Evening star., 1924-09-28

against Walsh But not all MaSons
are Republicans Furthermore, there
is feeling that such tactics will end
in a reaction among the MaSons
| themselves against Lindernan for as
suming to mix them as an organiZa-
ton in politics,
Senator Walsh, it is pointed out
here, has been twice elected to the
Senate by the people Of Montana and
has served with distinction. He was
just as much OF Catholic when he
was first elected as he is now. The
religious issue which has been raised
against him and is admitted by Re
publican campaign managers, though
they are not making an open attack
on this line, may cut both ways. Not
few OF the Catholic voters in the
State are Republicans, followers of
the late Senator Tom Carter, who was
both a Republican and Catholic.
Senator Walsh has the Endorsement
Of all the labor organizations of the
State including the railroad brother
hoods. The La Toilette supporters al
so expect many Of those who cast
ballots for La Toilette to vote for
Walsh in preference to Linderman.
Khan Hard to Estimate.
Just how strong the Ku KluN Khan
One estimate from a Republican
men at about 5000. With the forces
allied with Senator Walsh TAX en-
into consideration, he looks to be a
winner. 1t is believed that he will
receive the united support of the
regular Democrats. Linderman' S
nomination for the Senate was unex-
pected, il is true. showing an under
current of strength. But 1t must be
taken into consideration that Rankin
whom he defeated for the nomination
had many enemies in the State.
Overshadowing in local interest
both the presidential and senatorial
races, however, is the contest between
Gov. Dixon, Republican. and Judge J.
Erickson, Democrat nominee, for
governor. Involved in the contest is
company" fight. The company
or companies" to the people of Mon
tana mean the gigantic WATERFOWL er
companies and the Anaconda Mining
Company. The companies. in this
instance are backing Erick son. They
are fighting Dixon tooth and nail. be-
cause he has proposed, among other
things, an additional tax on the
mines. In the contest four years ago
between Gov. Dixon on the Repub-
lican ticket and Senator Wheeler on
the Democratic ticket for governor.
the companies, although they had
been fought by Dixon in the past-an
old Bull Mooser and one-time SEN
ator-preferred to support Dixon to
Wheeler, and Dixon was elected.
VIII Get La Toilette Aid.
Dixon likely will get some Of the
La Toilette support and the support
irb hn inS m
but who prefer him to the company
candidate, but the power of the COM
panies has been very great in this
State, and still is They own many
newspapers and control Others and
the company papers are conducting 3
bitter fight against Dixon, charging
him with various kinds of maladmin-
istration. They do not hesitate to
charge both Dixon and the Repub-
licar managers with falsehood.
1t may be mentioned in connection
with the companies and their political
power that they seem to be keeping
their hands off in the senatorial race,
although they bitterly opposed Sem
ator Walsh before he became Sena-
tor. Also they are not active, ap-
parently, in the presidential race.
What they care most for, although
the election of President Coolidge, is
control in the State of Montana
Davis, it is admitted in Democratic
circles, has not made much impress
sion on the West with his candidacy
for President. His campaign had
made little, if any, headway here, and
even in other States it is only where
he has actually come into contact
with the people that he has won
votes.
The La Toilette strength is still a
riddle, however, which has all parties,
even the La Folletteites, guessing.
1t will be remembered that about this
stage in the campaign Of 1896, when
free silver was the issue, William
Jennings Bryan, it was feared by
many Republicans. would sweep the
country, but didn't. OF course, the
La Toilette movement is different in
many ways from that of Bryan %
years ago, but Bryan was denouncing
the moneyed interests just as La Fol-
lette, and he was appealing to the
miners on the free silver question
and to the farmers.
Montana, in 1912 and in 1915, cast
its electoral vote for Woodrow Will
son, the first time because Of the
split in the Republican ranks due to
the Roosevelt revolt. In 1916 the
State gave Wilson some $4,000 more
votes than Hughes, the war and
peace issue predominating as in other
Western States. But in 1920 Mon
tana swung back into the Republi-
can column, with a $4,000 plurality
for Harding. Because of the free
silver issue, it went for Bryan in 1896.