The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-11-05
SMITH
FINAL APPEALS
LEFT TO RADIO
Religious Issue Has Provided
Campaign With Most Bitter
Ingredients
PROHIBITION ROLLS DRIVE
Tariff, Prosperity, Farm Re-
lief, Water Power, Immigra.
tiOn Other Issues
BY BYRON PRICE

BY BYRON PRICE
(Associated Press Staff Writer)
In quieter mood after weeks Of
agitation and uncertainty, the nation
is taking final counsel today over
its choice of new leadership in to-
morrow's general election.
The long parade is almost ended.
Its greater and lesser figures have
turned homeward. leaving in the lap
of the voter the tangled threads Of
an epochal campaign. The un-
tangling of the complex impulses Of
class, race and religion remains for
the more orderly processes Of the
ballot box.
The final words Of the nationwide
debate fall to the two men upon
whom its responsibilities have rested
most heavily. From his home at
Palo Alto, Calf, after his trip
across the continent from Washing
ton. Mr.. Hoover will speak over the
radio tonight to the nations millions
Of voters. Two such addresses were
decided on by Governor Smith,
MONDAY talk today to the farm
country, and q valcdictory tonight.
both delivered from q radio studio
in New York City.
Otherwise, the day was set aside
as a final breathing spell for can
didates, political workers and voters,
disturbed only by the rcpercussions
which are peculiar to the day before
election. These included last minute
arguments here and there over regis
tration and the policing Of polling
places, and the usual outpouring Of
predictions of overwhelming victory
on both sides.
State Election Activity
In q few places activity continued
among contestants for congressional,
state and local office; for, besides
choosing q new president Ind vice
president, the country will elect to-
morrow the full membership of the
house Of representatives, 81 SEN
ators, 81 governors, legislatures in
many states, and . host of city,
county and township officials.
The issues Of the national contest
remain, at the end Of the campaign,
a patchwork Of striking contradic-
tions. The Associated Press has
asked hundreds Of political leaders.
editors, and prominent men and
women in business and professional
life, distributed through all Of tho
states, for information as to the
topics Of campaign discussion which
have been most prominent in their
particular localities. The results Of
this survey, summarized below, show
how the issues have cut across party
lines, and across one another.
This summary does not purport to
list all of the issues discussed. or
to name them in the order Of their
importance.
Religion
Whatever its relative rank in
terms of votes, the religious issue
has provided the campaign with its
most bitter ingredients. Every state
in the union has debated it, some
times to the accompaniment Of egg
barrages and legal proceedings. It
has been talked Of most openly in
the south.
Democratic leaders repeatedly
have charged that religion was the
real force behind the southern bolt
from Smith. The Republican nation
al organization has repeatedly de-
MED raising the issue against Gov
ernor Smiths Catholicism, and has
charged that the Democrats sought
to belittle the Quaker faith Of Mr..
Hoover. These exchanges arc con-
tinuing up to the final hour Of the
campaign.
It is conceded that the issue has
had special weight among German
and scandinavian Lutherans in some
sections Of the midwest and north
west, who might reasonably be ex-
pected otherwise to vote for Smith.
Prohibition
Conspicuous for the first time In
q presidential campaign, the pro-
hibition issue is credited by political
leaders Of both parties with having
turned many votes out Of their nor
NAL channels. Governor Smiths
modification plan, upon which he has
eentered increasing emphasis in re-
cent weeks, has been persistently at-
tackled by prominent Republicans
and by many ministers Of the gos-
pei, and was described by Mr.. Hoover
himself as tending toward state So
cialism.
Tariff and Prosperity
From the beginning Republican
orators have made the tariff and
Coolidge prosperity" = keynote Of
their campaign. They have told tho
business man, big and little, that =
Democratic victory would upset III.
dustrial stability. The tariff has
been invoked as q bulwark for the
western farmer and rancher and .
guarantee Of steady employment for
the eastern factory worker.
On the other side. the bid Of O.
e-nor Smith and Chairman RaSk65
for the universal confidence q tn
business world has been one Of the
striking features Of the campaign.
Business, agriculture and labor hAvo
been told that under the Denfpcrafie
tariff plank q 1o28, and the polieioe
Of the nomi nothing nsad -
feared from = Democrats admln-
istration.
FaRm Roliaf
Although submerged 81 most 80
tions by other confederation, ~
farm problem has reeGlved eoaoiakt
attention II most q ~ n1t