A Campaign Argument

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The following is the complete text of an editorial published by the Republican

Herald-Tribune of Manhattan:

THE 1924 CHOICE

"A vote for LaFollette is a vote for Bryan.

"A vote for Davis is a vote for Bryan.

"A vote for Coolidge is a vote for Coolidge."

This is a striking presentation of an argument that is being used in many parts of the country, especially in the East. It is being used by both major parties. The Democratic version of it is:

"A vote for LaFollette is a vote for throwing the election into Congress.

"A vote for Coolidge is a vote for throwing the election into Congress.

"A vote for Davis is a vote for Davis."

In both cases it is being used to excite fear of what may come if no candidate has a majority in the Electoral College. The Republicans assert that Coolidge is the only candidate who has the chance of such a majority. The Republicans openly hold out the prospect that the "calamity," which would ensue from a failure of the Electoral College to elect, would be a deadlock in the House, with the prospect of Bryan being chosen Vice President in the Senate, and automatically becoming President when the House found itself unable to give a majority either to Coolidge, LaFollette or Davis. Certain Democrats, although of course they cannot hold up their own vice presidential candidate as a threat, know that some voters regard him in that light, and are not unwilling to take advantage of the fact.

What is the real force of this argument? The explanation of how the election might go to Bryan was originally an interesting plaything of an idea, but now it is being developed into a campaign bogy. It runs thus: