PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Grey River Argus, 2 November 1928, Page 5

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

SECTARIAN ISSUE. Odds Still Favour Hoover. (Australian & N.Z. Cable Assn). NEW YORK October 31. While it was declared that having fitly discussed the religious issue Governor Smith would make little or iio further reference to it, intimations an now given that in the next, four and lasi campaign speeches *o be deli vcrc<l in or near New York City, the Governor will make thi question paramount. The candidate’s advisers feel that his (’alholieism will be a deriding Factor in the election, and he is reported io be very disturbed over this f:;< 1. He has said that ho would rather be defeated than obtain suppor’ of such organisations as Ku Klux Klan. The importance of the Governor’s dc‘ision again to stress th e so-called bigotry issue, lies in the fact that always personalities fly thickest toward ‘he end of the campaign, and an in : ‘!iis.e discussion on the religious question promises to make the final week possibly one of the most unsavoury in American politics. There is a large amount of betting on the results of the election. Prominent Wail Street commissions estimate' Giaf four million dollars in wages have already been placed, and the amount will possibly reach ten millions before election. The odds have been nine to two favouring Hoover, but have wavered from time to time as the fortunes of tw ( , candidates have apparently changed, with an ostensible change in sentiment. They have been as low as seven to two favouring Hoover, and now are four to onft Along with this sublimated form of trying to guess the outcome of the election, are numerous straw votes, being conducted throughout the country. These, with no exceptions, all show Hoover leading. One magazine, which in 1924 was able ‘o forecast the outcome with fair accuracy, has this year conducted an elaborate postcard poll in which more than three million votes have been gathered with Hoover receiving sixty-throe per cent. A remarkable feature of this poll is that Smith is leading in only four States and these are all Southern. If the results should bear this out the Democrats’ defeat would be nothing short of disastrous.