The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-08-23


much of his time refuting the impress.
sion that any foreign power could at any
time order American boys TO war lie
has not yet said very much to indicate
afFirmatively what his domestic policies
would be with respect to the selection OF
cabinet officers or the administration Of
the 10 government departments. He has
not differentiated between his own rec
ord in office and the various points Of
criticism leveled at the Wilson admins
tration.
To a large extent, anything Demo
cratic is still Wilsonian in many sections
Of the country where discomfort over do-
nestle administration is particularly
deep-rooted Someiof the friends Of Gov
ernor Cox maintain chat before the aann1
paign ID over the distinction will ID
more than apparent Instead of feeling
downcast over the present status of the
campaign, the Democratic leaders III,
their private conferences are really CON
fident and more than hopefu1.5 They are
not vet convinced about the outcome,
but they give the appearance of men
who, fighting an uphill fight, have
enough confidence in their case to be
ready to accept the verdict at the polls.
They haven't, however, completed their
case yet nor are they especially certain
that in the short time that elapses that
their arguments can convert those who
have been prejudiced by the Republican
offensive.
As for the Republicans, every confer
ence among the leaders shows confidence
and certainty over the result Some I'M
easiness is betrayed over the activity OF
Governor Cox This has been reflected
Z. -
front porch at Marion, but as a general
rule the Republican managers feel they
have such long lead over Governor Cox
through the mistakes of the Wilson adj
ministration that they will not even get
worried over the advances made by the
Democratic nominee. They think that,
however much he may progress-even
across the actual finish line i'll many vi.
tai states-the final tally of electoral
votes will show Senator Harding above
| the 266 mark
The Democratic experts are depending
upon Governor Cox to come up even
with Senator Harding by the time he
returns from the West and has cam
paigned in the East-say about the mid
die of October. The Republicans are
planning a stampede Of advertising and
food of publicity for the month of De-
tober. Their strategy is to sit tight I'M
! til then and rely on the handicap they
have-the resentment against the Will
son administration Some Republicans
are inclined to believe a purely negative
policy is dangerous and are hopeful that
Senator Harding will begin to outline
concretely his proposals for taxation,
government administration and foreign
policy before the middle Of October. But
the majority Of the Republican leaders
think they have certain victory ahead.
As for Marion, O., the atmosphere at
Harding headquarters is altogether presi-
Dental. The feeling there is that it is
all over but the shouting and very fire.
quently the conversation turns to cab
met officers and appointments under the
expected Republican regime. 1t has some
Of the aspects of overcon6dence, but on
reading the reports from all sections Of
the country. one can readily see the rea-
son for overconfidence, based upon the
campaign as it has thus far developed.