The Washington herald., 1920-02-16
POLITICAL LEAD
TAKEN BYG.0.P..
Harding and Lowden
Forces Expected to Com
Eat IN Middle West.
coSrISUED FROM PAGE ONE.

oslkle In the convention to be be-
tween him and Senator Harding.
This might be considered surprising
bat the argument Is eiinched by the
contention that the Wood fortunes
have passed the Peak and are now
DESCENDING. Figures are not forth
coming to strengthen this belief
but the governors managers have
never at any stage dealt in figures.
They have a different system which
eenters in the program of unin-
structed delegations. They believe
that delegates not tied up to any
one candidate will be more tract
able when il comes to convention
time and for this reason they are
not insisting on Instructed >delegs-
tions. an issue which the Wood
people have tried to force in many
instances.
Lowden Certain Of Michigan.
Gov. Lowden. for instance. thinks
that he can carry Michigan. despite
the claims OF the Wood committee
that the State will go four to one for
their man. Lowden has asked for
nothing so far from the Michigan
Republicans. He has simply visited
the State twice on speaking tours and
mt his policies before the electors.
His receptions on both occasions have
Teen cheering TO his followers. and
now Michigan may be classed as a
doubtful State.
iLowden will not go into Ohio. and.
in fact into no state which has a
candidate of its own. HE has been in
cited to invade West Virginia. but
has declined He will battle with
10th Harding and Wood for Indiana.
for this State Is now considered mo
mans land" He has already gone
into Colorado. and IN his campaign
there has the lieutenant governor on
has side, with Gov. Shoup for Gen.
NcSeS. ne has not decided to try his
fortunes in Nebraska, which at pres
ent seems to be divided in sentiment
between Wood and johnson. as Gen.
Pershing Is not believed to be really
in the race. Montana and Wyoming
claim to have a strong following for
Lowden. and. having been born IN
Minnesota. he may be reasonably ex-
pected TO get at least en- even break
in the North Star State. As for Iowa,
that seems sewed up for the Illinois
governor.
,Lowden has made no-attempts to
gain adherents In the Pacific Coast
states. although he is considered fair
~ strong in Washington, Wood claim
ing Oregon as his own.
Odd situation In Two states.
iKansas and Missouri present an odd
situation Governor Henry J. Allen,
VINO disclaims any ambition looking
towards q Presidential nomination.
holds the Kansas delegation in the
hollow Of his hand. He can throw the
delegation to any candidate he sees
Ht should he disregard his own for
tunes In that dissection. Wood has
claimed Kansas. but Allen has said
nothing. Lowden managers say they
are perfectly satisfied over the outlook
in the Sunfower state. which strength
ehs the gossip that Allen is favorably
disposed relyards his brother governor.
A split delegation looms up in Mis-
souri,. The Lowden management con-
ceded Wood six out of the 56 delegates.
As for the South. below the line,
several States are tacitly conceded to
Lowden with Wood certain of Missis-
irpi and Texas. Delegations from
North Carolina. Florida, Alabama and
Arkansas are figured in the Lowden
column even though few have been
as yet elected.
As might be expected the records
OF the candidates are being scrutin-
ized over more and more closely as
the intensity Of the campaign grows.
Thus during the past week certain
newspapers of the opposition party
centered their attacks on Lowden en-
deavoring to show how he favored
corporations during his term of office
as governor. An effort was particular
ly made to show how his tax COM
mission has favored the Pullman COM
pany in reduced taxation. This Of
course hit home. as Mrs. Lowden. a
daughter OF the late George NJ Pull
man. founder of the company, owns
approximately four per cent of the
stock.
Failure OF Bill Hurts Wood.
The governor said nothing in an
swer to being content to permit
his acts to speak for him His
friends pleaded for him and showed
that since he became governor the
taxes Of the State had been lowered
one-third-a record probably not
surpassed in the country. This,
they claim. came about through the
governors budget system and eco
nomical management. IT fact. it
is on the showing he has made
that he was put forward as the
most acceptable candidate.
As for Gen. Wood. those who are
not in agreement with his political
belief insist that his stand on uni
versal military training is enough
TO damn him. With the compulsory
military training as good as dead
in Congress, il is CO -fusively
shown, it is argued, ytnat Wood
must be classed amCng the Mill
tsristic champions,
The only other csth6idate who ha4
made. any 'noiser in the Mississippi
ValIeS-xeEIoRfs Hiram johnson. ac-
cording " the best information OBJ
tainable. Johnson seems TO be quite
a factor Immediately west of the
MissouEi Riber. which would include
the Dakotss, Nebraska and possibly
Kansas. He is also likely to make
trouble for any candidate in sew
eral OF the mountain States, not to
mention the Pacific Coast States.
Johnson's candidacy has rot been
taken seriously by either the Wood
or the Lowden management until
lately. They profess no fear of
the eventual outcome, but they
would just as soon have him out
Of the way.
In the meantime the women vot-
ers are cutting more and more of
a figure, and every candidate is
bubbling over with enthusiasm for
the cause" Will Hays. chairman
Of the Republican National Commit
tee. was one of the first to sense,
- Woman -