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Show As the Editor Sees It From the time I left Milford on my trip to eastern Ohio, through ten or a dozen states, I interviewed many men in many walks of life on the all-important question of politics. I say 'all-important' because it is my firm belief hat politics is the most important im-portant subject now before the American people. It involves many angles, such as farm legislation. I came near saying farm relief, but that might be wrong as there is a vast difference between farm relief and farm legislation; prohibition, League of Nations, the Mexican situation, situa-tion, national defense, tax reduction, child labor, the tariff, woman suffer-age, suffer-age, public ownership, the Boulder Dam, flood control and many other great questions. Ail of these questions ques-tions are involved in the political question. The main subject of the interview was, "Who is the most available candidate for president?" I started out with the firm belief that Smith was the overwhelming choice of the Democratic party and Hoover of the Republican party. I returned with a very much changed belief, especially as regards Smith. As on the whole trip, I only found one man who was out and out for him, and that was a Dane from Northern Iowa. A very wet, though prosperous farmer. Two New York attorneys, one a Republican, the other a Democrat, agreed that while York State would vote for Smith for Governor as aften as he ran, it would not vote for him for President. Neither of them believed that the State was "wet." The general opinion was that Smith had too many handicaps wet, Tammany, public ownership, religion and wall street too big a load for any candidate to carry. Jim Reed of Missouri, had many supporters but his attitude of the liquor question and the bitter opposition op-position of the Wilson-McAdoo wing of the Democratic party, puts him out of the ring. Ritchie of Maryland, while being wet, is much more popular. Merideth of Iowa, has a lot of friends. The best bet of the party seems to be Vic Donahay of Ohio, fie is conservative, con-servative, a dry, very friendly to the farmer and a vote getter at all times; besides he comes from that state which has become known as the mother of presidents. Although the Democratic party has never been successful in chosing a successful candidate from that state. Now, as to the Republican candidate, candi-date, it is generally thought that if the convention was this month, Hoover Hoov-er would be nominated. He is strong in the South where many delegates come from, but few elcetorial votes are found in the Republican column. It is also to be noted that here Smith is weak but many electorial votes for the Democratic party are counted. For some reason Hoover is not strong in the Northwest, especially with the wheat man. They claim that in setting the price of wheat during the war, every other industry was allowed to profiteer and they were limited. Nowevcr, if he is nominated, he will be elected. Lowden lias not. as much strength as I expected to find among the west and middle west farmers. He has evidently been overtrained and become be-come stale. Willis of Ohio, has the important point of living in a state which produces pro-duces presidents. Curtis of Kansas, of Indian decent, leader of his party in the senate, has some powerful friends and is the second choice of many more. However, the man whose strength appears to be developing the fastest, is Dawes of Illinois. The fight being staged in Indiana in his behalf by Senator Watson is one of the subjects sub-jects of much discussion, and is watched with interest. It is generally thought that if Hoover or Lowden is not nominated early in the convention, that Lowden's support will go to Dawes as he is the second choice of all Lowden votes, but Lowden is not the second choice of many of Dawes' friends. If the convention con-vention should become deadlocked for any considerable time the choice might go to Curtis of Kansas, as he is considered safe by the eastern voter and friendly by the farmer. The best bet for the Republican nominated today is Dawes. K. S. C. |
