New Britain herald., 1928-10-11
NEBRASKA fight
IS PECULIAR one
State Attains Greater Promi-
nence Than 8 Votes Warrant

Omaha Neb.. Oct. II P-Favor-
cd by the lavish attentions OF both
of the great parties, Nebraska has
achieved a magnitude in the presi-
Dental campaign out of all proper
ton to the eight votes allotted her
in the electoral college.
The many factors which contri-
buted to this sudden rise to poll
teal stardom have produced in Oc-
orful as an Indian summer land
scape. Both parties still claim the
advantage. and the republican lead
ers add positive assurance that
Gov. Smiths popularity passed its
crest with his visit here three weeks
steadily toward Hoover This the
democrats do not concede; they
cling to their predictions that Smith
will take the state from its accus-
toned place in the ranks of repub-
licanism.
The struggle for Nebraska's favor
has been all inclusive. Almost
every issue in the whole campaign
budget of 1928 has been invoked by
one 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. Appearances might
easily lead to the conclusion that
the parties had sought to try test
case before the voters of this one
state.
Being farm state Nebraska took
the farm relief issue 10 her heart
in the first aftermath of the nation
al conventions and for time there
was no concealment in the anxious
looks cast this way by the Hoover
managers. But being also dry
state, by all available tests. the
| home hearth OF the late William
Jennings Bryan began to reverbcr-
ate once again with a debate over
prohibition. The religious issue took
root in many communities. city and
country. but has been most talked
Of In its relation TO the German
vote. estimated by some as COM
prising one-third OF the entire cleo
torate of the state and including in
its ranks many German Lutherans.
Another speculative factor has
been the attitude of Senator George
Norris. republican whose indie
pcndence has been. more than once.
thorn in the side of the national
organization of his party. Norris is
looked upon as leader among the
progressive" element. which four
years ago gave La Toilette 1o6, 900
votes while Coolidge was polling
21S,0o0 and Davis $4,000. The
senator has said some compliment
tary things about Smiths western
speeches. but any democratic hope
that he would directly declare fer
Smiths candidacy remains unful-
filed. 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 advice this year. not
from outsiders, but from within the
group itself.
For instance. the farmer. While
the agriculture League OF Nebras-
ka' was setting up here in Omaha
to campaign for Smith and such ma
tional 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 cotcrin
were rallying to Hoover's support
They include former Gov. Samuel r
Mckelvie. publisher OF the Ne
braska Farmer. who opposed tn"
McNary-Haugen bill and Mark
Woods who favored it. Gov. Adam
McMulin. also an advocate of The
equalization fee. has come out for
Hoover and is expected by some o.
his friends to take the stump.
Likewise. the democratic dry
brother Charlie" Bryan. again
candidate for governor. is out f.