The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-27

sftsr two years Of observation
ffpn day to day. The situation I'M
Ohio would have been local II the
cabinet had not interviewed. It iss
essentially local because the adj
ministration OF Governor Harry
Davis, Republican, Is hardly pop
ulay and II took strong man like
Carmi Thompson, Republican nom
inee In the primaries, to overcome
the handicaps Of his party. Left
alone, Mr.. Thompson would have
fought it out as well II not better
than he could do with Washington
assistance. And which ever way
the governorship goes SO will the
senatorial ticket 90. Carmi Thomp-
son will pull Simeon Tess for sen
ator along with him il he wins and
conversely Vic Donahey will carry
Senator Pomerene along II this is
to be Democratic year.
Two polls being conducted by
newspapers Of importance in Ohio
cannot be overlooked in calculating
the results. One is being carried
on by the Cincinnati Enquirer,
owned by E. B. Mclean, one Of the
intimates OF the White house circle,
and the other by the Columbus Dis
patch, an independent newspaper.
Both polls show about the same
thing, namely a Democratic victory
all along the line. Reckoning on
percentage basis and taking into
account the registration OF this and
other years the Columbus Dispatch
figures would seem to indicate a
Democratic victory by about 100000
votes. Both newspapers have con-
Quoted polls in other years using
the same methods Of calculation and
they have been vindicated by re-
turns on election day.
Wine and Beer Is Issue.
When these straw votes are taxi
en- to Republican experts for COM
ment they invariably say it's a re-
fiex Of the wet and dry fight in this
state. Contrary to expectations, the
referendum on light wines and beer
is cutting figure in this campaign
which will make the final result on
the governorship and senatorial
contests difficult to analyze.-
Here as in Indiana one cannot
overlook the sentiment of those
more or less neutral "drys" who
think law enforcement on prohibi-
ton is often carried to extremes
and that modification of the Vol
stead act would do no harm to the
fundamental principle of prohibi-
ton.
Should the proposed amendment
to the state constitution be car.
Iied, 1t would Of course be an opeI
question whether the act of Ohio
Confiicted witt the federal consti
tuition and with the Volstead law
But its significance would be big
ger than that. AS matters stant
now, Ohio has laws for the enforce
ment of prohibition. An over
, whelming victory for the bee
amendment would be interpreted
as a mandate from the people Oh
the prohibition question as a Who'll
and weakening of the state en-
forcement machinery, a situation
which would be parallel to that o
New Jersey.
Complexities Contests.
, The wet and dry issue is compli
eating the party fights. The Demo
Gratis will benefit by the wet vote
If national issues had not been in
jected, the state would have givel
Carmi Thompson good sized vic
tory. The. Republicans will b
lucky to win by 10000 No matte
what the result, the Democrats will
be quick to say the Harding admin
istration has been repudiated, TO
there is little likelihood of a 400,0
victory or anything like it. Had tn
federal administration stayed on
as it did in tn: primaries, it woul
have been easier to dismiss tn
: matter with wave of the hand an
comment on local issues"
Now the chances are that tn
Ohio returns will be used not mere
ly by Democrats trying to discove
trend toward them for the 1872
election, but Republicans in val
ious parts of the country who hav
friends they wish to groom for tn
presidential nomination. They wi
argue that Mr.. Harding's admins
tration isn't strong in his own stat,
ard they will constantly refer t
the figures of>this autumn. Their
is in the Ohio, situation question
able strategy, on the part OF tn
Republican managers and they wi
have much explaining to do even
the governorship and SENATOR'S
fights are won by the Republica
nominees.