National Republican., 1884-11-05
A NIGHT FOR NOISE.
MEN OF ALL PARTIES HAVE ENCOURAGE
HENT FOR LUNG EXERCISE.


Trby chance there lived In Washington city
yesterday q man with soul 80 dead as not to
realize that the fate Of his country was tremb'
ing IN the balance or realizing not TO care,
be was not allowed to enjoy his ignoblc care
lessness IN peaceful quitctude. The rest OF the
people kept him well apprlzcd that there was
an election going on in the land. II was day
for yelling. and the citizens Of this dis
franchiscd district made their throats as raw
as those of happier men who were permitted
to have vote as well as voice in the selection
ofa president. There were few faint cheers
by daylight, but 1t was only under cover
OF the darkness aud with tho encourng-
ing support of great numbers massed together
that men let hose the full power Of their lungs
and wounded the humid atmosphere with
bhricks and roars.
Never was there n more eager desire for
news, and II seemed impossible for two men
to meet without asking each other for H., The
smallest scrap Of information was caught up
and carried from man to man, leaving Its bit
of hope or disCouragement as 1t passed. For
some incxplicable reason private dispatches
appeared to carry more weight than public
ones. The average man had more iaith in the
telegram directed to John Smith and signed
William Brown than in anything the news
papers or political committees received, al
though he might not have the slightest idea
ms to the identity Of either Smith or Brown.
low tones aud with some show of secrecy, like
"tips' at horse race.
A popularity ofthe afternoon street scenes
was the alert and sometimes anxious look that
almost every one wore. Both sides had
abundant reason for taking comfort from the
dispatches received, and they took IL Ia large
chunks, II the remarks overhead could be
taken as significant of anything In particular
"Well, we've got en- !" was the common form
OF salutatlOn. Many who used the expression
were NOT willing tosay lust who had gol whon'
showing that the Jubilation was slightly Jocu'
lar. Little confidence was placed by the more
conservative in the carly dispatches, WHICH
gave ostengible encouragement to the demo-
CRITIC sympathizefs Many whose desires were
In totally different direction seemed more
elated the more the Empire state was declared
10 have been carried by the democrats. The
latter were correspOndingly depressed as the
news became more cheering. Walt for the
reaction; this Il too good to last was the re-
mark made as the less thoughtful seemed in.
clined to throw up their hats.
Bets were made by men who never bet before
and those who had wagercd more than they
could afford TO lose eagerly sought to hedge
and they bet some more. Many an enthusiast
was caught by Il cool bystauder who awaited u
chance ut good soft man. No one could
afford to express an opinion without having TO
face or down" u bluff bet. The comparn.
lively few clerks len In the departments did
little in the way of work and the interior de-
partment was closed as u matter of eNpedient
necessity by the acting secretary at noon. The
outside crowds even in office hours were
largely composed of clerks, not few OF whom
were supposed TO be away voting, and some OF
whom had improved the opportunity to get
drunk. The most voluminous early dispatches
were displayed at the United Press rooms
on Fourteenth streets, and the bulletins Were
eagerly read by constantly changing crowd,
No news was received at the Western Union
telegraph office in the afternoon, and only
fragmentary bulletins were to be found any
where until late.
The first bulletin displayed early in the day
In the large plate-glass window of the Post
business Office announced that Tammany was
voting straight for Cleveland and that he was
sure of 23O votes In the electoral college. This
news excited much enthusiasm among the
hungry democrats who read 1t, but that en-.
thusiasm was shortliyed. The Post had care.
fully guarded itself. In a postscrptat the bot
tom appeared in large letters the announce
ment that the "above" was information fur.
nished by william Dickson. The light speedily
faded from the democratic faces Memories OF
the early dispatches received by Mr. Dickson
from the Ohio election were still too fresh in
their mindA