Evening star., 1934-11-01

Democrats, the G. o. P. leaders insist
For the time being, national and State
issues have been cast into the shade
by the skunk hunter issue. The Re
publicans, who were pretty gloomy
have taken ON a new lease of life.
They believe that Mr.. Troy is the
Burchard of the Democratic cam
paign in Rhode Island and that
skunk hunters" will go down in his
tory with the rum, romanism and
rebellion" remark of Burchard which
defeated James G. Blaine in the presi-
dental campaign in 1884.
The thing is psychological. 1t has
the Democrats worried, although the
edge still seems to remain with them
In the coming election. Peter Goelet
Gerry, former Senator, is the Demo-
cratic nominee for the Senate against
Senator Hebert Republican, who IS
seeking reelection. Gov Theodore F.
Green, candidate for reelection, is
his running mate at the head of the
Democratic ticket Both Gerry and
Green are wealthy yankees" Hebert,
the G. o. P. senatorial candidate. is
of French extraction, and Gen. Luke
H. Callan, the Republican nominee
for Governor, is an Irishman. There
are large groups of French Americans
and Irish Americans in the State.
Situation Changes Quickly.
Two months ago no one had the
slightest doubt that the Democratic
ticket would triumph in Rhode Island.
The Democrats had ironed out, or
were in the process of ironing out
their factional differences. Gerry
the "angel" of the Democratic ticket,
was relied upon, along with Green, to
furnish the necessary campaign funds.
The State had gone Democratic in
1882 by the almost unbelievable ma
jority of 10000, and there seemed no
particular reason to believe that the
Republicans could stage comeback
on November 6.
Today, due to the skunk hunters"
issue, to the fact that the New Deal
is showing less signs of popularity,
and to the fact that Gov. Green
had angered lot of the voters by
threatening to call for Federal troops
to handle the textile strike in Rhode
Island the picture has changed con-
siderably. The betting odds offered
by the gamblers, which strongly IA
vored the Democrats, have dropped
almost to even money. 1t is con-
fidently predicted that the Republi-
cans will re-elect majority OF the
State Senate. and Hebert and Callan
are believed to have a chance, if an
outside one, to win.
Smith Carried State.
In 1923 Al Smith carried Rhode
Island in the presidential race by a
meager 1900 votes. The religious is
sue helped Smith in this State. In
that same year Hebert, Republican,
defeated his present Democratic op-
ponent, Gerry. with lead of 1894.
BY a margin practically the same
Senator Metcalf, Republican, was re-
elected in 1880, and again the Demo-
cratic senatorial candidate was Gerry.
Gerry, who had served IN the Senate
in earlier Democratic days. has been
constantly knocking at the door in
his effort to be returned to Wash
ington.
Gerry. the Democratic leader of the
State supported Smiths presidential
candidacy in 1892, but turned in
later to work for Roosevelt after the
President had been nominated. 1t
was thought for a while that Gerry
was not wanted by the Roosevelt
Democrats in Washington, par
ticularly when there was talk
of Eddie Dowling, song and dance
specialist and friend of the PreSi-
dent. running for the Senate. Gerry
was ignored in the dispensation of
Federal patronage, which went
through the hands of Gov. Green
However, that is all water over the
dam and Gerry's candidacy is being
strongly advocated by the national
Democratic organization.
Gerry has had opposition in the
past from both Italian and Irish
American Democratic leaders in the
State. That, too, seems to have been
ironed out this year and the Demo-
Gratis are swinging along pretty we'll
together. Gerry is making the Roose-
welt New Deal his issue in the cam
paign and Hebert is ranged against
it. While former Gov. Flynn, Demo-
crat, is not showing any great en-
thusiaSm for Gerry or Green in this
campaign, he has pulled his punches.
Patrick H. Quinn, Tor many years
Democratic national committeeman,
who has had his fights with the Gerry
machine, is keeping quiet. His
nephew, Lieut. Gov. Robert E. Quinn,
Is on the ticket for reelection.
Gov. Green, rich, well born, a grad
uate of Brown University, a lawyer