New-York tribune., 1920-10-18
{, Louis Is Counted On to
Return $4,000 Majority
Against Cox's $4,000
in Remainder of State
Spencer Depends
On National Ticket
C;ty Democrats at Irish
Meeting Decide, 1892
to 3, to Aid Republicans
By Carter Field

CT LOUIS, Oct. 17.-Missouri looks
..f. for Harding and Coolidge. The
c.rstorship is horse race, with Sen
..or selden P. Spencer's chances for re-
.,s,tion against Breckenridge Long,
yornerly Assistant Secretary of State,
his Democratic opponent, depending
=, the size of Harding's plurality. The
,gsnublicans apparently have slightly
Meter than an even chance of electing
.ss;r candidate for Governor, Arthur
NJ Hyde. against John NJ. Atkinson, his
nsmbcratic rival.
In this state there is no indication
-; any drift back to Cox. Leaders and
observers both tell me the chances for
Harding have been steadily improving
with the passage of time. There has
seen nothing like the detection of Her
bert Parsons in New York, following
Senator Harding's Des Moines speech.
On the contrary, the Des Moines pro-
rouncement on the treaty won Harding
votes in Missouri, judging from all the
signs
For instance, gathering of men,
al Of whom have been voting the
Democratic ticket for years, was held
here last Wednesday night under the
auspices of the Friends Of Irish Free
dom. At the conclusion of a discussion
the gathering voted, 1892 to g, to sup
port the Republican ticket. The meet
ing was presided over by DR.. Emmet
Kane, and was attended by Democrats
Of such prominence as eX-Judge O'Neil
Ryan and DR.. John Fl. Simon.
ST. Louis Is Republican Stronghold
The Republican Gibraltar of Missouri
4 the City OF ST. Louis. The normal
Republican majority here is about
10000 This year apparently Harding
will carry the city by not less than
$4,000. Such an astute political leader
81 Edward Foristel told me that he
ssnfdently expected the city to give
Harding $4,000 while the rest of the
state could not possibly, he thought,
cane down to the city with more than
$4,000 for Cox. This. of course, would
sweep Spencer and Hyde in by COM
Portable majorities.
Just word to show how important
the political judgment of Edward For
iste is. Last January | made trip
through the Middle West to ascertain
fos The Tribune what the chances of
the candidates for the Presidential
nominations in the two parties were.
At the time it looked as though Gen
enl Wood were sweeping the country.
Foristel told me then that on account
eft l~S~ 4
and John 7. King Wood would lose
convention, and that he did not believe,
because of the Missouri situation and
similar ones elsewhere, that Wood
could possibly be nominated. This pre-
dletion was printed in The Tribune
early in February. Not only did this
come about, but every other prediction
soristel made at that time has come
'rue, although as a result of it being
Ynnted desperate effort was made
ssy rival leaders in Missouri to prevent
ioriStei even going to the convention
Ha delegate.
Factions Divide Offices
The two important factions of Mis-
purl Republicans, although they fought
oltter fight in the primary, have di-
vaed of1ces II much the same manner
" y the Lowden- Thompson elements in
n,nlaols: One group named Arthur M
nyoe Tor Governor, while the other
sSaeceeded in renominating Senator
spencer' So each side is anxious to
sas us own man over and all are
'g!Aing Tor the head of the ticket.
q IN st. Louis the registration this year
Ms ,,sened ana the tremendous number of
ES'VuV, of whom $4,000 are women
,s. ia,s registration is said to indicate,
wang Yang at the thing from normal stand
a.', ssas and making no allowance for such
sSs,aehts Nv. as strong Irish defections
mvn tne Democratic strength or the
s.s,l s.aelal Republican trend this year,
ass,ppSoncan aspoa majority in the city from
H.. .0lltcs ll!s is always hot in Missouri
ua, M al'S year it has bubbled over as
~. ,Saom on before. The scandal growing
sd M VI me payments of money to Moore
,sS su eoldsten by Governor Lowdens S
i n"spau'gn .su manager started a fire which
astlll burning
s,s s"a Independent crowd of Republicans
'aAen control of the State Commit
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