Evening star., 1926-10-19
SMITH MAY LOSE
I. ON LIQUOR ISSUE
Split Party and "SIush"
Problem Look Dark for
Illinois G. O. P.
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

CHICAGO, October 19.-Illinois
three-cornered senatorial contest en-
ters upon it's final fortnight in a whirl
wind of doubt as to the outcome. The
State that gave Coolidge half a millior
majority in 1924 is by no means Ger
tain Of giving even a plurality te
Frank L. Smith, Republican candidate
for the Senate. On the contrary, he
is fighting with his back to the wall
with defeat a grave possibility. What
Senator Reeds slush-fund committee
again in session at Chicago, unearths
this week will probably decide Smiths
fate.
The Republican nominee already has
been deserted by thousands of Repub
licans outraged by Smiths acceptance
of public utility funds in his primary
Many have gone openly
over to the side Of Hugh S. Magill, the
religious educationalist, who Is the
Republican candidate
Others, reluctant to do anything that
might elect George e. Brennan, the
Democratic candidate for Senator will
not vote at all. No one at this hour
can estimate how big the anti-Smith
Republican protest vote really is. But
there is general agreement that II
Senator Reeds renewed activities
smear the Smith escutcheon still fur
ther the Republican candidates for
tunes will be imperiled to the point OF
disaster.
Prohibition Is Vital.
Smith is in danger mainly, but not
exclusively, on the slush-fund issue
The other factor that is rocking his
leaky ship, and may sink it, Is prohi
bition. The Republican nominee, run
q q 6ryy 10 yxyfl
lose practically the solid wet vote to
Brennan, his Democratic opponent
But Smith is far from commanding
the solid dry vote.
Although backed by the Anti-Saloon
League, the influential church element.
so powerful factor in that organiza-
ton, Is in fierce revolt against Smith.
1t opposes him for two reasons. In
the first place, the churchmen chal-
lenge the leagues right to indorse
a senatorial candidate, however dry,
who bears the stigma of having accept
ed $287 900 (or II per cent? Of his cam
paign fund from public utility corpora.
tions while chairman Of the Illinois
Public Utility Commission. They con.
slider such support a travesty on the
high morality. which is supposed to
inspire Anti-Saloon League policy.
In the second place. churchmen are
Mortified by Smiths plans to stump
Chicago on the wet platform Of the
Cook County Republican organization.
1t is the fat county offices that mainly
fire the political enthusiasm of the
Chicago G. o. P. AS the metropolis
Is almost as wet as abutting Lake
held by wet Republican party. To
h0 RI
appear, in Chicago at least, to be as
wet as the organization. His readi-
ness to do so, while campaigning down
State as dry, has infuriated Repub-
lican drys.
Nations Eyes on State.
Illinois voters are aware that the
Nations eyes are upon their State,
because Of the slush fund scandal.
They recognize that the issue it raises
is more reprehensible here than in
Pennsylvania because of the source
of the money that nominated the Re-
publican candidate for the Senate. The
great newspapers of Chicago, the
Tribune and the Daily News-the for
mer Republican, the latter independ-
ent-are fighting Smith tooth and nail.
The most important down-State Re-
publican newspaper, the Bloomington
is opposing him.
1t Is the slush fund that inspires
all this enmity to what is charac
terized by the Chicago Daily News
as "a candidacy Of disgrace" The
News not only belabors Smith for &C.
ceptance Of "lavish public utility do
but berates the Anti-Saloon
League Of Illinois as his greasy
The Magill support
ers, especially the church drys, are
bitterly angry with Wayne B. Wheeler
for suggesting that sensible" voters
will support Smith because "he is
a dry candidate who can win" and
not waste their votes on "a dry candi
date who Is bound to lose"
The muddled conditions which the
slush fund and prohibition issues have
churned up naturally fill the Brennan
camp with gleeful hope. The Demo
Gratis say Brennan will sweep Cook
County by anywhere from 100000 to
$50 900 plurality. They reckon that
Magill will cut into Smith so f1ercely
that the regular Republican nominee
cannot possibly reach Chicago from
doWnstate with enough votes to over.
come Brennan's lead. The Democrats
frankly pin their faith on Brennan s
wetness. They count not only upon
their own full party vote, but on enor
nous accessions Of wet Republican
Brennan Is In no position
to assail Smith on the sldsh-fund prop
osition, as he himself was public
utility primary beneficiary to the ex
tent Of a paltry $4,000. Nor is that
apparently doing Bren
nan any harm. The theory seems tC
be that Smiths $287.000 reduces Bren
mans $4,000 to such insignificance
that 1t is unworthy Of consideration
in this great moral issue" battle in
Illinois.
Klan Vote Will Count.
Brennan is certain not only to lose
numerous Democratic dry votes down.
State, but also in the same region
will be bitterly opposed by the Ku
Klux Klan. AS Smiths wife, like
Brennan is Roman Catholic, GER
tain Protestant groups in rural Hi
nois probably will go to swell the
Magill anti-Smith protest vote. But
Brennans people think Republican
vets will far more than offset defec
tions from him on the part Of anti
Catholics and Democratic drys. The
religious issue Is not being stressed
but the facts are known, and they
will determine the action OF q con
siderable body of voters.
The independent opposition to Smith
is hammering home the probability
that If elected he will not be allowed
to retain his seat. His defeat is there
fore urged not only on the ground o.
his ineligibility, but because, if elect
ed and unseated, Gov. Len Small will
appoint Smiths successor. That pros
pect appears to strike many Illinoi.
Republicans as hardly less revolving
than the prospects of a Smith sena
torship. It conjures up the possibility
that either big Bill" Thompson, for
mer mayor of Chicago. or Fred Lun
din, one.time Thompson boss, will b,
sent to Washington to adorn thu
limited States Senate. It Is one o.