The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-10-17

Progressive candidate.
"Thc question as to the source of
Mr.. LaFollettes strength, whether
drawn more largely from the Repub-
lican or Democratic ranks, continues
to stir good many of the political
prophets and dopesters.
"In consulting the table Of How
the Same Voters Voted in 1920
some observers Of the poll have
called attention to the large size of
the Did Not-Vote' column. In this
column, it must be explained, is in
cluded both those who specify that
they did not vote and those who fail
to mention their political allegiance
in 1920
"a more complicated tabulation
kept in The Digest's polling room
shows in more detail the trend of
the vote Thus, in California, ac
cording to this tabulation, Mr.. La
Toilette draws his large vote chief
ly from 1862 former Democrats
and BLISS former Republicans,
while 1883 former Democrats arc
registered as voting for Coolidge,
and 1860 former Republicans are in
the Democratic column.
Turning to an eastern state, New
York, where LaFollette has shown
cons iderablc strength, it appears
that he draws 2s,sO4 votes from
former Republicans to 1864 from
former Democrats.
ain Iowa he is credited with 1877
formerly Republican votes and 1887
formerly Democratic. In WiscOn-
sin, his home state, his present vote
includes ballots from 20,3O6 former
Republicans and 4,O94 former Demo
Gratis; in Pennsylvania 1906 former
Republicans and 3,7Sl former Demo-
Gratis.
an this connection it must be re-
membcred that 1920 was strongly
Republican year. SO that there is
small indication in these figures
that the Progressive candidates
strength is being contributed eX-
clusivcly by one party, as several
partizanS have announced.
at is also noteworthy, in spite
Of Mr. LaFollette's large vote, he
has so far carried only the state of
Wisconsin, with California added,
granting that the present poll has a
somewhat larger percentage Of error
in favor of the Republicans than
was shown in the smaller poll of
1920
"a Democratic paper finds in the
, registration of the previous affilia-
tions of the poll voters, which is now
given as l,076.905 Republicans to
AL PSI Democrats, Il sign that no
| Democrat could possibly win in the
poll.
at may be said, also. that no
| Democrat can win in the election UNI
| less a considerable number of the
Republicans of 1920 change their
politics.
Citizenry Divided
"The citizenry of the country was
divided, roughly, in 1920 between
100000 Republicans and 100000
Democratic voters, with only a
small third-party vote. less than l.
600, 900 for the Socialist candidate
to complicate the issue. What
shifts, then, are now being made
from Republican to Democratic
ranks, or from Democratic to Repub-
lican, that will show that the YER
dict of 1920 is to be reversed, or
repeated?
"A glance at the table comparing
the 1920 and 1924 columns, shows
a Republican increase in thirty-twC
OF the states, while sixteen show
decreasing Republican vote. Ten
states, on the other hand, show
Democratic increase over 1920, while
a loss in the Democratic vote dur
ing the last four years in indicated
in thirty-eight states. Some OF
these gains and losses are very
large, some so small as to near
little.
among the more significant
changes there appear to have beer
Republican losses in Iowa, Illinois
Pennsylvania, California, Minnesota
and Wisconsin. Republican gain:
are indicated in many of the state:
: of the "Solid South" where suc(
increases will, in all probability
have no effect on the election what
ever, and also in Kansas, in New
York, and in Michigan. Aside from
ordinarily Democratic states, tn
Democrats appear to have increas
ed their voting strength in Yves
, Virginia.
In presenting the views Of Repub
lican and Democratic editors on tn
general accuracy of their polls TIL
Digest concludes with the common
of a Nebraska editor.
"No straw-vote," the editor states
"is actually satisfactory-to the los
ing side. However, The Digest vot
in 1920 was amazingly accurate an
if We remember right, there was tn
same doubling on the part of tn
same editors"
m