Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1920-08-05
MAIN BALLOT BATTLE
TO BE STAGED IN OHIO

OF Ohio's sons seeking q residence In
the White House IL the really chos-
en- one Of the people of this State Is
the merest piffle at this stage. says
q staff correspondent OF the Kansas
City Star writing to his paper from
Columbus. Ohio.
II the truth be told Ohio. before
the CONVENTIONS. didn't visualize
either Harding or Cox as exactly Of
White House stature. or course.
both candidates had their groups Of
enthusiastic admirers who saw them.
but the State as q whole looked upon
her two prominent sons about in the
same fashion as the remainder of the
country has reacted to their nominal
ton.
Both parties are making tremen-
dous efforts to carry the State. The
impression Is prevalent throughout
the country that as Ohio decides so
the remainder Of the country will go
that the political barometer here
is the best index as to the state OF
political weather In the remainder OF
the nation. Realizing this and that
the political eyes OF the country are
fixed upon the Mother OF Presi-
dents" state and national leaders OF
both, parties are centering efforts on
the State entirely out of proportion
to the actual weight OF Ohio's cleo
toral votes. They are doing II for
psychological effect on the rest Of the
country.
II the Harding forces. for instance.
can show such drift before election
in Ohio that 1t Is fairly certain the
Republican nominee will carry the
State, they believe 1t will take the
punch out Of the Cox campaign else
where. for Cox was nominated on the
theory he would be a cinch in Ohio.
Likewise. the Cox supporters have q
bunch" that IL they can produce
such a trend toward the governor
that is apparent and sticks out, II
will have n tremendous force in in
fluencing other Statets, by showing
that Ohio. which knows both candi-
dates first hand. picks Cox.
To an extent both parties are right
the Ohio fight will be by all odds
the most significant battle. Yet
Harding. II would seem on analysis.
might lose Ohio and yet win. while
with Cox losinfi Ohio would be fatal
The Democrats are highly organic.
ed here. better. probably. than in any
other State. and that might be Of suf-
ficient weight to tip the scales here.
lied in New York and New Jersey.
might reverse the Ohio decision on
the other hand. II the Cox style Of
cam paign. aimed primarily at the in
dustrial liberal vote. doesn't go over
In his home State. where he Is best
known, II would be difficult indeed
to conceive of 1t sweeping the other
Industrial States.
Ordinarily. the forecast OF how
State will or can go can be drawn
with moro or less truthfulness out Of
the history of the past. But the psy-
Geological factors OF this campaign
are entirely new. SO that Ohio's past
line-ups are little more than straws
tO give the normal political mind of
the State.
Both candidates have made some
good races and some poor races In
the State. Supporters OF both can
get comfort out Of statistics and fig
ures. The Cox campaign has the ad-
vantage OF representing the "ins." the
governor having the powerful uni
fed and very effective State machine
he has built up through his terms in
the State house as an initial asset. 1t
has the advantage Of complete har-
mony in the Democratic ranks, with
Cox complete boss Of the State mach
Inc and the nominations for governor
and United States senator going to
men friendly to him without opposi-
ton.
On the Republican side. and that
Is one factor that makes any size-up
Of the State impractical at this time.
is-the intense fight on in the G. o. p.
ranks for the gubernatorial and senp-
torial places on the ticket. Ohio Re-
publicans sensed early this was q q.
q p. year amc trcy jumped iE with
vengeance for the nominations and
they won't get out until knocked out
by the voters. Until the bitter state
primary strupgIe is over. 1t Garnet he
told how Harding will be left. bene-
fitted or injured by the outcome.
But offsetting that Is the equally
distinct fact that Ohio has strongly
reflected. or certainly did until Cox
was nominated. the same undercur.
rent OF anything to clean out the
Democrats" that has been felt in other
States. This factor worries the Cox
supporters privately just as that well
oiled. harmonious Cox machine Is the
hnUhaar Of tho Papnhltcapo