The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-25
KEEPING UP
With
THE NE WIS
BY LUDWELL DENNY

WTAsHINGTON, Sept, 25'-Re-
Wv publican campaign managers
quietly are rejoicing over the failure
of AL Smith on his western tour to
induce influential, Progressive lead
ers to bolt the Republican ticket.
This failure probably ends Smiths
chances Of breaking into the middle
western and western electoral
column in a big way, they think.
La Toilette and the Independent
Progressives in the 1924 election
polled more than 100000 votes. If
Smith could capture this year that
La Toilette vote, and hold the Davis.
Democratic vote, which he will have
no difficulty in doing, he would
take away Hoover fourteen States,
representing 112 electoral votes.
Obviously this La Toilette" vote
represents the balance of power as
between Hoover and Smith. This is
the vote which Smith hopes to win
by his advocacy at Omaha of the
NIcNary- Haugen principle Of farm
relief.
The fact that such Republican
Progressives as Senators Nye and
Brookhart, despite their pre-con-
vention opposition to Hoover, have
not bolted has been most encourage
ing to the party.
n
DUT the two progressive Republic,
ID can leaders with most influence
over the electorate are Senator Nor
ris of Nebraska end Senator Young
Bob" La Toilette of Wisconsin. The
silence of these leaders has put
dread into the hearts of the Repub-
lican managers.
There has been the constant fear
that, if Smith declared for McNary-
Iaugenism and for Government
ownership and control of sources
of hydro-electriC power, Norris and
La Toilette would swing to Smith.
Though that danger is not en-
tirely past, 1t now appears to be
much more remote.
For Norris after studying Smiths
giant power speech of last Saturday
at Denver has praised it, without,
however, declaring for Smith for
President. La Toilette has not
spoken, but since he is very close to
Norris, with whom he recently con-
ferred, it is assumed that his posi-
ton virtually is the same.
To some it may seem that Norris
and La Follette's luke warm and
negative attitude toward Hoover is
a Smith victory. But neutral observ-
ers are inclined to agree with the
Republican managers that nothing
short Of open support of Smith by
these two progressive leaders can
swing the bulk of the 1924 La Fol-
lette vote to Smith.
La Follette's Progressive colleague.
Senator Blaine, who long has been
flirting with the Smith candidacy,
stated Monday in Wisconsin that
he neither would support nor vote
for Hoover.
Without directly urging his con-
stituents to votes for Smith, he said
no Republican owes any political al
legiance to Hoover, who was a part
of the Wilson administration and al
legedly a candidate for the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination.
Blaine's stand admittedly will
have some effect in Wisconsin,
which is counted a doubtful State
this year. But his influence is ~,
no sense comparable to that of Nor
ris or La Toilette either in Wiscon-
sin or in other States
II
I'm addition to Wisconsin, which
i La Toilette carried four years
ago, the States carried by Coolidge
in which the combined Progressive
and Democratic votes exceeded the
Republican we're:
Arizona, 8; Idaho, 4; Kentucky,
10; Maryland, 8; Missouri 10; Mon
tana, 4; Nebraska, 8; Nevada, 3;
New Mexico, 3; North Dakota, 5;
South Dakota, 5; Utah, 4; West
Virginia, 8.
In the absence of a national Pro-
gressive ticket this year, which he
repeatedly has refused to head, Nor
ris has decided that the only eff
fective strategy is to work for the
election of individual Republican
and Democratic Senators and Rep
resenatives who are Progressive. To
do this, he almost is obliged to re-
main neutral as between the presi-
Dental candidates.
If he were to support Smith he
would injure the reelection chances
Of his friends, the Republican Pro-
grcssives: Howell Of Nebraska and
Frazier of North Dakota. La Fol-
lette of Wisconsin and Johnson of
California probably would be elected
in either case.
Norris is also campaigning for re-
election of Shipstead, Minnesota
Farmer Laborite, and of the Demo-
Gratis, Dill of Washington and
Wheeler of Montana.