The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-10-08
MARYLAND IS
STILL DOUBTFUL
Either Side May Carry It,
But 1t Looks Slightly
Democratic
REPUBLICANS
WERE LEADING
Democrats Making Strong RaIIy-Fight
Conferred i'm Baltimore Where They
Have Good Working Organization
Harding Did Not Make Votes There.
By DAVID LAWRENCE

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
| Especial Despatch to The Reforrner
Copyright 1920
BALTIMORE, Md, Oct. 8.-Nobodv's
Maryland as yet. Somebody with a tai
ent for cartooning might portray both
Harding and Cox singing the historic
hymn of this state, but neither one can
confidently say My Maryland" Republi-
cans undoubtedly had it up to 10 days
ago, but things are looking better for
Governor Cox. It's nip and tuck. Since
Maryland is normally a Democratic state
and clings to the preiudices which have
kept the Solid South from voting the
Republican ticket, there's an especial
significance in the fact that the race is
even. 1t means that the Republican tide
has invaded Maryland
The Democrats are desperately irving
to stem the tide and turn it in the other
direction. Confidence that they will do
so and win the state for Governor Cox
is at the moment based entirely on the
efficiency of the Democratic organization
In the city Of Baltimore where the battle
ground is this year 1t seems to be con
coded that the cities outside of Baltimore
will not go heavily for either candidate
and that the real majority will be furn-
Bryan as against Taft and even Parker
carried 1t in 1904 against Roosevelt
When the entire East was swept by
Hughes, Maryland stood firm for Wilson.
with the unprecedented majority of 90
coo. 1t would take a political earthquake
to shift the state to the Republican
ticket. The Republicans think the re-
sentiment against the Wilson administra-
ton is sufficiently strong to produce just
such an upheaval, but while in-roads I'M
4s-,,,o Il, - J IL
Gratis have been aroused by the prospect
Of losing the state. Again and again,
when things have seemed hopeless. the
Democratic leaders have managed to cap
ture the state in the last few weeks of
the campaign. They are starting out to
do the same thing now.
The desire for change Of aGmmistra-
ton and the consistent opposition of
such large newspapers as the Baltimore
News, 10 the league of nations have had
their effect on the situation. On the
other hand the Baltimore Sun, which
has remained friendly to the league
throughout has managed also to retain
for Wilson relatively speaking, more
friends in Maryland than supporting
newspapers have been able to keep in
other states. Also many of the prominent
independents OF Republicans who
poused the league of nations before 1T
bcame political issue have come out
openly for Governor Cox as n greater
friend of the league than Harding.
Principally among these are DIR. Will
liam II. Wech, of John Hopkins who is
revered as one of the intellectuals of the
state. and Theodor Mzrburg. who was
Taft's minister to Belgium, and cannot be
suspected of excessive championship of
things Democratic.
The sort of campaign the Republicans
have been making, was calculated to win
the state They quietly nursed along the
anti-administration sentiment and did not
stir I'm party feeling. But the rcgistra-
ton figures in the first Of the seven days,
showing the extraordinary situation of a
Republican majority, even though slight,
acted as an alarm clock for the Demo
Gratis. They promptly got busy and it is
their activity which makes many an oh
server think that after all the state will
20 Democratic by a reduced majority over
canism cannot be discounted for Gov
ernor Richie, Democrat, who made his
campaign almost entirely on national is
sues. two years ago, won by only a few
hundred.
Governor Cox himself viii be here soon
and help along the eleventh hour drive
being made by the Democrats. There
have been fractional disturbances inside
the Democratic party locally. which the
presence of the presidential nominee
will help smooth out.
Senator Harding got a good reception
in Baltimore. but it seems to be the con
census of opinion here that he didn't get
many more votes than he already had be-
fore he came. The mix no over the ar