Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-09-29

ANC" 4oih NSSPS' "\0PSNAs~A(' -
surprising anti-Wilson sentiment
throughout the South is indicated by
the enrolment campaign of the Ma
tional Hughes Alliance. From its
headquarters at 511 Fifth Ave-. the AL
lance is conducting the most compre-
hensive coupon enrolment campaign
Of a political nature ever undertaken
in this country. 1t is based on Sc
ries of striking advertisements which
the Alliance is placing in weekly and
monthly periodicals and magazines.
The first of the advertisements,
short appeal based on Hughes record
as Governor of the State Of New York
and calling for "a great President for
great crisis" appeared in only few
weeklies and magazines three weeks
ago. Each advertisement was accom-
panied by the coupon, giving an oppor-
tunity for enrolment in the Alliance.
The magazines were scarcely on sale
before the signed coupons began pour
ing into headquarters.
From the very start the extraordi-
nary proportion Of enrollments from
Southern states was noted. At first
when the returns showed Southern en-
ollments exceeding Is per cent, 1t was
suggested that the magazines must
have been placed on sale in Southern
states earlier than through the North;
but the proportion increased to about
80 1-3 per cent as the days passed
and it became evident that there was
an extraordinarily strong undercurrent
of sentiment for Mr.. Hughes candi-
dacy south Of the Mason and Dixon
line.
A great deal Of evidence rapidly ac-
cumulated to show that the enroll
ments were not merely from the small
proportion Of the population which
habitually voted the Republican tick
ct in Southern states but represented
men in all walks Of life from the
highest to the lowest. Particularly
striking was the response from sub
stantial business men: bankers manu-
facturers. wholesale and retail mer-
chants, officers and employees of raff-
roads, insurance and real estate
agents and farmers were represented
in large number. Many Of them were
accompanied by letters from lifelong
Democrats who felt it necessary to
explain why they were supporting
f1uSHeS III .lIIlS CdIIPdASH. AhdIy oA
these reiterated their faith in the
Democratic party. but insisted that
President Wilson had betrayed his
party. Many indicated also that their
vote for Mr.. Hughes would be the only
point at which they would separate
from their party and that locally they
would vote the Democratic ticket
Effect of Adamson Bill
One man wrote across his coupon,
II am still a Democrat" underscoring
the word STILL" Another wrote, Il
fought through the Civil War in the
Confederate Army and have voted
for every Democratic President since,
including Bryan. but II cannot vote for
a. craven coward like Wilson who
truckles to lot of walking delegates"
A large number of the letters refer di
rectly to the Presidents action in re-
gard to the Adamson bill as a deter
mining factor in inducing them to sup
port Governor Hughes.
In the Southwest, particularly in
Texas, Arizona and New Mexico, where
the enrollments have been very large.
the singers have indicated that the ad-
ministration's lack of a consistent
Mexican policy was a determining fac
tor in their attitude. The enrollments
in the Alliance from Texas is one Of
the largest from any state in the
Union. It includes half dozen may
ors of Texas cities and a big proper
ton of prominent business men. Some
of them even go so far as to express
the belief that the anti Wilson senti-
ment in Texas is strong enough to
carry the state for Hughes.
Another state near the top Of the
list in the number of its enrollments
is Tennessee. In view of the active re-
volt against Wilson this year, it is
believed that the chances of carrying
it for the Republican candidate for
President are brighter than they have
ever been since the Civil War.
The enrollments from Kentucky,
where all indications strongly point to
a Hughes victory, and from Arkansas,