New-York tribune., 1920-10-23
". Virginia
For Harding:
Margin Close
Split in the Republican
State Ticket May Result
in Loss of One or Two
Congressional Places
Conditions Are Chaotic
But Victory for Hughes
Over Wilson 4 Years Ago
Is Unlikely To BE Upset
By Carter Field


WHEELING, W Va. Oct. 22.-De-
spite local conditions which give the
Democrats an advantage which should
be worth thousands Of votes to the ma
tional ticket, West Virginia seems a
mosS sure for Harding and Coolidge,
with the only real danger that one or
two seats in the House of Representa-
tives may be lost.
As the Republicans now have five Of
the six seats-all but the Wheeling dis
trict and as at national Headquarters
the Republican majority in the next
House is estimated at cons derably
more than one hundred, this would
scarcely be catastrophe, even if it
should happen. And Il is not sure to
happen; it is merely danger
30 Senator is being elected in West
Virginia this year, but the fight over
the Governorshlp has messed ,h.nGs up
terribly from Republican standpoint,
so much so that many persons think
tic regular Republican nominee fol
GOV -rnor via. run third.
Womeu Help Democrats
The nfranchisement of women in
West Virginia spelled big gain in
tie proportion IF Democratic voters,
this NlohGo'y hcing the only state in
the Union where that is so The reason
is taat il the last few years q ire
mcndoGs rlmael Of negroes have come
into the STATE from Virginia, kentucky
aHd Tennessee 20 work in the coal
m'Ae. AND In other industries, and
mos, OF ,acm have brought no women
1s.-a trem.
tbs is said 70 be the explanation
Tor some carly polls, which seemed to
snow t@as the percentage OF women
tol Cox IN the state w&s Greater than
the percentage Of mon Governor Corn
well was extremely anxious 10 have the
suifraee amendment ratified. and he
N...s a-tacEei for aging politics with
81 view 10 incre ssinr tne Democratic
ratio IN tie st,.e when ne did 50.
have net mighty few Democrats in
the STATE, howevcs. outside of political
WORKERS. who think Cox has veal
chance 70 carry the safe, even with
tins increased Democratic proportion-
ate strength Tire ratio Of white wom-
en TO coored women in the state is
sHie to be- eight to one, ana while there
arc 70 accurate statistics available yet
- sto" the 'atIo Of men it IS far
c.oser Tran that
The Leasue Of Nations is more popu-
lar I'D West Virginia than in some
ether states thor rn it is not so popular
as foule III .Iga' around Inv 'anaOolis
CT right af9Gn. Pei more still, the
leSsue Vas no. attacked sharpl- until
siter the nomination Of Harding, even
oN tire pUy.lcan papers. The Demo
era papers have Deen gong into
arcs bout H. ser .lnc- President
N.i .eA FIRST mentioned it before going
10 teris
However,. no Republican Of any
pr'niirelee has said that he would
vote icr Cox. and 50 far as can be dis
covered tle Republicans a,o approving
2en,s f.ssdi ia-s position on the
L. an', NilIe t.t men who would vote
ior Cox a1Nh)w are BEING hooked
by it.
Normal!y Republican
=. I've normal Z publican maso,ity in
We Nirrsll., is abaut ,0.0U9. senator
As\ls i-.ll- N.s u -,ed efo wears
go over eS Senator ('sr nee H. Wat
son by nl~lori.r Cf 1900. ID pDro-
cls ~ th IL mus. be 00uess';,d ehat
Watson ls one cf the most popular
Democrat ln the s-atc and fsal lie had
tn powerful sa1No}t of tn. ag coal
con9aule wl,h which he l;.s affiliated.
Senator ElT.n- Was IN France during
the cNt.rc eamuaisn.
Four years ago Charles +. Hughes
carried vst .rsinia by about 1000,
wnlle q y .aoc' .tic Governor was elect
ed j. ".'lu. IhAt Near, as this, the
RcpUh.1can We're torn by bitter GU
belnatorlal hat,le. while the Demo
Gratis, IN Governor Cornweu had an
s.
Despite this, the state went Republic
can on the national ticket by safe, if
small, plurality.
This year the Democratic nominee
for Governor, Arthur b. koontz. who
married niece of ex-senator Watson
is nothing like so strong as Cornwel
was tour years ago This docs not
mean he has no chance Of being elected
nu' merely that he would not attrac.
Vo1es to the national ticket as CornweN
uh,aoVptealy dld four years ag..
:, Ncldentr y. Governor Cornwel, al
trough speaking for the national and
state Democratic tickets-a Goyernor
IS not permitted to run for reelection
by inc Con -tItution-has openly criti-
ciSed severely many acts Of tn Demo-
VttNlc Ndm !nlstration. lie did his cyiti-
c'z'hg before the campaign openeJ. nav
ing been especially caustic in his 3D.
dress TO the jackson Dav Dcmocratic
dihner IN Washington last January but
'ne people hele paid more attention 70
"hat ne SAID then than what he is saw
lng now ON the stump.
irritated by Taxation
Inc real strength Of Nardiro ~ mt
state, winch seems to more tb9n n,sta
cp Tor the Democratic gains throug6
''e en- irancAlsement of women and
.NVh makes up to a great extent for
'nV gUoernatorial situation, lies in the
'."'' o"-"ia iac desire for a change in Ad-
il'''stf2tlon at Washington. This sen
'In''A' is just as strong IN West Vlr>
h.n'"' perhaps stronger. than in most
,t"er states. West VIRGINIA neon1o
nave made lots of money in the last
lew Years. II is largely a coal mininq
ana industrial state and the cvcnes
pIon's and income taxes have hi,tnn
M M heaVily Hearing of the way the
"i'Son Administration has been throw
ing money away down in Washinr,cn
mas oeen irritating, to say the least
y, course, TINS does not apply to the
workers. The state has. in addit,on
10 i's neavy proportion of miners. an
- ur" ""ltY large ratio of railroad mon
ne railroad men are largely for cox
ana ,hc miners are split Ii is est
Niaied oF careful observers, however
that CoN Wlll be doing very we'll in
deed II he can poll as large 4 percent
S@Ec @ OF the railroad and miner votes as
Wilson dld in 1916. just after the pas.
sage OF tie AdGmson act. And this
proved insufficient TO win the eigh,
9 'lectoral votes o. the state for wilson
ne labor vote IS involved IN the
ffl.NfFf }, AZ a. val J,