Evening star., 1926-10-21
RELIGIOUS ISSUE
SPLITS COLORADO
Republican KIansmen and
Democratic Catholics May
Break Party Lines.
RY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.
Staff Correspondent of The Star.

Staff Correspondent of The Star.
DENVER, Colo. October 21.-
Flushed with victory over the Klu
Klux Klan in the senatorial and
gubernatorial promaries this year,
the Republican organization of Colo
RADIO is fighting hard to put across
its nominees, Charles W. Waterman
for the Senate and Oliver II. ShoHp
for governor. But it's problem is not
so simple.
The defeat of Senator Rice W.
Means and Gov. Clarence ]. Morley,
who were nominated and elected with
klan aid two years ago. in the pri-
maries this year was accomplished
largely with Democratic assistance.
1t followed also a split in the Klan
itself. DIR. John Galen Locke of Den
yer was grand dragon of the klau
in colora do when the organization
was at the zenith of it's power. His
claim was that he held Colorado in
the hollow of his hand, much as u. G.
Stephenson, one-time grand dragon
Of the Klan in Indiana, boasted that
his word was law in the HoeSier
State. But like Stephenson in In
diana, Locke had his comb cut by
the national organization. lie was
deposed. Whereupon DIR. Locke
greater part Of the I<lan member
ship In Denver 1t was only human
for DIR. Locke and his minute men
to seek the defeat Of Senator Means
and Gov. Morley when the primaries
rolled around. and they smote the
Klan candidates in the Republican
primaries with all the strength they
possessed. They put up a candidate
for the senatorial nomination who
polled about fourteen thousand.
Waterman. the anti-klan candidate,
received about $1,000 votes and Means
$4,000.
Most Catholic Democrats.
The Catholic vote in Colorad do. es-
timated at not less than 10000, is
nearly all Democratic. It was cast
almost to a man and woman against
Means. 1t is this vote which is
causing the greatest amount of un
certainty in the campaign for the
general election.
Ordinarily it might he expected
that this Democratic Catholic vote,
having accomplished its end by de-
feating Senator Means in the pri-
maries would swing back to the Dem
ocratic nominee for the Senate. But
there the hitch comes in. Former
Gov. Sweet, chosen by the Democrats
for the Senatorial nomina ton, has
incurred the enmity of the Catholics.
In the first place he has either been
indorsed or will be Endorsed by the
Klan-although he was the Demo-
cratic nominee for governor against
the Republican Klan candidate two
years ago and was defeated through
the Khan. The Klan having been de-
feated In the primaries by Shoup who
has denounced the Klan. has no
where to go unless it is to Sweet.
In the second place Sweet was a
member Of a commission of Protes-
tants which went to Mexico to pass
judgment on the strife between the
Catholic Church and the Mexican Gov
ernment not long ago. A report
to Sweet, gave the Catholic
Church IN Mexico the little end of the
argument. This has aroused resent
ment among the Catholics. In the
third place, Sweet has been regarded
as a radical. a millionaire bond sales
man with socialistic tendencies. And
in the fourth place, he is the dryest
Of the dry. and many of the Catholics
are opposed to him on that account.
So strong Is the Catholic opposition
to Sweet that letters have been sent
DN 1dLHOttC lSduCE6 III NUIOIduO, TO
500 prominent Catholics throughout
the state urging that Sweet be de-
feated. If the Catholic vote. which Is
Democratic. goes over to Waterman
in great bulk. then Sweets chances
are lessened by considerable mar
gin. If Sweet Is elected after indorse-
ment by the Klan, 1t will be heralded
as Khan victory, and the Catholics
will have failed, they say, in their
effort to stamp ou the Klan and their
entrance into the Republican primary
will have been largely in vain.
Vote May Be Split.
While Waterman and his hackers
are hoping that the Catholic vote will
benefit them In the election as 1t did
in the primaries there is fear that the
klan vote will go largely to Sweet,
the greater part Of the Klan vote has
been Republican.
The strength of the Klan today in
Colorado il, variously estimated In
Denver. largely because of the Minute
Men, it has fallen low. Out in the
State, however, it is believed to be
about as strong as ever. How much
Continued On PaSa :. Columns