Evening star., 1932-09-18
ROOSEVELT'S TOUR
HELD |LL-ADV|SED
Previous Western Trips That
Ended in Failure for Can
+ didates Recalled.
BY WALTER TRUMBULL.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

BY WALTER TRUMBULL.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, September II (N.A.N.AD
Some political wiseacres, including
membcS of his own party, question the
wisdom of Gov. Roosevelt's trip to the
coast and back, in which h., will visit
IA States. Such political journeys in
search of votes on the part of presl-
Dental candidate always are uncertain
in their effect and sometimes have
ended in disaster.
The best known Pacific Coast tours
of this type were taken by Charles
Evans Hughes in 1916 and James M.
Cox in 1920. Hughes was defeated by
Wilson and Cox by Harding. If Gov.
Roosevelt is elected he will be the first
candidate to win after such political
trip.
Woodrow Wilson's election in 1912
was due directly to the split between
Taft and Roosevelt. In 1916 the Re-
publican party was again reunited and
Hughes, when he began his Western
tour on August S, looked highly prob
able winner To this day 1t is con-
sidered that he lost the election by
that journey.
Johnson Snub Fatal.
On August 8 Hughes spoke in Chi
cago, August 13 in Spokane and Au-
gust 18 he landed in San Francisco
and trouble. The vital point in ques-
ton between the progressives and the
old guard Republicans was the indorSe-
ment of Hiram johnson for Governor.
Hughes made speech in which he
promised neutrality. but two days later
he went to Los Angeles, stayed at the
same hotel with Johnson and failed to
see him. Californians hotly resented
this and the State went for Wilson, and
elected him in close vote.
Other States which Hughes lost to
Wilson, but which have gone Repub-
lican in every later presidential vote,
were Arizona. Colorado, Kansas. Mon
tana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Washing
ton and Utah. These, with California,
are nine of the States on Gov. Roose-
velt's present schedule. Tthe others are
Oregon, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and
Wisconsin.
On September 7. 1916. Frank Hitch
cock and George Perkins went out to
Oyster Bay and persuaded Theodore
Roosevelt to take the stump in the
West in an effort to undo the mis-
while he consented it didn't bring
California back to the fold.
James M. Cox set out on his West
ern vote-getting tour. in 1920. on Sep
tember 2, almost month later than
Hughes started, and 10 days earlier
than Gov. Roosevelt. There probably
never was a more continuous political
His trip called for a visit to % States
10 inn
speeches in Ohio alone. He spoke in
Pittsburgh into then new amplifier.
supposed to be capable of carrying his
voice to crowd of 100000 listeners,
II that many enthusiasts came to listen.
Gov. Cox talked his way through the
country until he reached Portland,
Oreg There he had to pause to have
his throat treated. But he was making
speeches in San Francisco two days
later. He went to Los Angeles, to San
Diego, and then started back and spoke
in Albuquerque, in Omaha through
Missouri and Kansas. It was a noble
effort, but Warren G. Harding won the
election.
Davis Trip Cut Short.
John w. Davis, when the Democrats
selected him in 1924 on the 103d ballot
to run against Calvin Coolidge, started
on a Western tour but never got be-
yond such places as Estes Park, Colo
and Cheyenne, Wyo. 1t was rumored
that somewhere near those points the
campaign funds began to run low
The former Ambassador Travelled in a
special Pullman car equipped with
sound devices.
Former Gov. Smith, running against
Herbert Hoover, in 1928, also started
West. On September 10 of that year
he spoke at Omaha, and then at Okla
homa City, where big radio hook-up
was arranged. In Helena. he tossed
his brown derby to Mrs. Rathburn, and
1t probably is still an object of art
somewhere In Montana. 1t also was in
Helena that Gov. Smith was adopted by
a tribe of Indians. He did not go on
to the Coast, but returned by way Of
Butte, and when he got back as far
East as Milwaukee, received reception
which stands high in the history of
ovations. Perhaps Gov. Roosevelt. too,
will come back without his hat and as
brother Indian.
The modern presidential campaign
dates from 1928, whe nAndrew Jackson,
the Democratic nominee, went to New
Orleans to make a speech and celebrate
the anniversary of the battle he won
there in 1915. From the time Of jack
son the political cartoon also dates,
together with such nickHame5 as "Old
Hickory and such slogans as ITO the
victor belongs the spoils."
Blaine Makes Trip West.
William Henry Harrison also waged
a colorful campaign in 1S40. but the
first real political Western trip by a
candidate was made by James G.
Blaine when he ran against Grover
Cleveland in 1884. This trip was started
when, on September 81, he went West
as far as Newark and he never did get
further toward the setting sun than
Ohio.
California was not admitted to the
Union until 1850, Oregon in 1859 and
Washington in 1889, so old-time candi-
dates didn't worry unduly about the
Pacific Coast They were concerned
with carrying the East and South
Stephen A. Douglas did some extensive
campaigning when he ran against Abra-
ham Lincoln in 1860. He spoke at Hart.
ford, Troy, Boston Concord, Burling-
ton, Bangor, Rocky Point, Syracuse
Lexington, Petersburg, Rochester, Nor
folk and New Orleans. Lincoln came
twice to New York to speak at gather.
ings with Hamlin, who was running
for Vice President.
James A. Garfield, in 1880. spoke
mostly at soldiers reunions, addressing
the Army of the Cumberland, the 42C
Ohio and other military bodies. Will
liam Jennings Bryan was prolific
campaigner. When, in 1896, he wa!
nominated to run against William Nc.
Kinley because Of his refusal to permit
the working man to suffer the cross OF
gold and the crown of thorns, he made
an Eastern and Southern tour anc
wound up his speech-making in tht
Middle west. In 1900 Bryan again rar
against Mckinley and his speech making
included Missouri, Kansas, Ohio, Hi