Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-24
STRIVING TO BEAT
WATSON IN INDIANA
Believed Democrats Are
Exerting Themselves to
Save Taggart From Defeat.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, October 90
A vigorous attack by the democrats
on Senator James E. Watson, candi-
date for reelection, has been a no.
ticeable and. some believe, signifi-
cant feature of the campaigning of
the last week in Indiana. Thomas
Taggart of French Lick and Indianap-
oils is Senator Watson's opponent, and
some men who are supposed to have
inside political information believe
that the democrats hope to save Mr.
Taggart out of the wreck that is
report that the democrats hope to
turn ten republican votes to the pre-
cinct away from Senator Watson is
that this is pretty big undertaking.
This would mean that Mr.. Watson
would run nearly 10000 behind the
of this kind has not happened to
many candidates in Indiana in recent
years.
Among those who have directed at
tacks at Watson in the last week or
so are Frederick Van Nuys. United
States district attorney; Charles J.
Orbison, federal prohibition commits
sioner of Indiana, and others, all DEM
ocratic speakers. Also the democrats
have put out copies of letters written
soon after the republican national
convention by Hiram Johnson to Carl
Mote. who is republican and close
to Gov. Goodrich. In these letters
senator johnson refers in a scathing
way to Watson because of Watson's
activities against Leonard Wood at
Chicago after he had been pledged by
the state convention to support Wood.
Whlle democrats are making fig
ures on the defeat of Watson, the
nntr toe, to- l..
rled through with the national ticket
Democrats are making an active
campaign and are hammering hard
on the league of nations, the war.
Senator Watson, and the state tax
law. But the trouble is they do not
seem to be able to close the deal
on any issue. Efforts to overcome the
opposition to the present democratic
national administration are apparent
ly unavailing.
Some of the republican newspapers
that have not been friendly to Wat
son are now rallying around and
pleading for his support on the theory
that Senator Harding will need a re-
publican senate.
Expected Democratic Gains.
Those who have made a survey of
the state as to the congressional stu
alton predict that the democrats will
be able to elect two representatives.
In the third district the probabilities
are that John w. Ewing, the demo-
cratic nominee, will defeat James w.
dunbar, the republican incumbent
This is normally democratic district
and was swung to the republican
column largely because of the ac-
t1vities of William E. Cox, former
democratic representative, on behalf
of prohibition and woman suffraee
There are many Germans in the dis
trict and they are favorable to Ewing
on the liquor issue. Dunbar was
elected two years ago by only 500.
In the fourth district it appears
that Harry Garfield, the democratic
nominee. will defeat John S. Benham,
the republican incumbent In the
campaign for nomination Garfield had
the support of the wet element but
now he is apparently drawing support
from all democratic sources. Ben
ham barely won out two years ago.
Handling the Vote.
Republicans are considerably wor-
ried about facilities for handling the
vote in some of the large centers of
the state, especially Indianapolis and
Lake county. In Indianapolis there
are some precincts with 1900 votes to
be cast. 1t is planned to use two ma
chimes in these districts, but the ca
pacity of a machine is about 700. In
all such precincts paper ballots also
will be used, but it is admitted that
with the new woman voters to take
care of it is going to require skillful
work to record the entire vote Of the
city. Republicans are particularly
interested in Indianapolis. because it
is in this city that they expect to pile
up large plurality
CURTIS HODGES.