The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-26
REPUB FORCES
IN INDIANA ARE
LOSING GROUND
BeUeridge Will Win,
Ho,Deuer, Law-
renee Says.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright. 1922, by The Argus.)
Indianapolis, Ind, Oct. 26.-In-
diana is shifting. Early this year
1t would have been safe to predict
the election of former Senator Bev-
eridge, Republican. by an over
whelming majority. Today the race
is closer. The Republicans them
selves, who carried the state for
Harding by $4,000 two years ago,
are claiming it by only $4,000 now.
Something has happened to re-
duce the theoretical strength oi
the Republicans. Mostly it is the
activity of the Democrats who have
taken advantage of every state and
national issue. For example, Mr.
Beveridge in his attempt to get the
farmer vote by explaining that
freight rates must come down
urges publicly that the Adamsor
elght-hour law be repealed and
railroad wages reduced.
It's a new thing for a candidate
boldly to advocate lower wages
but Mr.. Beveridge is not timid. He
played to the discontented elements
in the primary and caught the rad
icals then-enough to win the nom.
lnation. Now he is corraling the
conservatives and farmers.
Demos Corral Labor Vote,
Naturally the Democrats do moi
hesitate to come in behind Mr.. Bev.
er.dge and collect the labor vote
Samuel Ralston, the Democratic
nominee for United States senator
made a good record as governor
and is fighting hard. His campaign
managers have assumed in the las,
few days a mystifying confidence
They expect to win, and one of the
managers who is not usually given
to extravagant statements, thinks
Ralston will triumph by $4,000.
To turn a state from 1876, 900 Re.
publican to $4,000 Democratic re.
qulres an upheaval that can be
seen with the naked eye. Nantes.
tations or discomfort are here il
plenty but no signs of an earth.
quake. II Mr.. Ralston beats Mr.
Beveridge it will be the surprise
of a century. The fact that the
race is close wiA in itself be un.
expected to many who have watch.
ed it develop.
Bitter Primary Has Effect.
Some of the uncertainty arises
of course, from the fact that the
primary fight between Senator
New and former Senator Beveridge
for the Republican nomination was
bitter. Mr.. New hasn't been going
around the state exhorting his fol.
lowers to forget wha, happened
and stick to The grand old party
He is to make one speech-it is
what is called preserving regu.
larity"-but the average voter isn't
enthused by these maneuvers ol
political formality.
There is unquestionably here a
decided anti-administration senti
ment Not all of it was emitted il
the Beveridge-New primary IL
which Mr.. New was known to bt
pleading for support on the grount
of his intimacy with the Hardins
administration. There are thos,
who think the enforcement has II
some instances brought dissatis
faction and that lack of enforce
ment has in some instances brough
dissatisfaction with the nationa
administration.
Sees Political Fernent.
Whatever it is, whether clums,
interference by the federal govern
ment Of the growth of "bootlee
ging, the signs Of political fer
ment are noticeable. The onl
question is whether the negatiy
feeling cuts deep enough to hur
the Republican ticket. State is
sues will have much to do with III
result. Taxation is a sore poiu
here as elsewhere. The party 1
power always gets the brunt &
that kind of crit cism.
| Indiana always gets more e1
cited in the last ten days abou
politics than other states. Tn
party organizations here usual
do their intensive work q the las
minute. The shifting OF politics
tides makes both sides uncertai
but = fair conclusion a. this writ
ing is that Beveridg6 will win.