Evening star., 1936-09-19


New Hampshire ,v,d ,.wr.n..
crease its Republican vote materially.
The primary vote showed signs OF ac-
tivity quite unusual for so early a Pc
riod. And the primary did not result
in any dissension that might mean
trouble for Landon. The defeat Of
Senator Moses was a great disappoint-
ment to his ardent followers, but his
strength was among the conservatives
who are going to vote for Landon any
how, whereas Gov. Bridges, who won
the senatorial nomination, is more
popular among the liberal or so-called
progressive elements in the party who
might be claSsed as independent vot-
ers. From this group the Landon
ticket may possibly gain votes that
would otherwise have gone with the
New Deal on the strictly progressive
issue.
Take Cue from Maine.
The Maine election had heartening
effect on the Republican workers in all
the New England States, but it was
bound to stimulate the neighboring
States and emphasize to Republicans
the Importance of getting out the rural
vote to offset the apparently strong
vote which the Democrats are getting
In the cities.
The States of Maine. New Hamp-
shire and Vermont pay good deal
into the Federal Treasury in income
taxes and there is inevitably in New
England a revulsion of feeling against
Government spending, especially the
boondoggling which has been so widely
described in the press.
1t is not surprising to find more dis
cussion therefore Of the fiscal issue in
Federal affairs than almost any other.
Before came to Concord, I visited
Rhode Island, which has all the ap-
pearance also of Republican State,
though the margin there is not likely
to be much more than 10000, or
thereabouts.
Taxes Trouble Rhode Island.
Rhode Island hes been showing its
antipathy to the New Deal in various
ways, particularly in the special con-
gressional election a year ago and in
a State wide vote on the spending OF
money for certain public works prof.
ects which the people did not seem
to want even though the Federal
Government was willing to foot nearly
half the bill with a subsidy.
The issue of taxation is becoming
more and more talked about in
Rhode Island Perhaps one of the
most interesting studies on taxation
is the one being completed by the
Providence Journal. 1t was instituted
by Sevellon Brown. managing editor
who arranged with several typical
families to let him see all their ex-
penditures for whole year so that
an analysis could be made of all the
hidden tax items.
The results which shortly will be
published ought to attract Nation
wide attention, for they show that
these families-not one of whom pays
direct Federal taxes through the So
called income tax method-does pay
a considerable sum in what are called
indirect taxes. In some instances
the tax amounts to almost 10 per cent
OF the total income of the families
studied
have the impression that we shall
hear an increasing amount of debate
on this which will extend far beyond
the election and may this year affect
not merely the top of the ticket now,
but some Of the congressional seats
Coughlin Draws Democrats.
Rhode Island, from an organization
standpoint Is hardly into its stride
on either the Republican or Demo-
cratic side. The Lemke- Coughlin
strength here is more largely among
the Democrats rather than the Re-
publicans and when the final ballot
ting is tailed it will be found that
Father Coughlin's talks will have
alienated from the New Deal side
many thousands of votes that might
otherwise have been cast for the
Roosevelt Administration.
Connecticut has hardly gotten 60
ing, either. OF all the New England
States, should say that Connecticut
Is the most doubtful. The Republicans
have not been too sure of carrying it
with figure beyond 10000, and that's
not a big majority for Connecticut.
though four years ago Mr.. Hoover
pulled through by less than 10000.
Gov. Landon Is concededly much
stronger in Connecticut than Mr..
Hoover was in 1892. There have been
signs of a Republican comeback in
various cities and towns that have
gone Republican since 1882. But it
must be borne In mind that Connecti-
cut has big industrial population in
which, following trends in other parts
Of the country, the New Deal would
naturally poll bigger vote than usual.
81 Business Fears Spending.
Much depends on whether the
Lemke- Coughlin managers succeed in
getting their candidates on the bal
lot. Inroads in the industrial vote
would be made by the Coughlin
speeches.
The business and manufacturing
interests are pretty solidly against the
Roosevelt administration on the
ground that present governmental
policies will inevitably lead to more
and more unsettlement and unemploy-
ment. The Democratic Governor,
Wilbur Cross, is extremely popular
and seems certain of reelection.
But on the whole the campaign in
New England, with the exception of
Maine. which always comes to q