The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-10-28

ton from day to day. The situation in
Ohio would have been local if the cabinet
had not INTERVIEWED. II Is essentially
local because the administration of Coy
ernor Harry Davis. Republican, is hardly
popular and il took "a strong man like
Carmi Thompson, Republican nominee,
IN the primaries. to overcome the handl-
caps of his party. Left alone Mr.. Thomp-
son would have fought it out as well #
not better than he could do with WASH
in%ton assistance. And whichever WAY
the goVern0rShip goes 50 will the sen
Htorial along With him if he wins and con-
versely Vic Donahy viii carry senator
Ponerrnc along il this is to be a Demo
critic wear,
What Straw Votes Show.
Two polls being conducted by ncwSpa-
pers of Importance in OHIO cannot be
overlooked in calculating the result One
IS being carried on by The Cincinnati En-
quirer owned by Il. b. AIcLeaIk one Of
the intlmateS of the White House circle
and the other by the Columbus Dispatch
an Independent newspaper. Both polls
show about the same thing, namely. a
Democratic victory of about 100000
Reckoning on a percentage basis and
taking into account fhe registration of
this and other years the Columbus Dis
patch figures would seem to indicate a
Demacratic victory CT about 100000
totes. Both newspapers have conducted
polls in other wears using the same
method of calculation and they have been
indicated by returns on election day.
When these straw votes are taken to
Republican experts for comment they in
variably say its reflex Of the wet and dry
fight IN this state. Contrary TO expecta-
lions the referendum OH light wines and
beer is cutting Il figure in this campaign
which: will make the final results on the
governorshin and senatorial contests diff,
cult to analyze
Ind
look the sentiment of those more or less
neutral drvS, who think law enforcement
on prohibition is often carried to eX-
tremes and that modification of the
Volstead act would do no harm to the
fundamental principle of prohibition.
Would Weaken Enforcement.
Should the proposed amendment to the
state constitution be carried, it would of
course be an open question whether the
act of Ohio contiicted with the federal
constitution and with the Nolstead law
But its significance WolGd be bigger than
that. As matters stand now Ohio has
state laws for the enforcement Of prOhi-
bitiou. An overwhelming victory for the
beer amendment would be INTERPRETED rs
a mandate from the people on the prohi-
| bitiOn question As a whole and a weak
| ening of the state enforcement machinery.
a situation which would be parallel to
! that of New Jersey.
The wet and dry issue is complicating
! the party fights. The Democrats Will
benefit by the wet vote. If national is
| sues had not been injected, the state
would have given Carmi Thompson a
| good sized victory. The Republicans will
| be lucky to win by 10000. No matter
| what the result the Democrats viii be
| quick to say the Harding administration
| has been repudIated for there Is little
| likelihood cf 400 900 victory or any
! thing like it. Had the federal admins,
| tration stayed out as it did in the
| primaries. it would have been easier to
| dismiss the matter with wave of the
| hand and a comment on local issues.
Now the chances are thar the Ohio re-
| turns will be used not merely by the
| Democrats trying To discover trend
| toward them for the 1924 election. but
| Republicans i'm various parts of the coun-
! try who have friends they wish 10 groom
| for the presidential nomination. They
| Will argue that Mr.. Harding's admins
| trGtion isn't strong in his own state and