Evening star., 1926-10-30
BOTH PARTIES FIRE
FINAL BROADS|DES
AS ELECTION NEARS
OIdfie|d Hits sIush, Phipps
Backs G. 0. P. Record as
Campaign Closes.
CHOICE IN ILLINOIS FIGHT
DENIED AT WHITE HOUSE
Smith Upholds Taking Contribu-
tion of Insull-Presidential Hopes
Before People Tuesday.

By the Associated Press.
The great American drama, Pol
itics of 1926" hurried today to-
ward it's climax with actors through
out the country concentrating their
1ast-minute efforts upon snaring the
elusive vote in the last act-Tuesday'
election, which will decide the compile
tion Of the SEVENTEEN Congress.
Sharing interest with appeals by
epokesmen for the two major parties
was a formal White House statement
denying that President Coolidge had
expressed any attitude on the choice
of a United States Senator in Illinois.
end defense by Frank l.. Smith, Re-
publican senatorial nominee in that
State, against attacks on contribu
tions to his campaign fund by Samuel
1nsull. utility magrate. while Smith
as chairman of the Illinois Commerce
Commission exercised supervision
over rates and service Of the insult
compa anieS.
I'm a presidential year" Smith de-
clared, 1.-The great protected interests
contribute to the campaign fund of
the candidates who will give them or
continue a protective tariff. Who
finds anything sinister in that?
President Power i'm Tariff.
"Forgetting the President as per-
son, or whether he Is Republican or
Democratic, he has under our pres
ent law power personally to raise
or lower the tariff 10 per cent. VIII
this country charge that because
the protected industries contribute
to the fund to elect hin1--the wool.
sugar. steel or any protected indus
try-he was put under obligations to
grant special favors to these con-
tributors?
And what If Samuel insult did
contribute to the campaign fund used
in my behalf? Other interests con-
tribute to the campaign funds of
candidates for President-the rail-
roads. banking interests, the steel in
dustry. sugar industry. Will any
one dare say that these contribu-
tions disqualrfy the candidate for
President to hold the Office #
elected?"
The formal White House state
ment was issued without comment
after the President had been in
formed that yesterdays issue Of the
Chicago Tribune had represented him
as making certain comments on the
Illinois political situation.
Hands OF In Illinois.
THE President" It said has
given no interviews, made no state
ment. taken no position and ex-
pressed no attitude for the purpose
OF influencing the choice of United
States Senator in Illinois,.
Meanwhile Representative Oldfield,
Arkansas, chairman OF the Democratic
congressional committee, was declar-
ia attpn 40
committee under Chairman Reed.
Democrat, Missouri, had exposed the
use of huge slush funds" by Repub-
tcans in primaries and had put the
fear of further exposure into the
hearts of Republican contributors as
we'll as candidates, so that the Re-
publican practice of buying elections
is minimized this year" while Senator
PhippS, Colorado. chairman of the Re-
publican senatorial committee, was
asserting that the question before the
voters on Tuesday was their choice be-
tween returning ITO the conditions Of
1921 and the Democratic years pre-.
ceding" or a continuation Of the
splendid Republican achievements Of
the past five years"
High hopes and conflicting claims
attend the close of the campaign to-
day.
The issues have been drawn over
weeks of campaigning.
Will Affect Presidential Fight
Admittedly the outcome of this cleo
tion may have a far-reaching effect
on the presidential contest In 1928.
for out of this campaign may come
the figure who eventually will be Sc
lected to carry the banner Of Democ-
iacy at that time. Several candidates
in important contests already have
been widely discussed In this connec
tion.
These include former Senator Atlee
Pomerene Of Ohio, who again Is seek
ing a Senate seat, and Gov. Ritchie
of MARYLAND and Donahey OF Ohio,
who are standing for reelection. AL
fred Z. Smith OF New York is making
his fifth campaign for governor of
n hts State and should he win again
undoubtedly would become q central
figure once more in the Democratic
presidential group. William q. Nc
Adoo whose deadlock with Smith two
wears ago is celebrated. now seeks
no elective ONCE, but did step in TO
retain the control of the Democratic
machinery in California.
So far as the senatorial and congress
eional contests have been concerned
the campaign now closing has lacked
clear-cut issue, with most leaders
of both parties maintaining rigid
silence on two questions which have
been paramount in many races-pro-
hibition and the World Court.
Loaded With Dynamite.
Concededly, these two subjects We're
loaded with political dynamite so far
as the duly constituted campaign or
ganizations of the two major parties
were concerned. but individual Candi-
oates from one end OF the country to
the other seized upon them with
svfdity.
Prohibition was the chief issue, par
ticularly in the senatorial contests.
in New York. Pennsylvania. Ohio.
Illinois. Missouri and other States.
while prohibition referendums were
ordered in New York, Missouri. Wis
consin, Colorado. Montana, Illinois.
Nevada and California.
Coolidge and prosperity formed the
rallying cry OF the Republican political
organizations, with the campaign COM
mittees firing occasional broadSides at
the opposition on what was charac-
terized as Democratic extravaganza
during and Immediately after the war.
While President Coolidge himself