Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-10-07
COX'SSTRENCTH
GROWS in WEST
Gains Where Non-Parti-
san League Is Not In
Control

eleUlGUl.
In a previous dispatch | showed
the manner in which Democratic d.
plomacy is doing much for Cox IN
nine states invaded by the farmers
league. In eight others, untouched or
almost untouched by the league, the
Democratic nominee gained much by
his campaign tour.
These eight states include Califor-
MIA. Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Kan
sas. Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa.
Of these it appears Cox's best
chance lies in Missouri, with Is cleo
toral woes; in Utah, with four votes;
in Nevada with three votes.
Cox has at least an even chance OF
carrying Iowa, with Is electoral
votes. And there appears to be re-
mote chance of capturing California
with - woes and Kansas with ~
votes. There seems TO be httl
chance, however, in Nebraska, with
eight votes, or in Wyoming, with
three votes,
Republicans in the west did not
seem inclined to challenge such an
estimate of the November result, with
the exception of California and Kan
sas, and, to a lesser degree Iowa.
They declare Harding has California
and Kansas cinched, though they ad-
init he has an extremely hard fight
in Iowa.
The situation in California is pc
culiar-different from any of the
other states. This is due to two
things: First, the enormous Progress
sive element that followed Hiram
Johnson in his thumbsdown course
against Hughes in 1916, and who
were bitterly disappointed that he
was not nominated at the Republican
National convention in Chicago; sec
ond. the fact that California is more
interested in the League OF Nations
than any other state west of the Mis-
sissippi.
Caiifornians have built up the rep
utation of being so Independent IN
political thought they are not bound
down by party labels. Party lines Tor
some years have been practically de-
stroyed in congressional nominations,
the same man freqently getting on
both Republican and Democratic
tickets. Republican leaders now take
the position that this huge independ-
ent thinking group is willing to be
whatever Hiram johnson is. They fol
lowed johnson blindly in 1916 and
rolled up 297, 900 majority for him
for senator, though they gave Wilson
a 5000 vote edge over Hughes Tor
president
The action of numerous influential
Republicans and Progressives in com
ing out against Harding and his
League of Nations stand has helped
Cox. There is a feeling that any
thing can happen in California" and
that some small incident may turn
the entire state upside down before
election time.
Indications in Nevada were that
the Democrats would sweep the state
for president, senator and congress
man, though the Republicans nave
been attempting to inject tarl11
issue, building antl-admlnlstratlon
propaganda on the fall in wool prices
which had a serious effect in Nevada.
In Utah the curious fact presents
itself that Cox will probably carry
the state for president, though Sena-
tor Reed Smoot, a member of the
Republican senatorial ollgarchy,
probaly will win. This is due 10 the
support being given both by the Nor
mon church. The church processes to
be outside of politics, but the church
following a pro-League of Nations
speech by William Howard Taft last
fall, endorsed the League. And now
Heber ]. Grant, president of the
church, has publicly endorsed Cox.
He has also endorsed Smoot, for
Smoot is an apostle of the church
Grants action will probably tW1ng
the entire state for the the Mormon
forty-six to fifty per cent of the pop
influence extends far beyond the
ulation actually members of the
church.
Another state where the League
of Nations issue is paramount IS MIS-
souri, The state went on record for
the league when Breckenridge Long
won the Democratic nomination for
senator running on very definite
League of Nations platform. Long
looks like a winner over Senator
Spencer the Republican running for
reelection. He is helping Cox ma
terially, especially in st. Louis. This
is Longs home and is normally Re
publican. 1t is believed Long can
swing St. Louis into the Democratic
column, while the western area isl
dominated by Kansas City, Demo
cratic stronghold.
Belief of many that Iowa will slip
away from the Republicans is due to
the lineup of labor and farmers
against Senator Cummins, Republi |
can nominee for reelection. Cum
minis had an extremely close shave
in the primaries, for his opponent, a
farmer. attacked him on the Cum
minis Esch bill, with its anti-strike
provision This has brought decided
split in the Republican ranks, espe-
cially since Cummins opponent, Col
onel Smith Brookhart, has practi-
cally come out for Cox A strong
enough farmer detection would beat
Harding.
Democrats in Kansas know they
have severe uphill fight. But they
insist that Cox's chances in Kansas
at the end of September were better
than Wilson'S chances at the same
period in 1916 when Wilson carried