Evening star., 1924-10-29
DESPERATE EFFORT
T0DEADLOCK RACE
APPARENT IN WEST
Coalition of G. O. P. Rival
Groups Launches Threat
e7ed Assault.
TREND TOWARD COOLIDGE
STANDS OUT IN SURVEY
La Toilette Leaders Vigorously
Deny Deal to Trade Votes
With Davis.
BY g.. GOULD LINCOLN,

stan Correspondent of The Star
CHICAGO, H.. October 29-Two
movements stand out in bold relief
in the political picture presented to-
day in this center of Western cam
paign activities.
First, Il decided trend of the vote
toward Coolidge.
Second a final desperate effort on
the part of the Democrats to throw
into the La Toilette column tic
Western and Middle Western States
which Davis has no hope Of carry
ing, so as to force the election into
Congress.
This effort on the part of the Der
ocrats IS made with the hope that
in the House John W. Davis VIII BE-
the choice for President 1t is now
the only hope of the Democrats. and
of Mr.. Davis himself. This is said
advisedly. 1t is what has been ev-
pected in many quarters to take
place in the last days Of the cam
paign.
ProGrcssivcS Deny Deal.
The La Toilette managers deny
that they have made any deals Win
the Democrats-though they haye
been approached. they say. with a
view 10 combinations by which tn.
La Toilette votes should 20 TO tn
Democrats in some States. while the
Democratic votes should be cast foc
La Toilette in others. If the Demo
Gratis care to cast their votes fot
La Toilette. that is entirely sat.S-
factory 70 the La Toilette supporters.
The La Toilette managers are out I"
roll up as many votes for their car
didateS as they can.
In Iowa. a State which has heer.
doubtful as between President Coo.
idge aid Senator La Toilette. develop
mcnts are promised within "A hours.
which may materially affect the r.
suit and help to throw that State
into the La Toilette column.
The attempt OF the Democrats 70
throw votes 10 La Toilette in the
Western States may have the effect
OF shocing conservative Democrats
and some Republicans who have been
on the fence into the Coolidge camp.
There il always the question, also.
whether the Democrats successfully
can deliver any large blocks of votes
in these States. In some of them
the Democrats are few in number,
anyway. and if all their votes wen-
to La Toilette, Coolidge still might
win.
Coalition Long Threatened.
The threat of a coalition of Demo-
Gratis with La Toilette to prevent the
election of President Coolidge in the
electoral college has been made for
monthS-in fact, ever since the DEM
ocratic convention in New York. it
has been held UP to the country as
warning by Chairman William II.
Butler OF the Republican national
committee many times. 1t has been
denied by Democratic leaders who
have insisted that John W. Davis
would be elected by the people.
But now it appears the movement
to force the election into the House
is definitely on.
The Republicans insist that they
have gained b! reason of this talk OF
throwing the election into the Con-
gress. Much has been made Of the
period of uncertainty and slump in
business and occupation which might
follow the failure of the people to
elect President. Many people feel
that it would be great misfortune
to have the election of a President so
into Congress.
Sentiment Crystalized.
Six weeks ago. when l was in Chi
cago. the campaign was just getting
under way actively. Sentiment was
not crystallized. Hope and specula-
ton were the only measures by which
the results in the various States
could be forecast Today the people
have pretty we'll made up their minds
how they are going to vote.
In the States of the West and Mid
ole West the electoral power is
lodged largely in the hands of the
farmers. For weeks the Republican
national committee. through it's field
men, have sought to learn the senti-
ment of the farmers. Results of a
canvass made among the live stock
farmers who have come to the great
stock markets of the country, includ-
ing Buffalo, Chicago. Cincinnati, Dem
yer, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Oma-
ha, ST. Paul and Sioux City. covering
the last five weeks, show that out of
n total of 1906 farmers who express
ed their preference for President, 900
were for Coolidge, 313 for La Toilette
and 2S7 for Davis. There were some.
of course, who declined to state how
they would vote.
G. o. p. Trend Marked.
The trend of sentiment toward
Coolidge among these farmers has
been much more marked during the
last two weeks. The belief is that
the increase in farm products prices,
and the fact that these increased
prices have continued high, have
been the cause of a change in senti-
ment favorable to the Republicans.
The discomfort of the farmers has
been one of the assets of the pro-
gressive party. 1t is not claimed to-
day that this discomfort has been en-
tirely eliminated But it is claimed
that the discomfort has been mate
rally reduced and that the farmers
are better off by far this Fall than
they were a year ago.
The figures given for some of the
States are interesting. Indiana farm
ers in these tests gave 143 votes to
Coolidge, Al to La Toilette and 80 to
Davis; Illinois, 10 to Coolidge, Is to
La Toilette and 13 to Davis; Colorado,
SO to Coolidge, 10 to La Toilette and
Is to Davis; Iowa. 110 to Coolidge, 46
to La Toilette and IL to Davis; Kan
sas, 1877 to Coolidge, 40 to La Toilette
and 81 to Davis; Missouri, SO to Cool
idge, to La Toilette and 81 to Davis;
Minnesota, 81 to Coolidge, 81 to la
Toilette and to Davis; North. Da-
kota, / 5 to Coolidge, 8 to La Toilette
and l to Davis; Nebraska, "A to Cool
Il n n a