The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-09-15

Especial Despatch to The Retormer
Copyright 1920
SPOKANE, Wash, Sept. l5.-Eastern
Washington looks Republican by a mar
row margin, but it is the western part of
the state where the radical vote bulks
large that will determine the complexion
of Washington's seven electoral votes.
This part of Washington, however, af-
fords a glimpse of the normal. Here the
unrest and a desire for a change is ex-
pressed by Democrats as well as Republi-
cans of the business and professional
mems class. And the women of the
same social stratum echo the same
thought.
The league of nations question has
been so completely muddled in this sec
ton of the country. as TO be hardly a
controlling influence, either with men or
women voters.
Among the masses, particularly the Ia
borers and railway men and their fam
lies, the drift toward Governor Cox IS
pronounced and to the Democratic leaders
here it spells the same series of turnover
symptoms that gave the state to Wilson
in 1916, by 5000 plurality.
That was SO much OF a surprise to Re
publicans, that even they temper their
predictions with a grain of Renaissance
about the surprise of four years ago
for it was a surprise TIC have a normally
Republican state 90 Democratic which
even the split of 1912 had given its cleo
toral vote to Roosevelt.
This is indeed a progressive state and
! ,r,1,-ogsT-ao hold tho halanpp pf pOurpr
| along with the radicals. In other words,
the ld-line Democrats II Republicans
are in the minority, while the independ-
ent-minded voter is the ruling force ut
the polls.
Conflicting opinions as to the direction
lof thaopFogriessiVe @tId radieahaote are
expressed in private hY the leaders. The
Democrats are deriving comfort ont of
the fact that Roy Slater, formerly pro-
gressive Republican chairman, has come
out openly for Cox because he believes
the latter a progressive and Harding a
lreactionary. On the other hand, the usual
number of straw votes nave been taken
of the primaries and indicate much shift
ing of electoral currents. Among the
business men the change from Demo
cratic to Republican is considerable
Governor Cox didn't attract votes in that
class when he was here. His tactics were
described by some Democrats of the con.
servatiye type as mud singing"
Mr.. Cox emphasized the Republican
campaign fund and read letters bearing
on the local situation. 1t so happens that
the word of the Republicans who have
been raising the funds is a potent force
of the community. SO the net effect Of
the exposure was to ALLEVIATE those who
believed the Democratic nominee haC
raised a smoke screen without definite
proof of corruption.
Governor Cox openly hirted with thC
laboring classes and the radicals. Will
them, of course, the charge of large cam
paign funds is a doctrine much like thu
stuff the soap box orators and other agi
tators preach in reciting the evils of big
business. Unquestionably, Governol
Cox won votes from the laboring classe,
and also drew to his side those who neve
have believed in prohibition.
For while these western states have
gone dry time and time again. the thirst
of a great many people has not entirely
disappeared. They talk reminiscently
of wetness both in Montana and Wash
ington. Indeed, some people hereabout
have IA sort of an impression that Gov
ernor Cox Will not be as hard on parcheC
throats as a Republican administration
might.
Many voters probably will be in
luenced by statements like that givei
to the local newspapers here by Mrs
Mary Armor, of Charlottesville, Georgia
a prohibition speaker in Spokane
churches. She said:
"As to the presidency l don't think i
matters which man gets there so far as
prohibition is concerned for | believe
Harding is Just as wet as Cox and hat
Cox is as dry as Harding. In wet state
they try to make out that they are we
and in dry states they try to make out
that the are dry"
Incidentally the Democratic nomine,
for senator was and iS O Jaodar IA IL,