Evening star., 1938-10-11
The Political Mill
Farmer Discomfort at New Deal Threatens Defeat
of Gov. Murphy.

tape is causing many heartaches On
the farms.
The farmer, on the whole, Is
more conservative than the industrial
worker. He has . stake in the soil
and many Of the farmers own the land
they plant. With the farmers present
dstr,st of the New Deal farm program
has come also q distaste for the New
Deal attitude toward business, for the
coddling of labor, and for the huge
expenditures again undertaken by the
Government.
While the farmer is told that things
can be corrected. in part ut least, by
the imposition Of processing taxes on
wheat, cotton, and other crops, the
Republicans are spreading poisonous
propaganda that processing taxes will
greatly increase the prices Of food and
clothing to the consumers. They point
out that the processing taxes under the
old farm law, now defunct, were re-
flected in increased prices charged the
consumer, and predict that when sec-
retary Wallace has his way the con-
sumers will again be taxed through
increased prices.
Shift May Swing Election.
The New Dealers may not suffer 30
much from farm unrest in Michigan
as in some Of the other States In the
Middle West and the West. In this
State is q very large industrial popu-
lation. There are enough farmers,
however, to make it difficult for Gov.
Murphy to win reelection II those
farmers who abandoned the G. o. P.
return to their former allegiance.
Two years ago the Roosevelt leaders
brought Gov. Murphy back from the
Philippine Islands, where he had a lu-
crative job as the representative Of
this country, and pushed him into the
race for Governor. They were jittery
about the political situation in Mich
igan. He gave up an $4,000 ONCE
to run for Governor at 4 salary of
$4,000. The New Dealers apparently
did not know their own strength,
for President Roosevelt carried this
State with a huge plurality and Muir
ply was elected Governor by less than
$4,000 votes. Murphy himself believed
he would be defeated up to the very
day Of election and had reserved pas
sage for a return trip to the Philip
pines.
1t was clear that If Murphy did not
run again this year the Democrats
would have great difnculty finding an
other candidate anywhere near as
strong. So Murphy WAS handed a re-
nomination without opposition in the
primary The entire Democratic slate
Of 1896 was renominated, so far as
the State ticket is concerned.
Future = Question Mark.
II Gov. Murphy is reelected, what
will be his position two years hence?
Will he be asked to seek . third term,
or to help bolster President Roosevelt's
own third-term race Gf he makes
one), or will he himself become .
candidate for the presidential nomi-
1i0SAoAA vi WIG ASCAtSSlAkSf AtlJ
leaders here are not willing to 60 80
far in their forecasts. Some OF them
point to out that Gov. Murphy is q
Catholic and. remembering what hap
pened to Al Smith In 1928. shake their
heads over his availability for the
presidential nomination. Indeed there
are those who say privately today that
his membership in the church Is hurt
ing him in some parts Of Michigan in
his present campaign. There has been
no religious issue openly raised. how
ever. The Republicans insist they will
not raise it.
OF all the New Deal possibilities for
the presidential nomination in 1910
provided President Roosevelt himself
Is not q candidate - Gov. Murphy
seems to fill the bill more perfectly
than any other. He not only thinks
as the present President, but he has a
most persuasive manner Of speech. and
he would have the following Of labor
as no other candidate. except the Pres
ident, would have 1t.