The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-11-02
All Eyes on New York, New Jer-
soy, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois.
CLAIMED BY BOTH SIDES
These States Have Been Called Doubt.
full, and Both Parties Are Working
Hard to Win Them-lusitania and
Carrixai Incidents Fail to Register
Politically, Observers Say.
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.


Washington, Oct. 80. - Especial i
Five states on the presidential high
way, five states which have furnished
all the presidents, beginning In 1860.
five states whose electoral votes deter
mine the result Of presidential cleo
~tions-these five states are this year, as
heretofore, the states which will deter.
mine who will be president the next
four years.
ana and lllinois-these five great states
are so situated hat the vote OF any
n of them might make a president.
And, strange to say, there is doubt
about each of these states. Many po-
litical guessers are placing all of them
in the doubtful column. Each party
chieftain, making up his list of states
sure TO vote for N or the other can
didate. claims all five states OF the
presidential highway.
Why They Decide.
ANY one with a pencil and paper
and list OF states with their elections
a make a very good table showing
how N or the other candidates can be
elected, but the most expert mathe-
matieian and political juggler cannot
elect either mar without including one
or more of the five presidential high
way states. Ii Is not In the books to
elect either Hughes or Wilson without
some of those states. That Is what
makes them such an important factor
In the campaign.
IL il altogether probable that when
the totals are made ON the night of
and New Jersey have voted the same
way and that Illinois and Indiana have
been voting together. Possibly Ohio
will join the middle states. for the
same influences which Will make them
vote for a candidate would be likely
to swing Ohio into the same position.
One Possible Division.
There is one important fact which
should be kept In mind. Hes kept us
out of war has made a very much
stronger impression In the west than In
the east. The farmers Of the west
have been much affected by the good
prices they have been receiving for
their crops, and the workingmen are
nightly impressed by the continued
employment at high wages and the
prospect of shorter hours.
And, by the way, this farmer vote Is
what Is giving the Republicans more
concern than anything else. The farm
ers have always been depended upon
to roll up the majorities In the western
states which give the Republicans sue
cess. If the farmers are inclined to
vote for peace and prosperity they
will play havoc In all three western
states on the highway.
While Illinois might be considered
safe for the Republicans under any or
binary condition, yet there is the un-
certain vote of the women, which may
turn 1t over to the Democrats. 1t Is
quite possible to see New York and
New Jersey on one side and Ohio, In
diana and Illinois ON the other In this
presidential contest.
An Important Factor.
Senator Lewis OF Illinois Is a shrewd
politician. much depends" he said,
ION how the trend is near election.
There are many men who are going to
vote for the crowd that wins II they
can guess right. Therefore the cleo
ton will not be decided until near the
end"
That remark was made before con
gress adjourned.
Claims For Both Sides.
Just as In politics so in regard to the
liquor question. Claims are made for
both sides. Interviews with men show
that they see ruin and desolation IN
Washington and other prohibition
states where there was once great
prosperity. Then there are interviews
showing that the prohibition states
never were so prosperous and that 1t Is
working Il beautifully. 1t is all In
the point of view.
The L~usitania Issue.
"Out thrungh the country there Is no
sign that the Lusitania Is a good po-
litical issue; 1t fails to register" Such
was the opinion Of an observer Of po-
litical conditions. As a matter Of fact,
1t was hard to find a political issue
In the Lusitania, and particularly aft.
err the first excitement wore away.
And many of those who think much
about 1t are mighty glad we are not In
war over the sinking OF the English
ship.
Things Almost Forgotten.
Nor do people get politically excited
over the nineteen sailors killed at Vera
Cruz or the twenty-three soldiers killed
at Carrizal. No matter IL these mel
did lose their lives we are not at wa
In Mexico. There are more votes Il
be made In getting up some sort of q
row over the civil war than there Is ir
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