The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-09-01
POLITICIANS FIND
CAMPAIGN Dull
People Taking Little Inter
est In Harding-COx
Contest
BOTH PARTIES
SHOW CONCERN
Ohio Only State Where People Are
Aroused-Defeat of Bailey in Texas an
Administration Victory-Republican
Say People Want Change.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1.-The Amer
have not become aroused over politics,
according to reports received here, and
politicians of both major parties are Won
dering why. This makes it difficult to
approximate public sentiment.
Governor Cox has managed to stir up
some interest by his charge that the Re
publcans have undertaken to raise a
huge campaign fund, but little has been
received here to show the effect of his
assault, on the Republican management.
In the opinion of Washington observers
it is too soon to get the reaction on his
allegations. Whether the testimony that
will be given before the senate campaign
investigating committee, will serve to
excite the country is something on which
nobody here whose opinion might be val
liable is willing to hazard a guess.
1t is admitted by Republicans as well
as Democrats that Governor Cox is fol-
lowing line of campaigning that has
put Senator Harding and the Republican
national committee on the defensive.
That is exactly what Republican polite
ians were anxious to avoid. They felt
that it was the wise policy for the Re
publican party to concentrate its at
tacks on the Wilson administration and
keep Governor Cox and the Democratic
campaign orators busy answering the ac-
cusations.
In Republican quarters the tendency
is to assert that Governor Cox brought
out his allegations about the Republican
campaign fund in an effort to draw at
tention away from the league of nations
as a paramount issue. Republicans who
make this contention argue that the peo-
pie have. not become aroused over the
league question, and that, besides, there
is strong undercurrent of feeling
throughout the country that the covenant
is not the best thing for the United
States.
From the Democratic viewpoint the ar
gument is answered in part by pointing
to the indications of resentment over
Republican opposition to the league by
the formation Of the Roosevelt In
dependent League, composed of former
Republicans and independents of prom
inence, including some OF the most in
tellectual men and women. 1t IS an
swered also by pointing to the ill-success
Of candidates in Democratic primary
elections who opposed President Will
sons league policy.
The latest instance of this is the ap-
paren5 defeat of ex-senator Joseph w.
Bailey in the contest for the Democratic
nomination for governor of Texas. Bailey
Sought to obtain the election of an anti
Wilson delegation to the Democratic ma
tional conventioa His slate was de
feated In the gubernatorial primary
election Bailey, running on an. 'antl-Nil-
son platform, got more votes than any
other candidate, but did not obtain a
majority of the whole vote cast, which
was necessary to a choice. As result
Bailey and the next highest contender
were the candidates in a run-of election
The result seems to be the defeat Of
Bailey by a big majority.
Republicans assert that, while the
president may be strong within his
party, the country generally wants a
change of administration, although it Is
admitted that the seeming lethargy Of
the people concerning the Presidential
campaign has interfeTed with the effort
to size up popular sentiment. This de
sire for change Republicans say, Is the
greatest handicap of Governor Cox, II
whom they detect an intention to fight
his campaign on issues of his own max
ing that will tend to divorce him IN the
public mind from intimate association
with the presidents policies.
The most notable exception to the re
ported political lethargy is found in Ohio
There according to all information
reaching politicians here, the voters arr
aroused and the presidential and stat
campaigns are being carried on witt
vigor and enthusiasm The contest be
L - - ,lo n,
in place of Senator Harding is bein
waged with interest only slightly les
than the camnaign for the states cleo
toral vote With both presidential nom
inees Ohio men the whole state
aroused.
The feeling among Republican noliti'
ians that Governor Cox has placed thei
party on the defensive is a source of con
Germ to them in snite Of their claim tho
this is a "Rcpublican year. They real