Evening star., 1936-09-24

insist is for Roosevelt.
There are about $4,000 families on
relief and something around s50. .000.- =
600 has been spent on direct relief,
though the total spent in the State by
Federal agencies is in the neighbor-
hood Of $29o, 900 900 in the last three
years.
100000 Relief Votes.
II We figure two voters to family
there are 100000 votes involved in the
relief vote. But some of this must
have been Democratic before, possibly
so per cent, since that was the ratio
OF Democratic to Republican in the
State in previous elections. So, If 40
900 Republicans are now on relief, and
his poll. that 80 per cent Of the relief
vote will be for Roosevelt, then 80 per
cent Of the 10000 would mean 1000
added from relief sources to the nor
NAL Democratic vote. It would be
enough to swing the State to Roosevelt,
provided there were no corresponding
defections from Roosevelt to Landon
among the self supporting citizens
In the last election Mr.. Roosevelt
won by about $4,000. 50 1t Is obvious
that both Republicans and Democrats
are expecting q greatly reduced vote
for Mr.. Roosevelt
Just why the relief vote should d.
vide this year any differently from
any other group of voters is not diff
cult to understand II there Is to be
active campaigning among tte relief
workers and If they are to be advised
that the money being rendered them
came out OF Democratic pocketbooks
only.
As . matter Of fact, relief money
comes out of the Federal Treasury, and
II 1t were possible to get The political
Affiliations Of the income taxpayers Of
this country, 1t might be found that
there are more Republicans than
Democrats among them.
Certainly it would be discovered
that the economic royalists" pay fat
sums into the Federal Treasury, and
most Of these economic royalists" are
supposed to be Republicans. So the
income tax receipts which are being
used for relief come out Of Republican
pocketbooks as much if not more than
out Of Democratic. and, strictly speak
ing, the relief workers might be thank
full to both, If voting Is to be based on
gratitude.
I found Sioux Falls a busy little
city. 1t taps . rich area and this
Sioux Valley doesn't look as If it had
been touched by drought conditions at
all. Indeed, 1t Is very unfortunate
that Eastern people have been given
by the New Dealers the idea that this
:. Is wholly land of distress, for It isn't,
except in certain stretches In the mid
die part Of the State.
Business Brisk.
The vast amount Of Federal money
poured into the State has produced
. sort Of prosperity which reflects
itself in increased bank clearings and
greatly increased postal receipts.
Some Of the business men In the re-
tail side are looking at the bulging
support Mr.. Roosevelt. This I have
found also In other Western States
where there has been a good deal Of
Federal spending. Next March, how
ever, when some of the same busi-
ness men are going to be making out
income returns on the new surplus
corporation tax, they will not be so
happy about the share they will be
permitted to retain.
The Democratic organization here
abouts s well knit and harmonious,
and If 1t succeeds in getting its vote
to the polls It's chances Of carrying
the State are better than even. The
Republican organization has plenty
Of enthusiasm but very little, If any,
money TO compete with the Federal
once holder organization and the
relief vote. The Republicans have an
outside chance Of carrying South Da-
kota II they can get the funds for the
intensive organisation work they have
ahead Of them. Meanwhile, If I had
20 predict on the basis Of today's
status, would not put this down as
yet ~ . Landon State but rs one in
which the Roosevelt forces have the
edge.
(copyright. 1850