Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-10-25
BY RALPH SMITH

NASHVILLE, Tenn, Oct. 22.-
American politics in the paGc has
developed many paradoXes, but IN
the opinion of keen observers no sell
contradictory proposition comparable
to the alleged betting odds on the
presidential election has ever before
been presented. From the facts in
the case the conclusion is inevitable
that New York is "betting' to keep
up courage in face of situation
that fails utterly to justify the be-
lief that President Coolidge has as
good as an even chance of winning
the election.
The logic of the situation and the
inflexible facts fail to justify New
Yorks apparent confidence in Cool
idge's election, as reflected by the
day to day by Wall street brokerage
firms. Newspaper reporters, politi-
cal strategists, personal advisers and
others intimately associated with
John w. Davis canvass profess in
ability to "see where Mr.. Coolidge
expects to get his votes" and their
profession rests on a familiarity
with conditions born of actual con-
tact with the people.
Not one but a half dozen men who
have been with Mr.. Davis since the
beginning of the campaign, on yes
terday and again today, pointed out
that the president cannot expect to
receive support from any of the fol-
lowing classes of voters:
/. The postal employees.
2. Grand Army veterans and vet
Grams of the Spanish-American war.
3. World war veterans.
4. Organized labor.
5. The farmers Of the west and
middle west.
Betting Odds" Mythical
For the opposition of the rank and
file of the five classes of voters
above en- umerated the men who
have followed the campaign set
down what they believe to be good
and sufficient reasons, and these
reasons, be it said, are so human
and so plausible as to be absolutely
convincing.
Before simplifying the reasons why
the classes mentioned will not vote
for Coolidge, in the opinion Of those
who should know, it is pertinent to
revert to the alleged betting odds, "
mention Of which was made at the
outset. In referring to the odds the
words alleged" is used advisedly.
The odds do not obtain in fact.
The New York newspapers have a
way of announcing from time to
time the betting odds that are sup
market wires that radiate from the
financial center carry almost daily
some allusion to the fact that Cool
idge is an "oods-on favorite" in the
betting, with no takers in sight. OBJ
ViOusIy, it is the desire of the in
terests in New York to create upon
the country the impression that Cool
idge is making a runaway race of
the presidential canvass, and that
the "mOneyed men" of the country
are backing him to the limit. Y
1t may be, and possibly is true,
that the "moneyed men" Of a GER
tain type are backing him to a fare
ye-WelI but they are not backing
their judgment, not SO as you could
notice it, if wha1. the men with Mr..
Davis say is true. They declare that
the long odds quoted on Coolidge are
bunk, nothing more, put out in the
hope of influencing the people.
No Money In Sight
Norman II. Davis, of New York,
a former Tennessean, who served in
the Wilson cabinet as under secre-
tary of state, told me yesterday that
efforts to find some three-to-one
Coolidge money in Wall street last
week failed utterly.
THE fact is" said Mr.. Davis, "aa
offer of $4,000 against Coolidge 8
election at one-to-two, that is, $50
600 against 100000, could not be
placed by a reliable gentleman who
invaded the precincts of the election
gamblers down in Wall street
But Notwithstanding the inability
of Democrats to place money against
Coolidge at one to two, the men en-
gagged in this sort of activity con.
tinue to quote odds Of three to one
on Coolidge in the papers the next
day, and to send the same sort of
bunk over the market wires.
But New York isn't betting any
heavy Odds on Coolidge's election.
New York, in fact, very much
doubts whether Coolidge has look
in as the thing now stands, and
New York believes, too, that John
w. Davis candidacy is growing by
leaps and bounds, and it is growing.
The Democratic candidate has made
wonderful progress within the past
two weeks. His canvass of New
York state, the ardent support he
is receiving from Governor Al Smith
and the activity of the party lead
ers in New York City have worked
a wonderful change in sentiment"
Hughes Case Parallel
The experience recited by Mr.
Davis concerning election betting in
New York isn't unlike the experience
the writer had eight years ago dur
ing the WilsOn-H campaign
Wall street was advertising odds OF
three to one on Hughes. A number
Of prominent and wealthy Democrats
commissioned me to take some of
the money for them. They were
willing to wager $4,000 at the adver.
tised odds, but when the effort to
place this sum, or any part of it was
made, not n cent was to be found in
Wall street.
The fact that the effort to wager
against Coolidge's election failed last
week tends to confirm the growing
suspicion that New York really