Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-19
OHIO LIKELY TO TURN
TO THE REPUBLICANS
Prominent Buckeye Democrats Admit
Things Do Not Look Promising
Anywhere Along the Line.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
COLUMBUS, Ohio. September 49,
Addressing the Ohio democratic con-
vention shortly before his departure
on his western swing. Gov. Cox said
he did not propose to spend much time
during the campaign in this state, for
he felt that he could safely rely upon
the democrats to take care Of it. De-
velopments of the last ten days. how
ever. indicate that the Buckeye state
will need some expert attention If
it is to be brought into the demo-
cratic column in November.
Until just now the people of the
state seemed to be in the listening
mood. Only the more noisy and more
negligible were speaking out. What
has happened can only be guessed.
Probably they have heard the argu-
ments thus far and. regarding. the
issues as Joined, feel that it is use
less longer to maintain open minds.
Neither the republicans nor the demo-
Gratis seem to have been greatly in
terested in either the league OF ma
tons issue or the slush-fund charges
and the developments of the probe.
Living conditions that lie much coser
to them appeal to them so much more
directly for consideration.
Here in Ohio. outside the ranks of
the distinctly well-to-do, everybody
greatly overcharged and underpaid.
And with one accord they seem to
be turning against the party OF the
administration with the feeling that
1t is responsible for it all. Probably
many would not be able to reason
this out logically. but as usual in such
cases the voters are not using fine
logical methods. In these news let
tiers it has been stated that labor in
Ohio seems to be favorable to Gov.
Cox. and SO it is-organized labor.
quite generally. But outside the ranks
of organized labor, labor is found to
be quite the other way. And the en-
ploying classes. small and large, who
feel labor has been encouraged in its
demands by the national administra-
torial to an unbearable degree. are
turning to a chance for a change in
administration for relief-they do not
know just how. but somehow.
Republicans Likely to Win.
And the voters are talking now
about the election. revealing their
political sentiment as they would not
earlier-that is the point And as they
do SO. 1t becomes apparent that Ohio
the republican column this year
Ohio that gave the Wilson electoral
ticket in 1916 nearly 10000 majority.
There is a sullen spirit manifested in
some elements of the laboring class
democrats, which probably means
trouble for the organization of that
party here. What is said here refers.
of course. to the male vote. Because
Gov. Cox, whether rightly or not, Is
labeled by the drys as against the
volstead act. it is generally believed
that the majority of the new woman
voters will give their ballots to the
republicans on the national ticket.
Women Prefer Harding.
The Columbus Dispatch is conduct
ing a secret straw vote through all
parts of the state, and with nearly
two thousand woman voters canvassed
in this way. it appears that Senator
Harding will get two votes from them
cratic hope that with their popular
candidate for governor. State Auditor
A. v. Donahey, they would be able
to carry the state on the head OF
their state ticket anyhow. And with
the break on the head OF the STATE
hoped to be able to split the strength
of their opponents.
But in the straw votes taken so far
Donahey does not seem TO pc In the
running quite up with Gov. coz.
large cities the democratic leaders
dismissed it with the statement that
Mayor Davis. the republican candi-
date for governor. being wei KNOWN
as a liberal. would naturally run Wen
in the large centers OF pop"a sn .r gSs
into the villages and townships and
the same result is shown. 1t should
be stated that IN making estimates on
what is developed in these straw votes
they are based not on the total num-
Der Of votes the candidates receive.
but on the changes from party to
party as compared with the presiden-
tial election Of four years ago.
The democratic state leaders nat
Maine election. and in statement is
sued to the party by their state chair
man, W. W. Durbin,~fe said that the
republican national organization was
evidently making the most OF a sit
uation that was mainly the result of
the action Of the democrats in con-
ceding the strong republican state OF
Maine to them and not wasting their
efforts. much needed elsewhere. In
that hopeless state. II the democrats
had thought it worth while to make
q light In Maine the majority OF the
dominant party there would have been
held down to normal figures at least
Chairman George II. Clarke OF the
republican state campaign commit
tee claimed the Maine result as q re.
the people everywhere on the issues
Of the campaign.
Drys WIN Heckle Csx.
Here at the home Of the Anti-saloon
League the feeling Is that Gov. Cox
win not be able to avoid much longer
an explicit statement as to what he
would do il elected in regard to ad
vice to Congress as to the amendment
Of the Volstead act. Although 1t is
admitted by the drys that Senator
Harding has a record fully as liberal
~ that of the governor. the senator
has not said publicly that he believed
ed so as to permit the manufacture
and sale Of Hight wines and beer. The
Anti-Saloon League officials expect
that the next night against prohibi-
90 they are preparing for it in the
congressional elections; but they also
feel that 1t would be well to have a
President in the White House who
would not by message to Congress adj
wise that this amendment be made.
1t is understood that from now on,
unless Gov. Cox declares himself, a
bombardment Of questions to him
about this matter will be conducted
by the drys It has already begun
has not been able to. avoid the propo-
sition on this tour, as it was hoped
he might when he set out from Co
lumbus. 1t is not at all likely that
the dry hecklers will let the matter
drop with a mere statement from the
governor that he stands for law
enforcement. The question, they in
sist, is whether the law itself il to
he changed or not. No one here
doubts that the governor will enforce
the law. whatever it is. He has shown
in his three terms as governor of
this state that he believes in en-
forcing all laws, no matter what his