The Detroit times., 1914-11-02
eY II. A. sALLENoER.

After one Of the most spectacular
"off-year' campaigns In the history Of
the state, Michigan voters will 90 to
the polls tomorrow to choose q gov
ernor, congressman and other elective
state and county ofYicials.
On the eve OF the struggle. the titu-
lar leaders OF both the old parties ad-
mitted that the balance Of power
the decision a. to whether Republi-
can or Democrat should occupy the
gubernatorial chair for the next two
years-lay with the Progressive NOM
inee.
II H. r. Pattengill. of Lansing. Bull
Moose standard-bearer. polls more
than two-thirds Of the vote placed on
Watkins two years ago, q Democratic
governor will hold sway at Lansing.
II the vote falls below the two
thirds mark, Republicanism will again
triumph and the first Democratic ad-
ministration In more than 20 years
will have passed into history.
That's the way the political figure
sharps have "doped 4, out"
: That there will be sharp slump
In the Progressive vote IL admitted,
even by the Bull Moosers themselves.
The fact that this Is the "off-year"
and that the new party Is minus the
incentive to enthusiasm furnished by
the actual candidacy of Theodore
Roosevelt for some ofiice, will play q
considerable part In diminishing the
vote. Just how great that diminution
will be remains to be seen. Leaders
Of the two old parties advance differ
Ing views, though both are perfectly
frank In admitting that their success
or failure hinges on the result.
Democrats profess to believe that
the new party's strength Will hold up
through its first "off-year" struggle.
At least. they hope II will.
Republicans declare that there win
be q two-third slump In the support
accorded to the Progressive candidate
~ compared with that Of two years
ago. They admit that without a con-
siderable slump the chances Of the
Republican nominee will be greatly
reduced.
The man on whose strength hinges
success or failure for both OF his op-
ponents says nothing.
H. r. Pattengill has made his cam.
paign on two Issues. Throughout the
length and breadth OF the state he
has sounded the call for the abolition
Of the saloon In politics. He has also
declared himself In favor OF q non-
partisan tariff commission, whose
duty Il shall be to regulate the tariff
In such q manner as to provide pro
lection for infant" industries only.
The Democratic situation, apparent
ly very complex before the state con-
vention, resolved itself into q compar.
atively simple thing when, after q
bitter fight, the state machine" dem.
onstrated its mastery and retained
control Of the party organization.
A series Of attacks upon Gov. Fer.
ris because OF his action In sending
troops to the copper country--an act
which his opponents assert alienated
the greater portion of the Michigan
labor vote-placed the nominee on
the defensive at the start Of his cam
paign. His speeches throughout the
state at frst consisted largely of ex-
plantations of executive acts, without
much reference to plans for construc-
tive legislation.
Later In the campaign, the governor
assumed the offensive. He promised
TO create. II reelected, q permanent
arbitration board whose duty II shall
be to investigate the circumstances
surrounding labor troubles and whose
decisions shall be binding upon both
capital and labor in the settlement
Of strikes.
The addition Of the liberal strength
Of the state TO the Ferris side of the
argument has gone long ways to
ward countsracting any possible de-