Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-29
FIELD OF POLITICS.
How CONNECTICUT LOOKS.
An Issisaaeas pesas 70 eoveraer Cleveland
Ssa~-.-~.~ aac.v . ~ n.se xntusd

6sW& oooE> Ssoos w. sS's''sss'"'"f
A New Haven, Conn. special to the New
York Times says To attempt to predict
to-day bow Connecticut will vote week
from tomorrow would seem 10 be arnnt
presumption on the part Of q stranger to
the state, when enc finds some OF the most
sstute politicians In the State holding very
positive and contrary opinions on the sub
tect.
Chairman Lyndc Harrison. Of the Repub-
ljcan State Committee, predicts victory for
Blaine with a majority OF 5000. Chairman
Gallagher, Of the Democratic Committee.
SAYS the State win give Cleveland 10000
plurality. This Is wide difference OF
opinion. Having examined the claims OF
both Stare Committees, listened 20 some talk
from Butler men. aud looked impartiaiIy
over the field. I am led TO believe that. mob
wIthstandne the efforts Of the Republicans
10 win, Connecticut will give its electoral
vote 70 Cleveland by majority somewhat
larger than that by which Tilden carried
the State in 1876. The chances are
an IN Cleveland's favor. The groundupon
which to work has been well prepared 10y
the last state election, in which the Demo-
ersts won. clecting Governor Thomas NJ.
Waller. and II Il Is not well cultivated the
State Committee has been wonderfully in
competent. In 1882 the vote OF the stare
was divided between the two leading par.
ties. The Greenhackcrs, u is true. poiicd
eco votes and the ProhibitioniSts LOCO.
Waller got plurality Of 1000 anda mplori-
Nv OF $500, There was a similar division
IL the vote In 1850, whcN Garfield had
a majority Of 1899. Al that time the Re
publica were not only cordially united
in support OF the candidate, bur they bad
been appealed 10 In the interest OF protec-
tion IN much more vigorous and effective
manner than now. All Of the meetings
were held with the approval OF the un-
broken Republican line. There were no
boilers. no disafiectioD. no closed purses,
no bsl.-hesried cheers. no silent bodies OF
menacing "Pharisees," dudes and
mugwumJs." And vet, with the
Republican party unit, and having
nj liz command the eountenance and
money Of all who supported Garfield.
the Republican ticket won only by plu-
Jality OF 2,665. To-day the party is divided.
A substantial, outsp0ken. manly body OF
Republicans who can read, Judge. and have
determined. are arraycd against Mr. Blaine.
Not only do they reject the presidential
candidate as man unfit to be elected or
trusted, but the friends Of Blaine know 10
"Pmmed Knight" have spent the money
which they were heretofore ready to con-
tribute TO elect Republican in most effect
i've ways 10 compass the present candidates
defeat.
What does this revolt all amount to?
Blaint's friends all say that 10 is nothing.
They ridicule the movement, and treat its
promoters as II they were all cranss and in
eapabl,s. When they were in line for Gar
field these "cranks were OF the salt OF the
party. Now they are muddle-hcadcd
81 mugw jumps" "man-milliDers, "kick-
ers.v EDUCATION counts for nothing.
Character counts for nothing. The men
who have had time and have used it TO
study and understand Blaine's record have,
for presuming TO coudemn him upon his
record. become the subjects of yul-
gar abuse by every mercenary now
in Office or who hopes TO be in
efiee through the perpetuatiOn OF
the Republican machine. It's unfortunate
for Blaine in this state that the men who
are opposed to him are not OF the sort 70 be
frowned down or bullied back into the
ranks by ridicule or abuse. They are
mugwumps." They are proud OF il.
They can and are not afraid TO give rei-
son for 1.-THE deviltry that is In them"
They amount 10 something in numbers,
but they lack organization. In fact, they
avoided organization, while they have cul-
tiyated opposition 10 an offensive candi-
date with very active and earnest com
miitee, which has correspOnded with |
every part OF the state and flung |
its documents into every doorway. |
There can 5e no doubt that there
are 5000 Of these despised "Pharisees "
in Connecticut. In any count OF the votes |
hey will not be found in the Blaine col
lmn. But 5000 is probably less than the
v hole number Of Republicans opposed to
Blaine. Many dissatisfied men, who have
known of the petty annoyances TO which
their Leigbbors have been subjected at the
bands Of Blaine men, because they have |
presumed 10 bolt, have chosen TO keep still, |
10 allow themselves TO be classed as doubt |
Iul," and to determine between now and !
upon which side OF the fence !
they will get down. There are two other |
rlasses Of voters in the State besides the |
regular Republicans. the Democrats. and !
he anil.Blaine Republicans. They are the |
Butler men and the Pr0hiDitl0nists. They /
nave made some noise. Indeed. tue noise I
Il the Butler men seems TO have been out /
n all proportion 10 their numbers. There /
Ift dl~V NtlDt iliNu bNhNNAdAtN
men. No one appears to know their num- |
Der. Not because they are 80 many, but T,
Dc cause this "Iiesslan" contingent Is !
Tying army that moves about from town |
% town. and is always somewhere else !
when you get where you expected TO count |
I.
In order that the reader OF this letter may /
Daye the writer's reasons for any cOnclu- /
raaaIaA II Nii hp a rive
he views Of the managers Of the campaign |
or the different parties. II will he seen /
hat the chairmcn OF the state committees /
ire all confident. yet that ei ch OF them has /
his doubts. Judge Lynde Harrison, who |
Is chairman Of the Republican state Com |
miitee. is conceded by every one 10 be an
excellent campaigner, a. ne Is an extremely
clever man personally. He is not SIT
Iefior TO ordinary campaign methods,
and he il deNoting all his shrcWd-
mess and an extraordinary amount OF en-
eICy to the task Of carrying the State for
Blaine. His committee has evidently done
it, work more Systematically and thorough
" than the Democratic Committee. Mr..
Harrison speaks confidently Of the result
.' We shall carry the State for Blaine by
about 5000 plurality. aud we shall elect
Harrison Governor. The campaign has
been made as actively rs in 1850, and the
party j. substantially a. solid a. IL was
then. There are some lndepeudents-Re
pubiicans who will not vote for Blaine
hut | should mol count them a. high a. "A
thousand IN the State. Where we lose one
Republican we gain three Democrats-Irish-
mon and natives who are influenced by the
iariI question and by fnith In the Republi-
can party. The Democrats will lose heavily
TO the Butler movement, aad the Republic
cans may lose slightly to &. John. There
never was year when there were so many
doubtful voters, and this fact renders all
calculations more or less doubtful; but
rely ON all the indications receive a. JUS
tifymg my opirion that we shall win"
Tins is about Mr.. HarTison's view. not word
for word, but substantially. IL will he seen
that u he il right a. To the proportions OF
the Irish detection from the Democratic
patty, Blaine's majority ought to be assured
beyond all question.
Chairman Gallagher, Of the Democratic
State Committee, II more sanguine politi-
cal manager than Dir. Harrison, but il j. TO
be feared that he ~ not as thorough. lie
has no sort OF doubt that Connecticut will
60 for Cleveland. "Wc shall give the
Cleveland electoral ticket 1000 sure, and |
should not be surprised TO see 10000 plu.
rality. We shall also elect Waller and
three members OF Congress. Our canvass
OF the State has been made a. care
fully as possible. but an unusual num-
her OF doubtful voters are encountered.
We do not regard this a. an unfa-
yorable sign. These doubtful men are
mainly pantthlteaps NJ A. rely lv