Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 227, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1914 — ONLY ONE WAY TO DEFEAT PETERSON [ARTICLE]

ONLY ONE WAY TO DEFEAT PETERSON

That Way is to Vote For Will R. Wood—Study the Situation and Do the Right Thing. The vote on the three highest candidates for congress in the TentL district in 1912 w&s as follows: Peterson (dem)_ •• • • 18,401 Crumpacker (rep) 17,294 Bowers (progressive) ......... 9,793 That was when the progressive , moveipent was at hig'h tide. Of the 9,793 votes cast by the progressives in the whole district 5,659 were in Lake county. At the primary last spring in that county the progressive vote had shrunk to 660, and the democratic vote from 5,136 to 2,260, while the republican vote jumped from 5,176 to 6,600. This is in Lake county alone. Elsewhere in the district, where no primaries have been Held, no exact figures are at hand, but it is a matter of common knowledge that many former progressives all over the district are now acting with the republicans, and that there are practically no desertions from the republican vote of 1912. Therefore in order for the progressives to win they must get over 9,000 votes from the democratic ranks. This is about as likely Of attainment as that Lake Michigan should be transplanted to the ' south end of the district. Let us suppose an absurdity. Suppose that the progressives should hold the vote they cast in 1912 for Bowers and that Mr. Ade, by his ponayerful appeals to the farmers, Should beguile 300 of them In each county in the district to vote for him in addition to those who voted for Bowers in 1912. That would give him an increase of 2,400 votes, or a total oif 12,193. Suppose all these 2,400 new votes should come from the republican party (which is another absudlty in view of the progressive boasts of what they are doing to the democrats this year); even then the republican loss would be more than offset by their gain In Lake county alone, which, judging by their gain in the primary, will be not less than 3,000. Granting that this gain comes equally Ldm the democrats and progressives, Will Jrf. Wood’s election would still be assured by about 1,000 plurality. So by the most liberal concessions and granting that Peterson will hold his vote of 1912 in every county "of the district except Lake, which it is evident he will not do, the election of a progressive congressman from this district is a will o’ the wisp, and the votes cast for. Mr. Ade because he claims to be a farmer will be worse than thrown away. The indications are that Wall R. Wood will be elected by a handsome majority, but however that may be, the race is evidently be tween Wood and Peterson, and all the beating of the bushes for Ade is really only a much needed aid for a democratic congressman who is about to lose his seat.