Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-11
|HARD|NG'S TOUR
! SLIGHTLY MARRIED
Prominence Given Discredited
Leaders May Cost Him Votes
\ in Missouri
RACE ISSUE POPS UP
BY CLINTON W. GILBERT
STAR Correspondent Evening Public Ledger

BY CLINTON W. GILBERT
STAR Correspondent Evening Public Ledge
COPYRIGHT, 1870. bv Public Ledger Co.
Oklahoma City. Oct. 11.--Senatol
Harding did not have his usual pnliti
cal good luck here. Two incidents
marred his visit, and probably led TO the
decision to return to the front porch
after the southern trip.
They may assure this state to the
Democrats and adversely affect the Re
publican chances in Missouri. where
Harding's prospects were good.
When the senator came here the
Democrats were preparing to inject the
negro issue into the campaign to save
the state for themselves.
Oklahoma is half southern state. II
has Jim Crow laws. 1t is the negro
issue which has made it Democratic.
The Daily Oklahoman asked Harding a
series Of questions. This Is the fashion
Of the newspapers in the West. One
of the queries addressed to Harding had
TO do with his attitude on the negro
question. Senator Harding, as an old.
fashioned Republican. has pronounced
views on the race issue. He answered
the Oklahoma man with his custom
ary courage.
Brought Issue to Front
What he said did not make so much
difference as his talking at all. His
mere reference to the negroes brought
the race issue to the front. which is
what the Democrats have been trying
to do not only here, but in all the bor-
der states which are this year debata-
BILE.
The other incident was the promi-
nence which Colonel Jake Hamon gave
to Jake Babbler and Liv. Morse. Bab-
bier and Morse were the two men mixed
up in the Lowden campaign fund
scandal in Missouri. Their activities
cost Lowden the nomination for the
presidency. They also led to a re-
organization Of the Republican party
bershin in the Republican National
Committee in spite OF requests from the
Republicans Of his state that he resign.
He has been shorn of power by the
Republican National Committee. which
recognized the state committee and not
the national committeeman in Mis-
souri,
Babbler Is an intimate Of Jake Ha-
mon. He and Morse boarded the Harding
train in Missouri, and the Harding party
did its best trying to get rid of them.
Babbler did quit the train at Kansas
City. but Morse stayed aboard, doing
MS Ucet W capture Dduge WnlCn would
mark him as an official member of the
Harding party.
Hamon capped the climax of the
whole affair by giving a dinner at the
Y. NJ. G. A, in Oklahoma City at
which Jake Babbler. Liv. Morse and
a friend of theirs, William Sack. of st. |
Louis. were guests of honor. Most Of
the Harding party, when they read
lannon's list of guests Of honor, alb !
sented themselves from his dinner.
An Oil Millionaire
Hamon is an oil millionaire, sort |
Of "betcher- a million" person. the !
latest striker of oil to make himself
of the Republican party in Okla
homa. He beat John McGraw in the
primaries last spring He Is
like all oil millionaires. fabulously
wealthy. said to carry no money smaller
than dollar bill. in the power of which
he has great faith. He is picturesque
character, rather popular but not yet !
strong in a political sense.
Fortunately for Mr.. Harding, his in
.imacy with Babbler and Morse and the
lesire to honor them in connection with
1arding's visit to Oklahoma Is not Of
irst- class Importance in year when
he swing is so strongly to the Repub-
lican candidate as it is this year.
That the Democratic majority in |
Oklahoma will be badly cut this year
here is no doubt. One hears all over
the northern part of the state of Demo-
.rats who this year intend to vote for
because of their dissatisfaction
with the Wilson administration. In ad-
lition there is a considerable German
population in Oklahoma OF which the
majority was formerly Democratic.
all these Germans will this
Tear vote for Harding.
In addition the defeat of Senator Gore
or denomination was causing had fac
ionaIism in the Democratic party.
iore's friends are bitter. Gore wa
lefeated because Of his attitude on the
var and his fight against Wilson in the
'enate.
This fight in the Democratic party
,ill affect the sPuatorShip contest rather
han the national fight in Missouri.
iore's friends will find it difficult to
ote for Scott Ferris, who won the
nomination for the senate.
The Republican candidate for the
senate, John w. Herald, counts on
Socialist in addition to disgruntled
Democratic support. Oklahoma is a
III millionaire like Hamon or he is poor.
rhe consequence is that the Socialist
'ote is large. Herald has played to
he Socialists. In Congress he was one
Il five who voted against the expulsion
u Debs. If large number Of the So
'ialists support Herald he may win. \
estimate is that Herald will
De beaten by lO,OOO votes, which means
hat on the senatOrship the state is
close.
On the presidency n Republican vic
,ory in Oklahoma seems unlikely unless
he tidal wave has larger proportions
han any one assumes. The senatorship
s hard to guess. No one knows what
he dsgruntlcd Gore men will do. No
me knows how grateful the Socialists
will be 70 Herald. No one knows just
low enthusiastic the oil nllionairs end
4 the Republican party is for cand-
late for the Senate who appeals to the
SOCIALISTS. There is no doubt that Jake
Iamon is trying to carry the state for
Harding. He has energy and resources
Z not always discretion.
Wilson GiUes Out