The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1923-07-06
FORD HAS BIG LEAD IN
THREE WEEK TOTALS

OF the third week returns in the Pic
ncer nationwide Presidential voting
test.
Coming as it did with the PreSi,
dent S start on his Alaskan trip and
his speeches enroute to the Pacific
coast, ii indicates that the majority
piled up by Ford in the first weeks
of voting does not mean so much when
his chief opponent swings into action.
1t also indicates that the President
mt home on some Of his recommends
tions and policies when he himself
could explain them to the voters.
Ford maintained steady pace in
all sections of the country, but in few
places, except in the Democratic
south, his lead, if any, was by bare
majorities, which would leave the
choice in doubt until the last vote is
counted.
This Presidential voting test, which
the Pioneer is conducting through its
membership in the Publishers Auto
caster Service of New York, closed
Saturday evening, June 80. The final
results from all states, and especially
the far western states, will be pub.
lished IN these columns at an early
date.
While Ford is leading Harding at
this writing, 9l,044 to 39,453, it is
very likely the returns from the west
and northwest, where Harding was
making speeches during the last week
of the voting test, will cut down the
lead very materially.
Ford majorities are very positive
IN Florida, Oklahoma, PENNSYLVANIA,
Minnesota, Missouri, Michigan (his
home state), and Idaho. But in other
states, where he is not led by the
President, the vote is fairly even, and
can not be accurately Judged until the
final votes are in.
Harding has a lead cyer Ford in
New York, Illinois, Washington, Ohio
New Hampshire, Massachusetts and
Maryland.
Early returns from Idaho gave
Borah (its favorite SOM 96l votes
but went to Ford with LII. The
President is running a poor third
there, with 1l2 votes.
The remarkable vote piled up for
former President Wilson is of course
complimentary vote inasmuch as he
will not be an active candidate for
Office.
The vote for McAdoo indicates a
strong sentiment which Democratic
leaders will undoubtedly give serious
consideration.
True, AL Smith of New York l.
in third place and running close to
Harding in this third week tabulation
but it must be considered that his ow'n
state, New York, has given him more
than two-thirds of his total vote II
date. In the country at large McAdoo
is running far ahead of Smith-aGd it
would seem that he stood in a fair
way to carry the Democratic barEtr'
if Ford is not the selection.
First returns from California show
Ford and Harding in a neck -ard-neck
race, the former 235 to 221. Hiram
Johnson, the favorite son, is running
third with l75, while Herbert Hoover.
another Californian, is given 81 votes.
Senator Reed of Missouri is a red
hot favorite in his own state Re,
leads Harding 1887 to 81, but is
himself topped by Ford with 2,-i73.
Oklahoma is overwhelmingly for
Ford, but casts consistent ballots for
former Governor Haskell.
Every o:,c of the twenty- -ninc states
SO far leard from, casts MANY and
var:eG ba 10, Ter state aan: and local
favorites. The total of 5,29l votes so
cast, have been classified under "scat-
tered votes" as it would be an almost
endless Job to make entry here.
The seventh week of voting in Col
hers Weekly face-to-face straw vote,
as published this week, July At,
shows Ford 1924 to Harding 1886.
Then comes McAdoo, 1892; Cox,
l4,447; Smith, 1864; Hughes, l2,43S;
Hoover, 1898; Leonard Wood, 1852
Borah, 3,4S7; Underwood, 3,232, and
John w. Davis, 2,S9S.
The final vote in Golfers balloting
will be announced next week. Its !,
vote is from all states except Nevada
and is indicative cf city and larger
town choices, while the Pioneer vote
is representative of the smaller town
and rural America s choice for Pres
dent.
Studying the Pioneers nation wide
vote with the Collier straw vote shows
Ford the majority choice of the voters
in both city and country at this time
II nuct ha adn,ift.d howayar shat \