The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-06-20
BY LYLE G. WILSON
United Press Stan COrresnondenl

United Press stan Correspondent
CHICKASHA, Okla, June 90
The business situation, particularly
as it affects the farmers, is the i'm
portant campaign issue in this sec
ton Of Oklahoma.
Prohibition is considered of sec
ondary Importance. The proprietor
Of q barber shop and the towns
biggest business men are in sub
stantial agreement on those points.
They found no solace in the Re-
publican platform, although that
may be natural, as Chickasha, with
the exception of 1928, always has
voted Democratic.
One of the Farmer brothers, pro-
prietors of a three-chair shop on
North Third street here, passed
judgment on the Republicans for
the benefit of the correspondent.
MY name is Farmer" said Mr..
Farmer. MY brother Tom and 1
run the shop.
Farmer suggested that perhaps
the depression was more important
than prohibition.
III tell you what" he said. 81
don't know anybody in this town
that really is making money"
Farmer Bros three-chair shop
was idle at the time, although it
was a good shop, and its service a
bargain-evidently nothing over Is
cents.
L. C. Hutson spoke for bigger
business, in fact one of the biggest
businesses in town. Mr.. Hutson
runs the Indianhoma Ginning
Company and is associated with R.
K. Wooten, whose handsome, new
seven-story Oklahoma National
Bank building dominates Chicka-
shas main street.
THE weakest thing about the Re-
publican PLATFORM Hutson said,
was its farm plank, and its stand
on the farm board. We don't like
the farm board in this country.
Those SURPRISES they've accumulated
have paralyzed commodity markets.
Cotton men don't figure any
more on weather, the weevil or
southern crops. They frye to guess
what the farm board is going to do
with all that cotton.
The Democrats, both national
parties, should pledge the farm
board to a regular marketing meth
cd, say over period of five years,
as suggested in bill introduced by
Senator Gore"
Still Against Smith
mo, there isn't much interest in
prohibition out here" Hutson con-
tinued. 1--WE are interested in eco
Monies, but the people here got the
idea that the Republicans straddled
on prohibition"
Chickasha was carried by Presi-
dent Hoover in 1928 against Cover
nor Alfred E. Smith. 1t normally
is Democratic.
Many of its citizens attribute the
1928 vote to religious prejudice, and
predict it would be repeated this
year if Smith were nominated,
though on a smaller scale.
Despite Mr.. Wooton's bank, and
his Chickasha Cotton Oil Company,
and the unquestionably large pro-
duce of the surrounding country
side, one responsible business man
said he thought Grady county's
largest industry was distilling boot
leg liquor.
He believes few farmers in the
vicinity are not involved in the
ring in some way. They do not
retail. Their wholesale product
goes as far as Kansas City. After
a year in key it is pronounced
good in these parts.
This man said bootleg liquor is
a certain cash product, and that
hard times had driven many
farmers to it. Oklahoma City,
Tulsa and Wichita are good Gus
toners.
But Chickasha, nevertheless, is
not much interested in prohibition.
Depression Is Issue
Depression is the issue in Grady
and adjacent counties, barring re-
nomination of Governor Alfred E
Smith or some unthought of COM
promise candidate.
There is Scant evidence that
Chickasha takes very seriously the
presidential candidacy of Governor
William H. (Alfalfa BilD Murray
In this part of the state Governor
Franklin d. Roosevelt of New York
seems to have the edge, with New
ton D. Baker of Ohio and Harry
Flood Byrd of Virginia next. Few
persons have heard of Governor
Albert c. Ritchie.
Folks here probably would vote
gladly for Speaker John N. Garner
who would be Jack" and readily
understandable in these vast plains.
What the depression has done to
Chickasha is evident on the main
street.
In one block, there are six va
cant. yawning, depressing store
fronts