The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-01-25
FIGURES IN 1928
FOUND S0LACE
BY DEMOCRATS
Republicans Handicapped in
State Office Races This
Year, View.
BY BEN STERN

Strategists of both major political
parties have taken the past per
Torrance records Of previous cam
paigns from dusty recesses in order
to figure out the magic formula
carrying hope Of victory.
The figures which are proving of
the greatest interest are those Of
the 1923 campaign when ny skilful
maneuvering Oh the part of his
managers. Bert Fuller and Bert
Morgan and the proyidential fact
that it was a national contest year,
Harry G. Leslie was elected Gov
ernor by a bare margin of $1,000
votes
without the aid Of a presidential
election. anC with the addition Of
many more specific charges OF
maladmin.stlalion which may be
used by the Democrats, the Repub-
hcans VIII enter the 1880 battle
badly handicapped.
More or Less Free
The Democrats. on the other
hand. through the fortunate, or
fortunate fact. of not occupying the
state offices, are more or less with
out official blemishes.
Democratic sTategiSts are en-
gagged busily in cataloging points
which they consider advisable for
use in the fall campaign.
Among these are: Lake county
corruption and law evasion, Iaxity
In the state police personnel, the
ENGAGEMENT OF Frank E. Wright,
father Of the bone dry law in
shady stock selling scheme, the
failure Of Filield to remove Wright
as securities commission auditor,
the bankrupt conditions Of state aid
schools and need for an inyestiga-
ton of the state insurance COM
mission.
The Republicans, by renominating
the incumbents of all posts except
that of the treasurer of state, will
present the same setup to the vot-
erS as was presented in 1928 and
thereby will labor under an obvious
handicap.
On the other hand. the Demo-
Gratis will have the edge in being
able to present an entirely new set
up, giving each section representa-
ton.
To a certain eXteNt, the vote of
1928 is a poor barometer to estimate
conditions for this year.
The candidacy of Hoover against
Smith obviously pulled Leslie under
the wire.
Yet Leslie polled we'll in counties
where he was expected to run sec
ond, as in Floyd county, normally
Democratic. which gave him a mar
gin of 900 votes over Frank Daley.
Harrison county was the same. Nor
mally Democratic, it gave Leslie 500
votes majority. Fulton county, or
dinarily divided. went for Leslie by
q slight majority, as did Dearborn
Won by IL Votes
Democratic Pike was won for Les
lie by eleven votes. A like event &C
CURED in Vigo county, normally
Democratic, which was carried by
thirty-one votes for Leslie.
There are numerous other such
instances.
The greater part of the credit
Is given to the Hoover influence,
but if there had not been skillful
management and much hard work
on the part of Bert Fuller and Bert
Morgan, Leslie would have made
even a poorer showing.
1t appears the success of the
G. o. P. ticket this year will depend
almost entirely upon the manage
ment of the campaign.
leslie did not receive the whole
hearted support of the state COM
mittee.
His resentment was evident imme-
diately after his Inauguration when
he showed it by Withholding patron
age favors.
The committee is not especially
warm toward some of those who
nav be renOmniated.
There will be no presidential race
TO help Dull candidates over in 1880,
SO that if the state committee rests
upon its oars. candidates will have
TO unite behind a MANAGER CAPABLE
Of accomplishing what to many OBJ
servers now appears to be the i'm
possible.