Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-10-25
IGo,7-espondeace or the .star.l

QUESTION.
Correspondence or the Star.]
BOSTON, october %.
The campaign in this state Is not lacking an
atom of interest as the day comes near for the
verdict OF the people. Cities towns and villages
ring with enthusiasm, and the two great parties,
the regular republican and the Butler party-for
so the rather incOngruous combination is better
known than otherwise-continue to buckle on
their oratoricad armor and smite each other hip
and thigh with no end Of vigor, and it may also
be declared with no scarcity OF venom. In ac-
cordance with the STARS Instructions your cor
respondent has been particular to gather as clear
an insight into the political situation as present
circuStanceS will admit, and look over the wide
field to-day fairly fmpresses me with the belief
that the regular republican organization has
concentrated strength that will enable 1t to
very nearly hold its position in the state. Their
canvass through the country is satisfactorily re-
ported at the Long and Weston headquarters in
this city. Thus far the scouts have returns from
somewhere about the number of a hundred and
material gain over last year. These are not
enough to demonstrate to an absolute certainty
what is to be the result, but they inspire the re-
publicans with hope and courage that Is not
without its good effect to their cause Full re-
turns Of the intentions of all voters will not be
IN before the 25th instant, when, OF cOure, some
thing much more definite as to the end can be
asserted.
THE REPUBLICAN ESTIMATES
The opponents of Butler have commenced
talking energetically about the majority their
ticket will have. This indicates very careful
calculation of the respective strengths. One
thing IS unhesitatingly admitted here and
throughout the state, and that is the prepOnuer-
ance of enthusiasm in Buffers favor; but the
Long men have discounted that seductive ele-
ment Of the campaign. They know the full eX-
tent of its meaning, and its glare and glamour
does not frighten them. 1t was the same thing.
hny nI- md nnly Ia
value. But he will draw crowd anywhere; he
amuseS the people, and upon the authority OF
Old campaign observers In this town of careful
reasoners. am forced to believe that very many
who make him welcome in his pilgrimage
through the state will undoubtedly plant nail
in his political coffin at the polling booth next
month. l had conversation this day with an
ardent Long and Weston man, who has, as
matter Of official duty and at an expenditure Of
no fnconsiderable sum of money, prospected the
field: This gentleman was vehement in his
opinion of Buffers weakness and must be-
lieve tuntil confronted by strong PROOF
rather exaggerated the strides that Mr..
Long I;, is making into into popular support: Like
claims to have left nothing out of consideration,
the character OF the weather on election day not
being among the lghtest Of events for consider
alton. With a clear sky and good roads, my in
formant predicts a round 1000 majority for the
republican ticket. Dampen the ardor of the
faithful with the ill-wil Of Jupiter Pluvius, or
bosterouS blast of marrOw-chilling wind from
out of the sea- and he is willing to admit a fall
ing off in these figures to the extent Of about
5000 votes, but not suffrage less under any
consideration whatever: Many of his party
friends agree with him; but another In the same
company said he had bet against Long receiving
$4,000 majority. Mark the word. Long, il
elected, will receive little over r. 900 majority;
deep as well nor so wide as church door, but
it will suffice,
BOSTON BUTLER1sH
In this city the combined opposition to Long
will have greater plurality than their leader
received last year. The registration is nearly
three thousand less than it was then, and the
apathy that induced the falling off is favorable
to Butler. 1t certainly shows a lack OF interest
and in some cases results from an indispositiOn
to pay poll taxes. There is less money expended
in persading voters to see clearly than there was
ought for so vigorously. What will unmistake-
ably help the s'Outs" in Boston to no tnc0nsider-
able degree is the liquor interest. which, In spite
OF the VfrtuouS warfare Waged against II In the
pulpit, at the stump and on the roStrum through
out Massachusetts, is power In politics. as it
always, more or less, has been, and asserts its
"rights" with vim. No matter how willing Long
is to submit the drinking eyil' to legislative
control or to the people, he is in the category Of
staiwart prohibitiOnists, and the mildest tippler
OF the weakest lager beer, provided he is inter-
ested anyway in the manufacture or sale OF that
stimulant, is not prepared to give him any quar-
ter. Then there are the square heel and toe
prohibitionistS, who have candidate and
party OF their own, actually throwing away their
strength. Thus onesees the republicans with their
eyes wide open warning against their aggregated
powers. fail to hear of any stalWart democrat
in the prOphtbitlon party Though myriads Of
giving his support to an organization that
at its best can only take away from
the legitimate strength OF his friends
Worcester and Springfield are republican @ a cities les
in the encounter there, but the enthusiasm for
Butler, particularly in Worcester, gave Simmons.
Colonel Usher and Colonel Jonas French-all
popular men with the masses endof hope that
the enemy would be routed, and they will think
livery ungrateful if the people, after their grand
show of regard for ''Old Ben" step aside and let
him come ont of the small end of the horn when
the speech-making is over. significance rests
in the facts that Long is getting more support
from his party leaders than it was thought he
would when he was first nominated The regu-
would offend useful workers, or that the diSap-
pointments of themselves and others would linger
to do him evil, or that their favor would be tardy
to do him good, have walked up to the conscious
ness that they, like Mrs. Micawber, cannot de-
sert the head Of the family for so he is and was
placed there by as fine a convention as ever
ican party, and can claim by right and title
every element of support that the party could
possibly shelter him with.
THE ATTITUDE OF THE DEMOCRACY.
What is the unalloyed democracy doing all
this time? Simply resting on their oars, watching
the fray somewhat as the loving wife did the
encounter between her lord and master and the
growing bear: The Butler men may not re-
gard national issues just now, and the republi-
cans may deem them Of secondary importance,
but the ironclad spartans Of the democratic
band in the old bay state do, and most assuredly
will look upon the defeat Of either party now,
as no call for an ensign Of crepe upon the knob
of their front door. They will not glory over
the election of Butler and they will not throw
up their caps in the air when Mr. Long steps
into the arena the victor in well fought fight
These few thousand representatives Of the old
democracy will just go on voting and being de-
feated with the same complacency as before.
l have not said positively that Long and
Weston will be elected, but repeat that their
party friends assert that it is beyond all shadow
OF doubt. Here is the situation summed up:
Massachusetts, Is a thorough republican state,
the cohorts Of that party will arouse themselves
to unprecedented action when real dangers
menace them; and when they assert that they
do not intend to lose the state at this critical
period, one may judge that they will keep their
Words j. II.
THE PoLYGAMY CRCULAR-The Department
Of State has adviceS of the favorable reception
w thp RritiSh and Garpnap oOvernmontS Of tho