The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-10-21
COX and HARDING NECK
and NECK IN INDIANA
League of Nations Candidate
Seems to Be Gaining on
That Issue.

indianapolis, Ind.--(N. Il. A)--Straw
ballots may be, and probably are, ques-
tionable barometers Of elections.
A straw ballot just taken In Indian
apois, however wrong It may be In
torecasting the result Of Nov. z, shows
moro clearly than anything else the
present status OF Indiana as a decidedly
doubtful state.
In a downtown Office sixty-nine votes
were cast ThIrty-hve were for Hard
ing and thirty-four for Cox In the ma
tional contest. And OF the same sixty
nine. there were only nineteen votes
for Senator Watson, republican candi-
date for reelection, forty-three we're
for Taggart. democratic seatorial can
didate. and seven were undecided.
That seems TO be the situation right
now in Indiana. Harding and Cox are
running neck and neck and Taggart has
distinct bulge on Watson.
Both campaign committees, OF course,
mako stronger clsims--republicans that
Harding will carry Indiana by from
so, 900 to 100000; democrats that Cox
has growing advantage ana more
tLan an even chance of capturing In
diana's fifteen electoral votes.
The cold fact Is that week ago the
ripe. They were ready to vote. They
could have elected Harding then. Now
they are alarmed for fear their cam
paign will get over-ripe--and spoil.
They fear something will happen to
turn the tide democratic before Nov. 2.
All of which has brought a tremen-
dous increase the past week in demo-
cratic faith and hope. Some money
was obtained for the slim campaign
II easury--and 1t In a trite saying that
democrats can do more with less money
than republicans.
Women voters. who have registered
in amazing numbers, are being courted
by both sides. Undeniably democrats
have the inside track with women, for
| they are wrought up over the league OF
nations and they favor Cox's support of
1t. rather than Harding's rejection Of
the league.
In one district in Indianapolis. n
| FORMAL republican city, an editor who
| made a canvas found only four out of
100 women who intended to vote re-
publican. Most OF these women are
members OF republican families, but
have swung to Gov. Cox because OF the
league Of nations. In some cases elect
ing to vote against husbands and IA
theirs and In others swinging husbands
and fathers into the Cox lineup.
Church people are overwhelmingly for
WV i,uShC dil ONtI ministers
are doing Cox much good by sermons
Rev. Allan B. Philputt, pastor OF the
Central Christian church. and a lead
Ing indianapolis clergyman, has for
saken republicanism to vote for Cox on
the league issue,
Harding has hurt his candidacy, es-
pecially among Indiana women, by his
Des Mones speech. lie has also alien
ated big independent vote.
How strong factor women will be
In the Indiana election may be seen
from the fact that indianapolis, which
cast 75.S23 democratic and republican
votes In 1919, has just registered a total
OF 1891. That shows an increase OF
l22 per cent. Reginald II. Sullivan,
democratic county chairman, looks to
the new women voters and the indie
pendent vote among men and women
on the norths side to carve heavy in
roads into the normal republican ma
Jority In indianapolis.
indiana has been consistently repuh
Iicah. except In 1912. when It went for
wilson. In 1915. however Hughes only
Slid through with a lead OF 6,942 votes.
Two years ago Indiana gave the repub-
leans 10000 majority in the congres-
sional elections.