Evening star., 1928-10-23
Democrats Of One Mind.

Democrats Of One Mind.
The Democrats claim that they are
more wholly together in the present
campaign than they have been in
years They are working for Gov.
Smith, but 1t is apparent that theS
are straining every nerve to bring about
the election Of Daley. Up to the
present their greatest effort has been
to elect Daley. Gov Smiths visit to
the State, however, and the great DEM
onstration accorded him here, has given
them heart to work for the electoral
vote more vigorously than III the last
few weeks
Whats it all mean?" was the uues-
ton asked me by Charles A. Great
house, Democratic national committee
man and secretary of that committee,
referring To the enthusiasm with which
Gov. Smith was received in Indian
apolis, and also to the fact that many
Republicans have come to him and
said they intended to vote for Gov.
Smith.
1T means" he said. answering his
own question, that there is a real
chance for Gov. Smith to carry this
State"
When Gov Smith came to Indianapo-
lis Tor an hours visit Saturday crowd
variously estimate at $4,000, $4,000 and
100000 gathered in the great circular
space above the Civil War Monument
and gave the governor a wildly enthusi-
astic welcome. It was the greatest
demonstration seen in Indiana since the
visit OF Marche during the war. 1t is
said. The Democrats are telling them
selves this must mean something.
The fact of the matter is, however,
that Indiana in recent years has been
strongly Republican State So
strongly Republican that it would re-
quire, tremendous upheaval to turn
sufficient Republican voters to the DEM
ocratie cause to carry the State for
Smith
State Strongly Republican.
In 1924 President Coolidge carried
Indiana with a 100000 lead over the
combined vote for Davis and La Fol-
lette. Four years earlier Harding car
f1ed the State over Cox by 165, 900 votes
Hughes beat Wilson in 1915 by a few
thousand votes, and in 1912 Wilson was
the victor, though the combined vote
Of Taft and Roosevelt exceeded that
cast for Wilson
The Democrats are basing their
claims of victory in the national cam
paign on the dissatisfied farm vote, a
swing of the negro vote to Smith, a re-
turn OF the German-American vote to
the Democratic ranks and the support
OF Republican vets and Catholics In
Lake County, usually strongly Repub-
ncan district.
w. H. Settle, president of the Indiana
Farm Bureau Federation, who opposed
the nomination of Mr. Hoover has gone
over bag and baggage to the Smith
cause. The anti-Hoover farmers say
they are organized in 10 out of the 90
counties OF the State. But check k-ups
by special investigators, both Republi-
can and non-partiSan, indicate that
while many of the Democratic farmers
are rallying to the Smith cause, the Re-
publican farmers are standing firm for
the Republican ticket. 1t is likely, too,
that for every Republican farmer who
goes over to Smith there will be a dry
Democratic farmer who will cast his
Senator Jim" Watson, still the DOM
inant figure in Republican politics in
this State, has taken on his coat and
gone to work now for the Hoover Cur
tis ticket The Watson organization.
which is another way of saying the Re-
publican State organization, is working
for Hoover as well as for the State
ticket. Watson has made many speeches
for Hoover. In the Spring primary
Watson defeated Hoover for the preSi-
delegation to the Republican national
convention. The campaign then was
made against Mr.. Hoover on the ground
that he opposed the McNary- Haugen
farm bill and had been a consistent
supporter Of the administration in its
attitude toward the farm problem.
G. o. p. Wins Colored Voters.
Several weeks ago it looked very
\. ff.Fffy FNf a
culored voters would support Smith.
But there has been a shift back to Re-
publican lines on their part recently
and claims are now made with con-
siderable justification that half of these
voters. at least, will support the Hoo
ver-Curtis ticket, and possibly more.
All kinds of claims are made in regard
to the size of the colored vote in In
diana, some placing 1t as high as
10000. There Is no doubt but what
the loss of practically all the colored
vote would be a serious blow to the
Republicans. They lost good part of
IL in 1924, when jackson, the So-called
Klan candidate for governor, was run
ming.
The Ku Klux Khan has been thor
oughly discredited in this State and
none of the candidates are anxious to
tie up with that organization, openly
at least. Efforts have been made to re-
yive the Klan in some parts OF the
state. The Klan paper, the Fiery
Gross. has appeared again for an issue
or two. 1t was the Klan domination OF
the Republican party and adminlStra-
tion and the revelations of the extent
of that domination that helped to give
Indiana its black eye in the last lew
years. ne.
ID. C. Stephenson, now serving a life
sentence for the murder OF young
girl. was the Klan leader when the or
ganization was. at its height IN tniS
state. His word was law and pontl-
clans fell all over themselves for his
support in their campaigns. The story
of Klan control in the politics or Indl-
ana il one of the ugliest that has ever
sneared the annals of American polit-
ical history.
II was Stephenson's boast when ne
was in command that the Klan nae
more than 100000 members in Indi-
ana It was recruited largely as an
anti-Catholic organization, and while
the Klan has been discredited and It's
membership has fallen low, the sentl-
nlent which lay back of it has not
eYaporated.
Religious Issue Felt.
The so-called religious issue is max
ing itself felt in Indiana as in other
states. But Chairman Rogers Of the
Republican State committee insists
that his organization has given 1t nc
countenance; that he has told every
one 1t must not be encouraged. How
ever, both Democrats and Republicans
say that it will have its effect before
the campaign is over. Indiana has Its
. T~oo Qf