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Show HVSIXESS CONDITION'S AND THE ELECTION Babson Park, Mass.' Au,g. 1, 1924 Several times during the last few-weeks few-weeks Roger W. Babson has been questioned regarding .the , possible effect of the election on general business busi-ness conditions. Mr. Babson has continually stated that when all three parties had made up thel-tickets thel-tickets he would make a statement. His analysis of the sit nation wns made public today. During the past week I have, talked with lending men In each of the two great parties." says the statistician. "I nsked the sam? ifiiestlon of both the republican and democratic leaders, namely, 'What are your chances for election?' They both replied, 'We are sure of victory In November provided La Follette does not secure enough states to throw the election Into Congress. Furthermore. I.a Follette's votes are dependent upon the price of when' on election day.' This may be an exaggerated statement, but for the first time In American History It if to the advantage of both'gre:it parties to have good business between now and the election. "In certain states like New York there must be a straight and clean cut fight between Coolldge anil Davis Neither will Klve any thniiitht to I-a Follotte and La Follette , 111 not bother to spend any time In New ork. In the great Central Western Mutes, however, Instead of directing their fight analnst one (mother Coo!-lde Coo!-lde mid Davis will In a way cnmVii" against La Follette. Therefore two different campaign policies will b waed si iir i Ita ife'iusly In different Sf-etlohs of thi' country. In New England and the Eastern Ind imt rl 1 1 Hates the repu hll' a us may not object to havliiK biriini'Hs ijiilet down between be-tween now find eleetlon. Moreover, they tn 1 1 m t ine Ihe r l: II III I'll I Ihnl a demo' ra t ic elert loll nieaiiK a louellllK of the tailtf and Hie rloHliiK down ol many of our Ind nol r la I plants In erder to raise funds.' In the Central Went, however, neither the repuMI- Mill or democratic p:trte'i inn t:ill( 4luuui Ltj';a iitiu lucre U cnouKh iluoin there already. "Heretofore," says Mr. liabsou, "It lias been thought advisable by the democrats to have bud business on election day when the republicans arc :n power, and It has been thought advisable ad-visable by the republicans to have bad business on election day wher. the democrats have been in power. This year bread lines would hurt the democrats as much as the republicans. republi-cans. When a bank Is closud In the Central West votes are mado for I I. ii Follette. Every cent that the j price of wheat drops between now land election day may easily give La-j La-j loMettei lDii.iiiiii votes, and every cent thai the price of wheat goes up between now and election day may 'lesull in giving the republicans and I democrats 50.001) more votes each, j "Altbo the leaders of both parties - tend to belittle La Follette and refer to his age and physical Infirmities, yet It must be remembered that he : is a very astute politician. This Is i shown by the fact that his ticket is I Lclng made up equally by democrats and republicans. Moreover, La Fol-llctie Fol-llctie Is shrewd In being radical w i t h - out getting tied up with the socialist and ultra radicals whom he knows swing very few votes when business Is good. He also knows that when Ihe farmers are property owners they must naturally bo conservative and are radicals only when the business conditions are temporarily against them. If wheat were $2.00 a bushel today, we would probably have no Third Party in the field, and yet i' LaFollette were President today the price of wheat would not be one cent more than tt Is now. Such Is the futility and hypocrisy of politics. Presidents do not make business conditions, con-ditions, hut business conditions make pesldent'S. Therefore it has been to t lie advantage of one of the two gre:it parties to have poor business on election elec-tion day but this' year conditions are entirely different. Whether or not the republican and democratic managers will be able to make bet lei business lieiween now anil election 1 don't know, but they certainly are i;olng to try to do so throughout the Central West at leant. The be s' baroinoter of La Follette's strength will be the actions of the liahson-ehart, liahson-ehart, which reflects general hi.slness activity. It now stands at 12 per cent below normal compared with 10 per cent below normal a week ago." |
