Evening star., 1928-08-24
GOV. SMITH HOLDS
EDGE IN NEW YORK
STATE AT PRESENT
But Election Is Two Months
Away and Republicans
Are Active.
HARMONY SEEN VITAL
TO G. 0. p. CAMPAIGN
Democrats Confident, Pointing to
Nominees Past Victories.
Womens Vote Sought.
BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.
Stan Correspondent Of The Star

BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.
stan Correspondent Of The Star
ALBANY, August 24.--Goy, Alfred Z,
! Smith has the edge in New York State
today. The election. however, is more
than two months in the future and the
situation may change. The campaign
is still in its infancy. But one thing
appears certain--the Republicans must
| get down TO brass tacks, must stop bick-
ering among themselves and get some
team work If they are to carry the
Empire State against the favorite son
candidate.
Smith has behind him today strong
Democratic organization, an organiza-
ton which is capable, in New York
City particularly, of functioning with
100 per cent regularity. He has a
! great personal following. which includes
many Republicans as we'll as Democrats.
He has picked as the main issue In the
campaign the modification of the dry
laws, and New York is wet" State,
no matter what may be said of the
Nation as whole.
In his speech of acceptance Gov.
/ Smith has gone far along the path to
allay the fears OF the business men
! with his assertion that he does not
mean to tamper too much with the pro-
tective tariff. He has aligned with him
! in this campaign some of the principal
figures In big business, among them his
campaign manager, John ]. Raskob.
State Is Vital.
| 1t seems obvious that If Smith cam
not carry New York State, he has
| about as much chance as jack rabbit
to be elected President. He may carry
| the Empire State with its As electoral
| votes and still lose. but Ii is essential
that he carry his home State. Not
| little of his campaign is being built
| around the idea.
| IF the Republicans of New York can
| turn the trick and take New York this
| November, the election of Herbert
Hoover, their presidential candidate. Is
| as certain as anything In politics can
+, be. So far, however. there has not been
| a great deal upon which to base hopes
of Republican victory In the State. The
death Of the State chairman. George
| Morris, has added further to the dis
organization Of the Republican forces.
| Mr., Morris was popular. He was reg
ular" and member Of the organization
! in good standing But he had been fa-
| vorable to the nomination of Mr.. Hoo
| yer even before the Kansas City con-
/ nj
organization, however, who appear more
anxious to keep their grip and control
| Of the organization than they are to
| boost the chances of victory for the
national ticket at the polls this year.
| They win fight hard to win the govern
orshlp, however
Today new State chairman Is to
be picked In New York. Instead of
| turning to former Representative Will
liam H. Hill, one of the original Hoover
leaders In the State, the organization
still dominated by Charles D. Hilles.
national committeeman; former Senator
Wadsworth and others, is prepared to
select H. Edmund Machold While some
Hoover leaders in New York have been
inclined to fight. Mr. Hill has taken
the lead in saying that this is no time
for an intraparty fight and that Mr..
Machold should have the chairmanship
II 1t will tend to bring about harmony.
Eitinge Mentioned.
There Is some discussion of a COM
promise candidate. and the names of
Philip Eltinge, collector of the port Of
New York; George w Greene, Albany
County chairman and Edward Schoen-
eek OF Syracuse have been mentioned.
But Mr.. Greene. for example is quite
prepared to go along with the election
of Mr.. Machold and regards him as well
qualified for the Job
Many Republicans, apparently con-
tenting themselves with saying that In
| o presidential year lit Is different" that
thousands OF voters who do not go to
! the polls In an Off year election will
cast their ballots for the q, o. p.
nominee. are expecting the Republican
national ticket 10 go through success
fully. But 1t may be different in a
way they do not expect. Tammany has
not always been so heart and soul In a
national campaign as 1t Is In this one,
Not In years has Democratic nominee
for President been chosen who Is the
kind of man who appeals TO the Demo-
Gratis of New York and other Northern
| States AZ does Gov Smith.
President Coolidge In New York State
| In 1924 received about 864. 900 more
| votes than did John w, Davis, Demo
cratic candidate for President. But
Gov. Smith, running for governor against
Theodore Roosevelt jr,, received approx
imately 10000 more votes than did
Davis although he only defeated his
| Republican opponent by 100000 votes
In that year Smith polled 936,94l votes
| In New York City, and Roosevelt only
, 4l7975 In other words. he had lead
! over Roosevelt In the city Of ala,966
| votes II he can approximate such a
! majority over Hoover in New York City
this Fail. the Republicans will have
| terrible job overcoming II out III the
| State
J Furthermore, the upstate vote which
! In the past has been largely rural, Is no
! longer so rural The cities upstate are
| growing and they have the same tend
encies as the City OF New York. and
| Smith appeals To their citizens as he
| does To the citizens OF the metropolis.
Defeated Ogden Mills.
TWO years ago Gov Smith ran against
Ogden Mills, now Undersecretary OF the
| Treasury and formerly a member OF the
House He beat Mr. Mills by 3aT.47B
votes His lead over Mills In the city
| that year was about 4a4 900 votes Even
when Smith WAS defeated for governor
| In 1920, In the Harding landslide he ran
! 1000 votes ahead OF his ticket and
| lost to his opponent, Nathan Miller. by
| only "a 900 votes. These are records
which his Republican opponents cannot
| afford 10 ignore, even though New York
has gone Republican In presidential
elections since 1902, the last Cleveland
election except IN 1912 when Wilson
lconlipusd on Pag42. Column 81 !.