Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-09-12
DEMS FACING
HARDBATTLE
FOR MIDWEST
Writer Says C. o. p.
Tradition i'm Ohio,
Indians and Illinois
Has Become Strong


COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. l2.-tP1=
As il looks toward November from
q background Of traditional republi-
canisms. the midwest presents seri-
Gus problems for those democrats
who hope to capture electoral votes
hereabouts for Smith and Robinson.
Although they still are spoken Of
as ncminally debatable, Ohio, Indi-
ana, and Understanding the north
from the Pennsylvania line 20 the
Eississippi-have been voting the re-
publican ticket for these many years
now in national elections, with al
most unbroken regularity and for the
most part by overwhelming maJori-
ties. BY long habit they have be-
come almost regular" as Maine or
Michigan. Furthermore their polit-
zeal antecedants coincide in man re-
spects with republican policies Of
1929. particularly in the matter Of
prohibition.
Denis Light on Claims
The whole situation Il quite dissim-
liar to that which colors political
calculations in the normally repub-
lican states Of the east. IL Is SO diff
ferent that whereas the democratic
national organization has made the
eastern group one Of its principal
detectives, IL has shown no partic-
ulnr haste about spending its money
and its efforts here in the midwest.
and has mentioned this section only
casually in its electoral claims
OF the three states, this particular
~ IS true Of Ohio. In Indiana and
Illinois special considerations, hav-
ing 10 do largely with the farm prob
lem and local political tangles, have
aroused hopes that may eventuate
in determined offensives for the DEM
ocratic national ticket. In Ohio the
democratic representations base their
prediction rather on the demonstrated
independence of the electorate. al
though in the past it has been the
republicans who have almost invar-
iably profited nationally by the in
clination Of Ohioans 20 split their
tickets.
Ohio IL Dry
Home Of a long succession Of re-
publican presidents. this state has
voted for but one democratic presi-
Dental nominee since Buchanan. Ii
is the native state of the anti-saloon
league, which still maintains its ma
tional headquarters at Westerville
and keeps careful vigil over local
politics. The country towns and even
q good percentage of the cities of
Ohio are dry territory. The state is
reckoned two-thirds industrial and
but one-third agricultural. In the
country sections McNary-Haugenism
is said never 10 have been the factor
IL is further west.
nmmMln~ all - ~ OH - w-L-I~
is overwhelmingly protestant. and al
though the religious issue has not
received the prominence given il
elsewhere in public political debate.
the leaders of both parties agree il
rs talked about throughout the state
by the voters themselves.
In their struggle to offset these
handicaps. democrats arc centering
their attentions on the cities, hoping
to make such sensational gains as "a
overturn the Hoover strength in the
country and land the state in the dem
ccratic column for Smith. where i
went in 1916. on a different set Of
issues. for Wilson.
Turn to Cleveland
II II to Cleveland, the countrv's
fifth largest city, that the democrats
took for their greatest gains. They
say they foresee a Smith plurality
Of 10000 or more in Cleveland. and
the republicans concede that the 90
ing there will not be so easy for
Hoover. The city has a very large
percentage OF voters Of foreign ex-
traction, who agree with the demo-
cratic nom nee on prohibition. and
who are mostly catholic. II likewise
has a large negro population and the
republication organization there ha,
been having trouble keeping its own
leaders in line.
Cincinnati. normally q republican
stronghold, has long counted the Ger
man element one OF the strongest ~
It's civic life, and is rated one Of the
wettest cities in the midwest. Col
umbus and Toledo likewise are nor
mally republican. but this year each
Of them is under the scrutiny Of 4
strong republican city organization. In
Columbus q moderation commit
tee has been organized by substan-
tial business men who are convinced
the prohibition law has not been a
complete success, but this committee
has made no plans thus far 70 par
ticipate in the 1928 campaign.