First District, Hale (R), 40,666, Francis Clyde Keefe of Dover, 25,575; Second District, Wason, 36,598, George H. Duncan of Jaffrey, 21,312.
Governor Spaulding's Councillors were: Ora A. Brown of Meredith; Guy E. Chesley of Rochester; Albert J. Precourt of Manchester; Albert H. Hunt of Nashua and Frank L. Garrish of Boscawen.
The President of the Senate was Frank P. Tilton of Laconia and the Speaker Harold K. Davison of Woodsville. The Spauld- ing Administration was characterized by keen business ability, resulting in improved methods and new and much-needed build- ings for the State institutions.
Governor Spaulding rendered distinguished service as Food Administrator during the War, and he has demonstrated his phi- lanthropy by presenting to Dartmouth College a "swimming pool," to Rochester a new High School, and to Keene a fine school building. He has always given extensively to various public and private charities, being one of our most useful private citizens.
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CHAPTER XXXVIII
HOOVER AND CURTIS. RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE. TOBEY, GOVERNOR. THE BOOM AND CRASH. THE HOOVER POLICY OF INACTION. WINANT, GOVERNOR, SECOND TERM. CONGRESSMAN HALE DECEASED. ROGERS-BARTLETT CONTEST. RELIEF AND GOVERN- MENT EMPLOYMENT FOR RELIEF ADVOCATED BY BARTLETT. THE BONUS MARCH.
N ATIONALLY, the year 1928 produced an extraordinary political battle for the Presidency between Herbert Hoover (R) and Alfred E. Smith (D). It developed an upheaval in national affairs which had reverberations in New Hampshire. Religious intolerance blinded voters to the practical virtues of Governor Smith, while it also exalted to ex- travagance the virtues of Mr. Hoover, forgetting that his well- known "rugged individualism" was an obsession which might later land him in the lap of the Liberty League. Hence, after an intolerant campaign, the most insidious in American history, Hoover and Curtis "carried the country" by an electoral vote of 444 to 87. New Hampshire was influenced somewhat by intolerance and hence the Republican ticket had a record high vote of 115,404, to Governor Smith's 80,715. The State Pri- maries developed a contest in the Republican Party for the first place on the ticket between Ora A. Brown of Ashland, a merchant, and C. W. Tobey, a stock and bond broker at Man- chester. The result was, Tobey, 31,871 to Brown, 26,568. Eaton D. Sargent of Nashua won the Democratic Primaries for Governor over Charles D. Ward of Manchester. In the First Congressional District Fletcher Hale was re-nominated, and in the Second, Edward H. Wason. Their Democratic op- ponents were: Francis C. Keefe of Dover and Alfred W. Levan-
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saler of Lebanon. The election results were: Tobey (R), 108,431; Sargent (D), 79,798; Hale (R), 53,642; Keefe (D), 39,570; Wason (R), 54,642; Levansaler (D), 36,275. The Councillors elected were: William Leith, Lancaster; Harry Mer- rill, Exeter; C. J. Belanger, Manchester; Harry D. Hopkins, Keene; Harry L. Holmes, Heniker. Frank P. Tilton was chosen President of the Senate, and Harold K. Davison of Haverhill, Speaker.
C. W. Tobey, candidate for Governor on the Republican ticket, was a receptive beneficiary of the intolerant whispering campaign against Alfred E. Smith. However, it appears that many in New Hampshire at that time actually believed that Mr. Hoover would become a Liberal, and his "food service" during the War, entrusted to him by the Democrats, was played up fancifully.
The stock market crash came in October 1929, following an unprecedented period of boom and speculation. President Hoover and his Party seemed to reason that this boom was, in fact, sound prosperity, and that it could go on indefinitely. The influence of the boom speculation seized New Hampshire. Governor Tobey, himself a stock and bond broker, naturally followed President Hoover's ideas, and hence he took no heroic steps to restrain the mounting evils of exploiters. Even after the crash Governor Tobey echoed President Hoover's slogan that "prosperity was just around the corner," etc. Consequently he took no positive action, and raised no cry to Washington looking toward "relief," or toward checking the financial inunda- tion. During this delay suicides prevailed. Unemployment grew apace. Huge financial losses befell everyone. Stark poverty raged. Business and bank failures multiplied. Hoard- ing of money began. No Federal aid was advised by President Hoover. Governor Tobey demanded none. The previous Re- publican platform, in fact, had solemnly resolved that "Federal relief" was not "the American way."
John G. Winant, Governor. While the great depression continued to sink to a lower and still lower level, the State elec-
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tion of 1930 came. Governor Winant had previously served one term as Governor (January Ist, 1924 to January Ist, 1926). He then desired a second term but failed to get it. The Primary vote for Governor resulted: Winant, 27,343 and Arthur P. Morrill (R) of Concord 24,542. For the Democrats Albert W. Noone won the Primaries over Frederick E. Small of Rochester. At the election Winant received 75,518 votes and Noone 54,44I, thus breaking the one-term precedent for the first time since the term was two years. At the 1930 election Senator Henry W. Keyes, re-nominated without material opposition, was elected over Albert W. Noone (D) who was nominated over Amos N. Blandin of Bath. The vote was, Keyes, 72,225, Noone, 52,284. In the First District Fletcher Hale was elected over N. J. Dyer by a vote of 37,570 to 29,166. In the Second District Edward H. Wason won over Eaton D. Sargent by a vote of 34,253 to 23,157. The following were chosen Councillors: Charles B. Hoyt (R), Sandwich; William S. Davis (R), Barrington; James J. Powers (D), Manchester; Fred T. Wadleigh (R), Milford; William B. McInnis (R), Concord. Harold K. Davison of Haverhill was made President of the Senate, and George A. Foster of Concord, Speaker. The Secretary of State was Enoch D. Fuller (R) of Manchester.
This second term of Governor Winant found him following President Hoover for a time and wonderingly watching the de- pression diving into bankruptcy breakers with all its abysmal consequences. He failed to appeal to the President or to Congress for national action to halt the horrible orgie, or to sustain the destitute of New Hampshire. Otherwise he sought liberal objectives and exhibited manifest sympathy for the "under dog." Partisanship ties, however, caused him to stand by Hoover's laissez-faire policy.
Fletcher Hale Deceased. On October 22nd, 1931, Congressman Fletcher Hale died suddenly in a Naval Hospital at Brooklyn, N. Y., having contracted pneumonia on the ship "President Harding" while returning from an official conference at Bucharest. He was 49 years of age and had become recog-
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nized as a leader in Congress-a man of whom the State was proud.
To fill the vacancy the Republicans nominated former Gov- ernor John H. Bartlett, Chairman of the International Joint Commission, at a spirited Convention held at Manchester on December 4th, 1931-the vote being: Bartlett, 288; Enoch D. Fuller, 74; F. W. Hartford, 30; Harold D. Hart, 27. The Democrats nominated ex-Congressman William N. Rogers.
In his campaign Bartlett broke with the policy of the National Administration and advocated a bond issue of $5,000,000,000 to provide relief, and also labor to the unemployed to prime the pump of industry. He adhered to this belief, and later, sup- ported Roosevelt.
Rogers emphasized the repeal of the 18th Amendment. The election took place January 5th, 1932 in a deep snow storm, handicapping the rural vote, resulting in Rogers' election by 27,461 to 24,546.
This was during the darkest days of the depression. Fol- lowing, in the spring, many thousands of destitute and unem- ployed World War veterans made a pilgrimage to Washington, hitch-hiking their way. They camped on the Capitol parks, daily seeking payment of the "bonus." After suffering for two or three months, fed by private charity, on July 28, 1932, the Army with tanks, cavalry, fire and gas drove them from the City by night. Two veterans were killed thereby, and were buried in Arlington cemetery. Many were wounded. They were generally of good conduct, considering their hunger. The Gov- ernment refused them food, shelter, and aid of any kind, or even the use of the parks. In any view of the tragedy, it was generally regarded as an administration blunder to use the Army against poverty stricken ex-soldiers.
CHAPTER XXXIX
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT PRESIDENT. POLITICAL OVER- TURN. MOSES DEFEATED FOR U. S. SENATOR. FRED H. BROWN ELECTED. WINANT GOVERNOR. STATE LIQUOR LAW. WINANT WITH LEAGUE OF NATIONS. BRIDGES GOVERNOR. HOSTILITY TO PRESIDENT. RACE-TRACK.
A LL EYES this year were turned toward the Presidential contest of 1932. The depression had plunged the coun- try dangerously near the explosive forces of riot and revolution. There were breadlines everywhere. Hoover con- tinued to stand for his "no-Federal-aid" policy. Franklin D. Roosevelt, Governor of New York, was making a fight for a "New Deal," which meant "Federal aid," and an aggressive Federal leadership, the antithesis of the Hoover policy. The result was the election of Roosevelt and Garner by an electoral vote of 472 to 59 for Hoover and Curtis, and a popular vote of 22,821,857 for Roosevelt to 15,761,841 for Hoover. The vote for President in New Hampshire was 103,629 for Hoover and 100,680 for Roosevelt, a large Republican slump. Many Re- publicans turned to Roosevelt.
John G. Winant, Governor. Governor Winant desired a third term. He won the Republican nomination over George I. Haselton of Manchester by a vote of 46,775 to 9,516, and was elected over Henry T. Ledoux of Nashua by a vote of 106,777 to 89,649. Governor Winant, in his two terms had built up a strong personal organization in both Parties, possible in a small State. His Councillors were: James C. McLeod (R) Littleton; Charles H. Brackett (R) Greenland; Alphonse Roy (D) Man- chester; Francis P. Murphy (R) Nashua; and Charles E. Car- roll (R) Laconia. The President of the Senate was George D.
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Cummings of Peterborough; and the Speaker, Lewis P. Elkins of Concord.
George H. Moses Defeated. New Hampshire had a Sena- torial election in 1932. Senator George H. Moses who had been a powerful, able and useful member of the U. S. Senate since November 1918 won the Republican Party nomination. In the Democratic Primaries the result was: Fred H. Brown, 14,598; T. F. O'Connor, 8,239; Joseph Coutremarsh, 2,715. At the elec- tion the vote resulted: Brown, 98,766 and Moses, 96,649. Sena- tor Moses' most enduring piece of statesmanship was his success- ful fight to prevent the United States becoming a member of the League of Nations. For Congress in the First District, the Republican nomination went to William P. Straw of Manchester. Col. Straw's vote was 16,869 to 10,855 for Ex-Mayor F. W. Hartford of Portsmouth. The Democratic Primary vote was: William N. Rogers, 8,349; John S. Hurley, 5,005; W. G. Mc- Carthy, 2,598. At the election Rogers defeated Straw by a vote of 50,306 to 47,639. For Congress in the Second District, the Republicans nominated former Governor C. W. Tobey over Harold K. Davison of Haverhill by a vote of 14,239 to 11, 170. At the election Hon. Jeremiah Doyle of Nashua was a strong but losing opponent.
Governor Winant, after President Roosevelt's election, soon became more or less sympathetic with New Deal policies, and, on October 14th, 1935, he was appointed, for a short term, at the head of the U. S. Social Security Board.
A State Liquor License Law was enacted at a special session of the Legislature in 1934, establishing a Commission and "State stores," the Federal Constitution having been amended to permit such a law.
Governor Winant later accepted a position with the League of Nations at Geneva, Switzerland.
Bridges, Governor. The "off year" election of 1934 gave rise to a Republican Primary contest for Governor, resulting in the nomination of Styles Bridges of Concord, a member of the State Public Utilities Commission, over ex-Mayor Charles E.
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Carroll of Laconia by a vote of 33,952 to 18,526. In the Demo- cratic Primaries John L. Sullivan of Manchester was successful by a vote of 21,022 to 6,587 for Eaton D. Sargent and 5,367 for George H. Duncan of Jaffrey. At the election the vote resulted as follows: Bridges, 89,481 ; Sullivan, 87,019 or a meager plural- ity for Bridges of 2,462. A last-minute racial canard, a false publication circulated in Manchester among the French- Americans was thought to have defeated Sullivan who was a World-War veteran, popular and one of the ablest lawyers in the State. He reminds one, not only in name, but personality of the great Revolutionary War hero. The Councillors were: L. Lynn Cutler, Berlin ; Burt R. Cooper, Rochester ; Alphonse Roy, Man- chester; Thomas J. Leonard, Nashua; James C. Farmer, New- bury. The President of the Senate was C. M. Dale (R) of Portsmouth, and the Speaker, Amos N. Blandin of Bath, a Demo- crat. In the First Republican Congressional District Primaries Arthur B. Jenks of Manchester received 12,399 votes; George I. Haselton of Manchester, 7,369, and Oscar F. Moreau of Man- chester, 4,233. In the Second District, C. W. Tobey of Temple defeated Edward D. Toland of Concord by a vote of 15,761 to 7,749. At the Democratic Primaries in the First District, Con- gressman William N. Rogers of Wakefield defeated Timothy F. O'Connor of Manchester, 10,510 to 9,489, and in the Second District, Editor Harry B. Metcalf of Newport (son of historian Metcalf) defeated Joseph A. Coutremarsh of Lebanon by a vote of 5,159 to 3,877. At the election in the First District, Rogers (D) defeated Arthur B. Jenks by a vote of 48,568 to 41,425. In the Second District, Tobey (R) defeated Metcalf (D) by a small vote.
The State Administration, under Governor Bridges, did not follow Governor Winant's policy of cooperation with the Federal Administration, except to ask and receive all the various kinds of aid which the Government offered. No discrimination against New Hampshire by the Federal officials resulted from Bridges' unjustifiable attacks on President Roosevelt, although the Gov- ernor's speeches against the President were personally and offi-
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cially the most offensive of any of the President's bitterest ene- mies, for some unexplained reason. He out-toried the tories.
The Bridges' Administration created a Racetrack Commission, permitting racing at Rockingham Park, and granting "pari- mutuel" gambling, against the protests of the moral forces of the State. Radio broadcasting of these race results were and are used over the entire country by betting men.
CHAPTER XL
ROOSEVELT AND GARNER RE-ELECTED. MURPHY, GOVERNOR. MOSES DEFEATED FOR REPUBLICAN NOMI-
NATION BY BRIDGES. MURPHY COOPERATES WITH
ROOSEVELT. ROY CONTEST. STATE POLICE.
The year 1936 brought a landslide Presidential election
T HE Roosevelt and Garner vote in New Hampshire was 108,480 as against the Landon and Knox vote of 104,642. In other words, Roosevelt carried the State by 3,818.
The electoral vote for the Democratic ticket was 523 to the Republicans 8 (Vermont and Maine), and the popular vote was, Democrats, 27,476,673; Republicans, 16,679,583; the greatest popular majority in American history. The Republican ticket was Alfred M. Landon and Frank Knox (N. H. & Illinois) .
Francis P. Murphy, Governor. For Governor in 1936 the Republicans nominated Francis P. Murphy of Nashua who received 84,920 votes to Eliot A. Carter of Nashua, 28,322. The Democrats nominated Amos N. Blandin of Bath. At the elec- tion the vote stood Murphy, 118,178; Blandin, 89,011. The Councillors were: Virgil D. White, Ossipee; Charles M. Dale, Portsmouth; Thomas A. Murray, Manchester; Alvin A. Lucier, Nashua; and George Hamilton Rolfe, Concord. Anson C. Alex- ander of Boscawen was chosen President of the Senate, and Oren V. Henderson of Durham, a College official, Speaker.
The defeat of George H. Moses in 1936 was accomplished by a vicious Primary campaign, which was staged by powerful forces. There was evidence of unfair tactics against him by his successful opponent, Governor Styles Bridges. The Primary vote resulted as follows: Bridges, 45,463; Moses, 32,108; Wil- liam J. Callahan of Keene, 3,547. The Democrats nominated Congressman William N. Rogers with slight opposition. The
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campaign was a heated one. Governor Bridges, in the election, had the advantage of the exclusive publicity of the "Union and Leader." Rogers criticized this as a newspaper monopoly in New Hampshire, calling attention to its biased news, and the fact that there was no Democratic daily newspaper in the State. The State officials, Governor Murphy and strong corporate in- terests aided Bridges. Although Roosevelt carried the State, Bridges won also-107,923 to 99,195.
For Representative to Congress in the First District, on the Republican Primary ticket, there were the following candidates: Arthur B. Jenks, Manchester, 16,191 votes; Enoch D. Fuller, Manchester, 13,239 and Charles E. Carroll of Laconia, 8,01I votes. On the Democratic ticket were: Alphonse Roy of Man- chester who won over John J. Sheehan of Manchester by a vote of 6,840 to 6,831. In the Second District, Congressman C. W. Tobey of Temple won the Republican Primaries over Thomas Laite of Nashua by a vote of 23,624 to 4,116. In the Second District, Daniel J. Hagerty of Nashua was unopposed as the Democratic candidate. For the Representative to Congress in the First District, Arthur B. Jenks (R) had a doubtful win over Alphonse Roy (D) by a challenged vote, and late in the term was unseated by the House. Roy is a patriotic young lawyer of Manchester, whose friends believe he was fought unfairly. In the Second District, Tobey won over Daniel J. Hagerty by a vote of 53,606 to 45,437.
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