Evening star., 1924-07-30
Politics at Large
BY N. O. MESSENGER

Mah-jong, stud poker, bridge and
other popular forms OF indoor sports
are threatened with having their nose
put out of joint by, a rival diver
sion-figuring on the electoral college
and ringing the changes on the vari-
Gus com mbinations which are produced
out of. arranging the group of States
spelling victory to one candidate and
then another. -
You start with the total number
of electors, 531, and then arrange
them as you think-or hope-they
will come out in the voting. There
is more chance and speculation in it
than the most exciting speculation.
Give the Democratic candidate at the
outset the -soIid South" 126 cleo
toral votes, which will comprise
Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia,
Louisiana, Mississippi North Caro-
lima, South Carolina, Tennessee, Tex
as and Virginia -
That is the running start" the
Democratic party can count upon, al
though Tennessee may puncture a
tire, as in 1920.
X X X X
The Republicans. figuring their
chances in Illinois are better then the
Democrats, have a little list they call
Coolidge States" They include in
it Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massa-
chusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire,
Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
Utah and Vermont They foot up 135
votes, more than an offset to the
Democrats solid South.
Then you have a wide range of
calculation and speculation, arrang-
ing the States as you desire, always
remembering in a close election, the
victorious candidate must carry New
York, Indiana and Ohio.
X + X y
Gov. Smith of New York is quoted
as saying that his chief concern in
the coming election IL to promote the
fortunes of John w. Davis and do all
in his power to assist Mr.. Davis in
carrying New York, subordinating to
that end his own political cousidera-
tions.
New York this week which may
determine whether Gov. Smith shall
be q candidate for denomination Mr..
Davis is insistent that the governor
shall run, believing his candidacy
will be a tower of strength to the
Democratic national ticket
+ y X X
Sinister reports are current of
threats among many Democrats in
New York who are of the same re-
ligion as Gov. Smith of intent to
knife the head of the national ticket
in reprisal for the rejection of Gov.
Smiths candidacy for the presiden-
tial nomination by the Democratic
national convention. The Democratic
leaders profess to be not alarmed.
contending that by the time election
day rolls around resentment will
have been allayed by the loyal work
in Mr.. Davis behalf by the governor
himself.
No one questions the sincerity of
Gov. Smiths intention to support the
presidential candidate and set an ex-
ample for all Democrats to follow.
X X X
One argument which will be used
in the campaign by the Republicans
in appealing for votes for Coolidge
and Dawes will be that the presence
OF the La Toilette party in the field
should caution voters not to take a
chance" by voting for Dayis-that is
to say, the chance of the election 60
ing to the Senate and the Democrats
and La Toilette pursuing the course
which would make Charles W. Bryan
the President of the United States.
1t is calculated by the Republican
leaders that there is a lot of good
campaign material in that argument
Charles W. Bryan's challenge OF
President Coolidge's attitude toward
the observance of a day devoted to
arousing attention of the country to
the merits of military preparedness
marks a distinct outburst of pacifism
in which the hand of William ]. Bry-
an is plainly seen, it is thought by
many politicians
They reason, however. that the
votes of pacifsts which may be at
tracted by the challenge will be off
set by the gain to the President CT
voters who will see the incident as
another proof of the wisdom of keep
ing victory from the Democrats on
account of the presence on the ticket
of Charles Bryan, carrying his po-
tential nearness to the presidential
office even though the Democratic
ticket fails.
In politics, as among flowers, every
rose has its thorn and many assets
are Offset by liabilities.
Reports from New Jersey are that
the contest between Hamilton Kean
against Senator Edge for the senator
ial nomination is growing Intense
and that Senator Edge is fAcing a
formidable opponent The KIan is
said to be taking hand in the fight
That is another case of asset and
liability"
The managers of the campaign fol
the election OF Senators in both par.
ties are getting in readiness for a
bitter fight, the Democrats planning
to attack several Senate seats now
held by Republicans The. States IL
which the Republicans will conduct
contests for Senate seats are Maine
Massachusetts,, New Hampshire, New
Jersey. Illinois, Delaware, West Vir-
ginia, Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan
Montana, Colorado 1.-TWO seats), Min
nesota, Kansas. South Dakota, Wyo-
ming and New Mexico.
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