New-York tribune., 1876-10-26
NETWORK AND CONNECTICUT
ACTIVITY OF BOTH PARTIES.

HOPES. - -,,r rprurrSFl
.vpS. Oct 24.-If any dependence can pe
,,oced pnon the estimates and actual returns u
-, oo,,,,oss II is mistake tOs down Con
-oa,;o,t in the column Of Democratic states -
.a+,od IN the Republican state commune
Ne .+l,, accurate and the cohteihPI"'o"
- H., the Democratic managers III 'no 'ie
- NOT ont of all proportion 10 thc pio'Vn'
tEc evpectation, there is at leas' a io"''i,
- for the election of the Repuohcan 0'"'T
80 +be HAYES and Wheeler electoral uche'' anu
paanblican majority III the Legislature 90 no'
- ~, this that the canvass shows an ac'uai ne
mean y ,oio,itv in the State. My Impression Is
puo' N tbe wears of Republican ascendehcy'
Iso,or 'uas there was thorough canvass made the
over footed up in favor OF the kepuoiicais'
s9'a oonvass invariably showed DehlocIa'ic
1.aiori,v though the Democrats themselves
Tho did their work III nei'ei-
WV ard rpintellcent way, never discovered the
foet from their own canvass IL Is easy " "i,O''
i"O' ,orefore why Connecticut is always so close
The trnth is there are more Democrats 'h"h h'Iu'
~ tho state-that is to say, more voters who
ere labeled Democrats and expect 10 luIn ou' anu
or nv 20 their names and do party duty without
an'"I y.;ar or hesitation. The Republicans have to
So,,n+ on securing the votes of great number o1
o,fiypn
-, oolor n hiring them in ahead i'll tine race
1'o nrosent canvass shows that notwithstanding
A., hrntol methods and the petty partisanshlp winch
- IN large measure characterzedit, the lndepend-
-. ,,oters have thrown out the slang-whanging, set
"a .bo obnse and blackuardism of each side against
tto+ber and viewing the whole situation from n
hcber elevation than that afforded by the rant and
toom Of the stump have quietly decided as to their
;ndviyidual duty, and thCrcupon ranged themselves
NTH the Republicans. Whether there are enough
of them TO balance the ordinary tmck-and-thin
Dcmocratic majority and the fraudulent vote ID the
large cities is the qu siOn to be decided Inc he
nnbhean leaders are hopeful If not confident Ihe
neuocrats on the other hand, are sanguine of
svsepipr success and hardly contemplate the pos
sibility of defeat Republican speakers report IN
OH the country towns where they have addressed
nnhTc meetings a wonderful degree Of enthusiasm
rs compared with previous campaigns In every
village school district there are Hayes and Wheeler
climbs and in most OF them semi-mllltary organIza-
tio,s of " BOYS in Blue" Guards" and Ltglons
Of various names and descriptions, whose mission II
;s n march in professions carry torches and trans
parences, and, in general make noise. Inc State
has heen very thoroughly talked over by the Repub-
hcans, ard will be still more so in the next fort
night. II has been a very poor dali town or school
district tlat not btcu III tiAo
with the eloquence of the perambulatinC statesman
In the matter of public meetings aud popular demon
strations. the Republicans have been much more
active and energetic than their opponents although
tle Democrats have not by any means been making
still hum" of it.
The localities where Democratic majorltics and
possibly Democratic gains are most feared are the
cites and large towns where there are greater fac-
ties for fraudulent voting than in the smaller places
where every voter is known. | presume there are
honest Democrats who do not believe that Their
party habitually resorts 10 fraud to carry elections,
and many others, no doubt, while admitting that
the fact may be So plead IN justification OF 1t that
the other party does the far as 1t can. But
the damaging TACT to the Democrats III the
comparison is that the Republicans when III
40wer have invariably passed laws for the
protection of the ballOt-bOX and the pre-
vention Of fraud, which the Democrats have
never failed to make il their first business to repeal
as soon as success gave them the opportunity. One
Of the measures by which the Republicans managed
to retain power long their enforcement OF the
provisions of strict registry law which made
fraudulent voting almost impossible This law the
Democrats made short work Of "a soon as they got
within striking distance Of it, Under the present
law certificate votng-aproliic source Of corruption
be a swelling of the Democratic vote far beyond its
legal honest dimensions. Here in New-Haven a very
large fraudulent vote is feared The New-llaven
politicians are familiar with all the methods and
devices of fraud. They can stuff a balot-bOX,
colonze a ward, vote gang of Tcpeaters, fix a re-
turn or doctor count with the best-or worse
New-York rcformer They have dOTe it before.
And once or twice been caught at it. The Democrats
are much better organized in NewH6ven that III any
other part Of the State. They have several torch
bearing organizations, a brigade indeed, with a
brigadier-eeneral and complete military staff, III
Guiding surgeon, cOmmissary, and judge-advo"a'c,
and when they have street parades they max. g.
very good appearance. They parade often and haN g
plenty Of music. What with uniforms torches,
brass bands and all the other expensive accompni-
ments these demonstrations must cost pretty bit
Of money, and the mystery is where il comes from.
One source of it. l suppose. may be found IN the
great number of candidates for local offices who con-
tribute are assessed fOr the canpalg1 eXpens s.
The change in time for holding state and other c -
tons brings the municipal, State, and President al
elections tOgthcT and consequently enlarges tie
number Of interested persons whose contrhu-
tons to the cause are in the nature OF an
Investment or speculative venture. The Democrat
have candidate in nomination for Mayor who pr
poses 20 upset all the departments ana change al
The officers. This brings to his support everybody
Who wants municipal Office, and increases what
the politicians call the enthusiasm" From the
causes ! have enumerated a large Democratic ma
iorty expected IN this city. 1t should not exceed
1900. Good judges think it cannot without eXten-
sye and organized frauds. The Democrats count
upon upward of 1000.
Other parts Of the State, the small towns and ag-
hcultural districts the whole Stateincuded outside
u NewHayen, furnish much more encouraging
prospect for the Republicans. In Hartford County
The personal popularity Of Mr. Robinson, the Repub-