New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-08-05
Primaries Lead
TO a Division
OF Democrats
Close Vote in Missouri on
League Issue Is Believed
to Assure a Republican
Seat in u. S. Senate
Oklahoma Fight Is Bitter
Ferris Leads Gore and
Latier's Friends Are En-
pectcd to Knife Ticket
By Carter Field

WASHINGTON, Aug. 4-Pres dent
Wilson and unqualified ratification of
the League of Nations triumphed in
the Democratic primaries in Missouri
and Oklahoma Yesterday
The triumph. however, is apt to
prove a heavy handicap for Candidate
Cox, in the opinion of shrewd observers
here, who think that the final outcome
will be the reelection of Senator Spcn-
Ger. Republican. in Missouri, and the
election Of q Republican Senator from
Oklahoma for the first time in the
States history 1t is also the best
judgment here that the Missouri out
come increases the already strong
probability that Missouri's eighteen
electoral votes Will be cast for Hard
ing
The fact that Missouri now has a
Republican Senator in the seat Of
William Joel Stone is due to just such
division in the Democratic ranks as
was famed to white heat in the battle
Just ended. Two years ago. Joseph
w. Folk defeated Senator Whitley, who
had been appointed after Stones
death for the Democratic nomination.
Senator James A. Reed fought Folk in
the primary and Reeds followers cut
Folk in the ensuing election, the re-
suit being that Spencer beat Folk by
heavy majority.
Read Out of Party
This time the case is further aggra-
waited. Reed was practically read out
of his party at the Missouri state con-
vention, although the unanimous choice
of the heaviest Democratic district
that of Kansas City in the state. The
San Francisco convention by an over
whelming vote also threw Reed down,
whereupon his constituents in Kansas
City gave Reed an ovation on his re
turn, and 1900 of them in the huge
mass meeting voted in favor Of reso-
lutions expressing "contcmpt" for the
action of the San Francisco conven-
ton.
In the fight Just ended Reed and his
followers fought for Judge Henry s.
Priest. OF St. Louis The Administered
tlon forces. including the very men who
had read Reed ont Of the party at the
state convention and had worked to
prevent him being seated at San Fran
cisco. supported Breckinridge Lone.
Third Assistant Secretary of State.
Long ran on 4 Aat Wilson and league
platform. while straddlng on the wet
ana dry issue Priest ran on an anti
League, wet platform, while Charles
Hays, Of the Anti-Saloon League, ran
as a straight-out dry.
From the returns Long won the nom
nation by comparatively narrow ma r
5in. with Priest . close second and
lays q bad third.
50 that Reed and his followers, who
are bitterly against the Wilson leacue.
have their choice OF votinr for Senator
Spencer, who in the Senate fnaflz, SIM.
ported the Lodge resorvat;ors and
whose change i'm position Win ree,ard
to the league was always in the Same
direction. toward stronger and stronre5.
reservations. or Breckjnridre I,ang
who would vote for yatifcation ine+ as
the President Desired o.
~. W..
Dr5s WIN iIaoes
observers here say that no matter
what Senator Reed may say, the fol-
lowers of that stubborn fighter VIII be
found marking their ballots for Spen-
Ger on Election Day, and they think,
also. that most Of tho Rood n1bornrtc