Imperial Valley press., 1928-11-06
Country Marches
To Voting Booths
(Continued From Page y

!
The election picture today of this
uomcndous nation, with its millions
choosing their next president, their
! next house of representatives. one
third of tla United States Senate,
81 state governors, MANY state legis-
laturcs and state and county off
cials, is n record breaker. Ii repre-
sens the rapid rise of the nation
from the first election in 1899, when
there was a popular vote for prcSi-
dent only in five states. Only per
sons with property or other special
qualifications then could vote. Penn
sylvania east total of less than
5000 votes in that election. There
are more than that many election
precincts in Pennsylvania now.
This wear New York City alone
will east nearly 100000 votes,
equal to half the total population Of
the United States at the first clcc
ton.
The presidential and vice prcsi
Dental candidates were to vote in
their respective homes today =
Hoover in the Women's club house
on the campus of Leland Stanford
University at Palo Alto. Calf;
Smith in n stationery store at 81
Ease 18th street, New York; Soma
tor Curtis in school house at To-
: pcka. kas., and senator Robinson in
a drug store at Little Rock, Ark.
Close Is quiet
The two presidential candidates
closed the campaign in unique
manner when they spoke to the ma
/ tional radio audience last night,
! Smith following from New York i'm
mcdiately after Hoover spoke from
! the opposite side of the continent.
I It was quiet fireSide finish to
the campaign. with the two candi-
dates speaking not to noisy crowds
but through microphones into the
/ homes of millions of voters.
/ Indications are that tonight how
/ ever will witness one of the gaycst
/ election celebrations since prohibi-
( ton dulled this form of American
/ entertainment. Hotels here for the
/ first time since federal prohibition
have made elaborate preparations for
| election parties. And unless federal
| officers prevent, there probably will
! be some violations of Il well-known
( act.
Voting began with betting odds
! here , to | on Hoover. Democrats
/ recalled however that in 1916 bet
ting was 6 to l that Hughes would
win. Campaign managers on each
side have been claiming victory by
[ 100 electoral votes. Straw votes
! have leaned in Hoover's favor.
Political correspondents who have
! toured the country generally feel
there is II large element of doubt in
/ the election although most give
! Hoover an advantage.
Intense feeling aroused during the
campaign will be reflected at the
! polls today in many places. Unusual
precautions are being taken in many
/ localities against disorders and at
/ tempted frauds. Federal Officers
( viii be present in New Jersey. The
striking off of 10000 names from
voting lists in Democratic counties
there has provoked much feeling al
though it is expected many of these
will be permitted to vote. Some
200 special deputies will be on
hand.
In NeW York $500 police and spe-
cial deputies have been assigned to
guard the 1000 polling places. EX-
ira precaution win be taken in many
other places. In thousands of south
crn precincts where Republicans
never before have been represented
at the polls they will have workers
on hand Both candidates will poll
heavy votes in all southern states.
Three large unknown factors give
this election a greater element of
doubt than any since 1916 when 1t
was not known for many hours
whether Wilson or Hughes had been
elected The greatest clement Of un
certainty arises from the tremcn
dously increased registration. 1t
amounted to % per cent in Boston
and 30 per cent for Massachusetts
as a whole. In Kansas, for instance,
women cquallcd men in some pre-
cincts. In some places, women out
numbered men in registrations. New
York city has an increased registra
tion Of roughly 500 900 or 33 per
cent Of the former registration.
\ second element Of doubt is the
uncertainty as to how many wet
Republicans will vote with Cover
nor Smith because Of liquor and how
many dry Democrats will bolt him.
Party fences have been trampled
this year but nobody knows just
which way the net balance will go.
\ third element is the religious
feeling. 1t is the hardest Of all ele-
mcnts to estimate because 50 many
are reluctant to discuss it openly.
Politicians agree Smith will lose
many votes among those with strong
Catholic feeling. If he loses
Maryland it will be due to the re-
ligious feeling Of Democrats in the
eastern shore counties. His diff
cultics in the south are partly trace
able to this element. On the other
hand Smith may gain Republican
votes in states like New Mexico
! whore half Of the vote is composed
q I