Evening star., 1943-10-24
BY GOULD LINCOLN,

LOUISVILLE, KY, Oct. 23.-On
form and past performance, the
Democrats should win the Kentucky
gubernatorial election in this State,
famous for its horse races.
Other elements enter this cam
paign, however, which cast some
doubt on the outcome. No one knows:
First, how far the growing re-
sentiment, particularly among farm
ers and small businessmen, against
the New Deal administration in
Washington will cut into the Demo-
cratic vote,
Second, how far the absence of
225 900 young men in the armed
forces and of perhaps 100000 work.
ers who have left the State to
take jobs in war industries will affect
the result.
Third, how far the attacks of the
Republicans against the so-called
Democratic machine" and Demo-
cratic administration in Frankfort
will get them.
Below Normal Vote.
One thing appears certain-the
vote in this election will be far
below normal in size. Democrats
estimate that not more than 400 900
to 100000 votes will be cast on No.
vember 2, Election Day. The Re-
publicans are hopeful that 100000
will be the nearer figure. In the
last gubernatorial election, four
years ago, approximately $4,000
persons voted.
On form, the Democrats have the
better organization and they have
been working at it for weeks. The
Republicans were slow to get their
organization started. They have
factional troubles as well as the
Democrats. Also, they have been in
the dog house politically in this
State for years. The Democrats say
they will have workers in every
one of the States 4,200 election pre-
cincts on Election Day.
On past performance, the Demo-
Gratis have all the best of it. The
Republicans have elected only four
Governors OF Kentucky since the
party was first organized. The first
was w S. Taylor. in 1899. He served
only al days. There was a contest
over that election. Goebel, the
! Democratic candidate, was shot. and
Taylor, charged with conspiracy in
the shooting, fed to Indiana. The
second was Augustus E Wilson, who
served from 1907 to 1911. Edwin
P. Morrow was the third from 1919
to 1923, and Flem D. Sampson the
fourth and last, from 1927 to 1881.
Two "Quiet" Candidates.
The Democrats have named as
their candidate J. Lyter Donaldson
former commissioner Of highways. a
lawyer, banker and farmer. The
Republican white hope is Simeon
S. Willis, a former judge of the
Kentucky Court Of Appeals Both
are estimable gentlemen. Neither is
a ball Of fire as a campaigner
Neither has stirred the electorate tc
enthusiasm.
The campaign up TO the present
has been apathetic-or at least the
voters have been apathetic This
would seem TO favor the side with
the strongest organization. When
| there is light vote on election day,
the party organization which func-
tions best usually gets out the most
votes. What some Of the Democrats
fear-and the Republicans hope-is
that Democratic workers may haul
to the polls voters who deposit Re-
publican ballots
Republican chances yeSt in this
Democratic State-for it is normal
Democratic-on defections from the
Democratic candidate. Donaldson
was nominated after a rather bitter
primary campaign, receiving ap-
proximately 10000 votes to 10000
for his opponent, Ben Kilgore, OF
the Farm Bureau Federation. anc
Is 900 for Rhodes K. Myers, lieu
tenant governor.
Slipped Last Year.
Democratic Gov Keen johnson
was elected in 1899 with a lead of
$4,000 votes over his Republican op-
ponent. President Roosevelt carried
the State in 1910 over Wendell L.
Willkie by l47,000 votes. Last year.
however, the Democrats did not do
so well. Many of the people were
dissatisfied with the administration
OF war measures, and the Republi-
ncan trend in other States mani
tested itself in Kentucky. Senator
Chandler was reelected with a lead
OF $4,000 over a Republican oppo-
nent who made practically no cam
paign.
1t is charged here that the Chan
dler lead may have been in reality
not more than 10000; that thou
sands OF votes were stolen" partic-