Evening star., 1924-10-23
COOLIDGE SAFETY"
APPEALS TO EAST
Sentiment CrystaIIized Be.
hind PreSident-Third
Party Losing.
BY n. o. MESSENGER.
STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

NEW YORK, October 2S.-Mingling
the man in the street, one finds the
public state of mind to be to let
the elections come on; we are ready
to vote" Public opinion is pretty
we'll fixed by now. This condition
does not hold out much prospect for
the old familiar "whirlwind finish
that always is promised for the clos
ing days of campaigns to work mira
cles in the popular mind by way of
changing votes.
The voters are by way of playing
safe. This applies at least here in
the East. which is to exercise such
weight in actual ballots at the
polls. The third party apparently
has overplayed its hand in flashing
the menace of radicalism, with the
effect Of driving the thoughtful and
the conservative to cover.
A distinctly unfavorable impress
sion has been created by Senator La
Follette's failure to make good on
his charge of that big Republican
"slush fund to corrupt the ballot.
The man who charges such a thing
and cannot substantiate it always
loses caste.
Trust Placed I'm Bornh.
Senator Borah's sincerity in probing
the charges thoroughly, and in such
capable inquisitors as Senator Cara
way, Frank P. Walsh and Samuel
Untermeyer it is realized that not
a bug will be left lurking under any
chip-if one is there. But the public
Is rapidly confirming it's pre-convic-
tion that no such monstrous ones as
Senator La Toilette shifted are there.
The public hereabouts is awaiting
the onrush of the eastwa rd- bound
campaigners. John w. Davis and
Senator La Toilette. who are coming
to this section to rouse the natives
in the closing days, with some in
difference. Politics Is beginning to
pail and the people are wondering
what is left to be said to get a rise"
out of the voters.
The judgment of politicians is that
oil scandals and all that sort of thing
failed utterly to operate as an effec-
tive weapon against President Cool
idge; the public refused to hold him
responsible, and, while thoroughly
disgusted with the whole mess, will
not chalk 1T up against him. The
public also fails to get excited over
Senator La Follette's charges of the
domination of the interests" and
Wall Street. while his policy of
menace to the Constitution and ad-
vocacy of Government ownership of
railroads have proved decided BOOM
erang.
Dfstrust Aroused.
The fact is that the more Senator
La Toilette expounds his theories and
! policies the more distrust of them
he arouses in the great mass Of the
| people who still control the destinies
of the republic through a majority.
News that comes to New York from
various sources continues to be reas-
suring to the Republicans. The lat
est brings renewed hope of President
Coolidge carrying Candidate Davis
own State of West Virginia.
| Not all of the news available here
comes from political sources. All the
great Industrial concerns and finan-
Ecial institutions keep tab through
their own people on political condi-
tions. They have to do so, because if
violent changes are to occur, they
have to know 1t first.
| have had access to some of these
reports and they forecast Coolidge's
| majority in the electoral college al
most unbelievably large.
| In looking over the progress of the
campaign since it started. the sugges-
! ton comes of how little Importance
the public seems to have attached to
the so-called issues of the campaign.
| They have been negligible-League of
Nations, tariff and what not.
One issue alone has stood out-safe
and conservative government, promis-
ing stability for the future, and the
character and ability of the man at
the head of the present administration
playing safely.