Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-09-22
The Literary Digest Poll

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The most interesting feature in
the first returns of The Literary
Digests' poll of 100000 votes
Published Saturday is the chewing
made by La Toilette.
A total vote of 1901 is tabu-
lated for Coolidge, $3.50 for La
Toilette, and 1892 for Davis with
3O7 votes for the other five candi-
dates.
Only 25,766 ballots have been re-
turned at the date of publication
but these came from the pivotal
States of California, Illinois, New
York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, with
La Toilette running second in the
first three and Davis second in the
last two.
In California, La Toilette is run
ing a strong second to Coolidge
having 1861 votes against the
Presidents 1924.
There would be an indication
here, The rigest states, that in
California at least, both the Re-
y publicans and Democrats are los
ing heavily to the Progressive
candidates, with the Republicans,
as the party which polled the larg-
est number of votes in the last
election, the most serious losers"
Coolidge" it continues, "from
these earliest returns, appears to
be much stronger in Illinois, al
though here, also, a comparison
of the votes cast by these same
voters in 1920 would seem to in
dictate fall from the large total
vote rolled up by Mr.. Harding
four years ago.
'In Ohio, these first few votes
may be thought to suggest that
Mr.. Coolidge is far stronger to-
!: day than his predecessor was in
! 1920.
"Pennsylvania, also, would
seem to be as firmly, or more
firmly, planted in the Republi-
canscolumn. 1t must be remem-
bered, of course, that the pres
! ent tabulation Of ballots repre-
sents the n:erest smattering of a
return. In Pennsylvania, for in
stance, nearly a million ballots
are being distributed, a figure
which may be compared with the
present early return of less. than
1000 votes from that state. All
so these early returns must be
accepted with the additional pro-
viso that sections of I emocratic
strength are not represented in
the five first states tabulated."
The Digest states that its poll
does not yet give any real evidence
of deadlock, but adds that such
Washington correspondents as David
Lawrence and Mark Sullivan are
warning the country, because of the
chance of deadlock.
sour complicated machinery
for choosing a President" The
Digest continues, ''may result in
confusion, we are told, in case
none of the few candidates re-
ceives clear majority in the
Electoral College.
1.-THE situation is further com
plicated by such electoral anoma-
lies as the fact that Georgia, with
a popular vote of 154,049 in the
last election, has fourteen cleo
toral votes, while New Jersey,
with 9O8,638, has precisely the
same number. Thus the North
ern State may be balanced in
the Electoral College by South
ern State with about one-sixth
as many voting citizens"
Each ballot requested the voters
political preference at the last Presi-
Dental election and these are also
tabulated in this issue of The Di-
gest and analysed for comparison.
While straw ballot and polls are
usually of doubtful value, the Di-
gest's poll will be watched with in
creasing interest and, for most of
us, with uneasiness.
While it seems unthinkable that
Ia Toilette could be elected, it is
possible to bring about a deadlock
that might result in the election of
an equally unsatisfactory man.