The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-10-15
Tremendous Swing to Presi- dent Is Evident Within
 Last Two Weeks
|SLEDGE-LIKE BLOWS
 ARE HAVING EFFECT
Omaha Speech, Appointment of Goe- thals to Investigate Eight-Hour Law and Stand on Submarine
 Adds Strength to Democracy
By HUGH w. ROBERTS

By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington, October 14-(speoial.)-I, is matter of general observation that within the last two weeks, democracy has grown and "standpatsm'' has de- | creased in strength.
 l While fortnight ago it was the gen. eral opinion that Mir. Wilson was beat now 1t is deemed probable that his chance Is as good as that of Mir. Hughes And the President has the advantage, in the present, from the fact that he Is on the upward trend while his opponent is on l the downward.
 | Six weeks ago, the democrats had &
 "cinch" to re-elect their man. Two weeks later, as a result of the enactment of the Adamson bill, the republicans at- tained the ascendency. At that time, The Age-Herald. through this correspond ence announced that if one mistake could so completely change the prospec- ! tus, any other important development could play havoc with the rising hope Of MT. Hughes
 SOME NEW FACTORS l That prediction has, in part at least, materialized. In the first place, MT. Will son came forth from his tent and on a trip to Omaha, actually struck a blow to the face of his enemies. The effect i was electrical In the second place, he put at the head of committee to pass upon the justice of the so-calIed eight hour law, General Goethals. a man in whom the nation has confidence, and a warm partisan of Colonel Roosevelt, who had so bitterly criticized that legislation. Thus the republicans were robbed of the potency of their thunder. In the third place, the President by refusing to pro- ceed against Germany at the instance of Wall street because German submarines | by attacking English freighters off the American shore, "cut into" American business. shook the allegiance of the Ger man-American vote from it's anchorage to republicanism.
 l As a result of the foregoing. the Pres ident has gained strength and prodig. iously made headway. And on the other hand, the charge of Norman Hapgood l that MT. Hughes delivered his anti i-Eng- ! fish blockade speech at Philadelphia in accordance with an agreement he had previously made with German editor, gave another impetus to the downward progress the 100 per cent candidate' has recently been making.
 NEW YORK SHADOW | Of course, MT. Wilson is not elected The outlook is simply more roseate than it was a month ago. It is observed that I MT. Wilson has for the moment forgot ! ten or neglected his theoretical, pro- fessorial' temperament, and acquired a | practical mode of procedure Democrats are hilarious in the hope that his pres- ent plan of battle will be continued in force, and that, as a result, the i growth presently under way, will suffer i no handicap.
 | It has generally been admitted that | the democrats must carry New York if | they remain in power. The republicans I have been playing. in this regard, an in- terestng game In bold, off-hand man. ner they have let the country know that | FOSAhSsSN York, New Jersey and New England, and have in an effort to impress with their sincerity, centralized their efforts in the middle vest
 But through 1t all that New York shadow hovered. It is apparent that Wil- son will hold his own elsewhere. It is also apparent that New York Is exceed ingly doubtful. It is known, too. that New York, during the last laps of the 1 campaign will be the battle-ground and the gathering spot for the chieftains of both hopeful camps.
 CONDITIONS IN GOTHAM
 In New York. there is a peculiar situa- ton. In the first place. it Is admitted that Wilson will carry the city. and Hughes the outside districts It Is found
 that Wilson, as result of his foreign policy, has not injured himself, for the | German-American of New York Is. as a 1 ruie, republican. Wall street is strongly
 supporting the republican phalanx. Busi- l ness-other than Wall street-is embit- l tered on account Of the railroad dispute settlement. Tammany, up to the present 1 time, has not displayed its usual activity | for Tammany has not been satisfied. | The fact that the postmaster of New York is a republican despite democracy 8 | four years in power, is a red rag be- ! fore the eyes of Murphyites
 As result of the foregoing, there is | reason to believe that democracy is han | dicapped. On the other hand, democracy has assurance that Tammany will vote 1 the ticket And 1t is unquestionably true | that Wilson has won "a new following l because of the prosperity which has fea- 1 tired his administration, and because he l has managed to prevent war between 1 this government and European bellig- 1 erent.
 THE IRISH CATHOLIC
 While the German in New York is a l republican. the Irish Catholic, powerful | factor, is a democrat. The Irish Cath olic. it Is learned. is not displaying the l enthusiasm that he has shown in other | election years. He is embittered, first | because of the recognition of Carranza | and the anti-Catholic movements in Mex ico which followed that recognition. Ir the second place, he is attempting te make 1t appear that when President Vii, son referred to MT. O'Leary as dis
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