Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-10-11
NEBRASKAS 5
VOTES CENTER
OF HARD FIGHT
Many Factors Contrib
ute to Importance
Of State In Drive
For u. s. President
BY BYRON PRICE
Associated Press Staff WRITER

ASSOCIATED Press Staff WRITER
OMAHA. Neb.. Oct. 1i.-LR)-Fa-
vored by the lavish attentions Of
both Of the great parties, Nebraska
has achieved a magnitude in the
presidential campaign out Of all
proportion to the eight votes allot-
ted her in the electoral college.
The many factors which contrib
uted to this sudden rise to politi-
cal .stardom have produced in Oc-
tober a situation as varied and col
orful IS an Indian summer land
scape. Both parties still claim the
advantage, and the republican lead
ers add a positive assurance that
Gov. Smiths popularity passed its
crest with his visit here three weeks
& and that the swing now is
steadily toward Hoover. This the
democrats do not concede.
Prohibition Debated
The struggle for Nebraska's favor
has been all inclusive. Almost ev-
cry issue in the whole campaign
budget of 1928 has been invoked by
n party or the other. The SPELL
binders have run the scale of farm
relief, prohibition. religion, Smiths
Tammany record. Hoover's war
time record, immigration, water
power and the tariff.
Being a farm state. Nebraska took
the farm relief issue to her heart
in the first aftermath of the ma
tional conventions and for a time
there was no concealment in the
anxious looks cast this way by the
Hoover managers. But being also a
dry state. by all available tests, the
hsne Hearth of the la,e William
Jennings Bryan began to reverber-
ate once again with 4 debate over
prohibition. The religious issue
took root in many communities, city
and country. but has been most talk
ed Of in its relation to the Ger
man vote. estimated by some as
comprising one-third OF the entire
electorate OF the state and including
in its ranks many German Luther
ant.
Norris Is Problem
Another spectacular factor has
been the attitude of Senator Geo.
Norris. n republican whose ~independ-
enee has been, more than once, a
thorn in the side OF the national
organization Of his party. Norris
IS looked upon as a leader among
the progressive" element, which
four years ago gave LaFoIlette I06,-
600 votes while Coolidge was poll
ing $4,000 and Davis 1877 ,00C. The
senator has said some compliment
airy things about Smiths western
speeches, but any democratic hope
that he would directly declare for
Smiths candidacy remains untitled.
Meantime. he is supporting Senator
Howell for reelection, and Howell
is supporting Hoover.
Nor is the progressive element
alone in this respect. Nearly every
group within the state is receiving
two kinds Of advise this year, not
from outsiders, but from within the
group itself.
Advice Mixed
For instance. the farmer. While
the Agricultural League of Ne
braska" was setting up here in Oma-
ha TO campaign for Smith and such
national farm leaders as Frank Muir
ply of Minnesota and George Peek
of Illinois. were asking for the de-
feat of Hoover, other conspicuous
figures in the western farm ~coterie
were r~allying to Hoover's support.
They include former Gov. Samuel
r. Mckelvie, publisher Of the Ne
braska Farmer. who opposed the
McNary-HauEen bill. and Mark
Woods who favored il. Gov. Adam
McMullin. also an advocate of the
equalization fee, has come out for
Hoover and is expected by some of
his friends to take the stump.
Likewise. the democratic drys.
Brother Charlie" Bryan, again a
candidate for governor. is out for
Smith while other democrats, in
GLIDING DR.. Jennie Callfas, until re-
Gently democratic committeewoman
for Nebraska, have organized for
Hoover.