Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-30
FIELD OF POLITICS.
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The Hsralds Detroit special says: When
james r. Joy, Of Detroit. presented the
name Of Mr.. Blaine TO the Chicago Conven-
lion Of 1850, urging that the Republican
patty Of Michigan demanded his nomin,-
uon, Roscoe Conkling, speaking for the
Grant faction, said With tue scorn "oh,
nny Republican can carry Michigan"
That was four years ago. For twenty
elrht YEAR,, nj every election since the
liquidation Of the Republican party, the
Republican candidates for President have
Mad in Michigan majoritles varying from
lROS2 for Lincoln in 1854, 10 59,i19 for
Grant In 1872. Fremont. the party's first
candidate, had 1903 majority; Lincoln,
four years later, had 2S,56l majority;
Grant, in 1868, bad 81 800 majority; Hayes,
$3.50. and Garfield 53,7S2 majority. 10
thniy years the Democrats have not elected
a Governor. Up 10 1889 the Democrats
rad ordinarily carried the State. With
tho birth OF the Republican party
its frst candidate. Bingham, carried the
State Nv 5000 majority in total vote
of $4,000. lie increased his majority in
1856 10 1877. Bagley had 56,6H majority
in 1872: Jerome had il,213 majority In
1850. Two years ago Begole, a Republican,
turned Grcenbacker. and the candidate OF
A fusion between the Greenbsckers and
Democrats was elected by a majority OF
4.572 over Jerome, who had made himself
exceedingly unpopular as Governor. Every
other candidate on the Republican state
ticket, however, was elected by an average
majo:iiy OF 1900.
I;srlc,s's 5s.532 majority apparently
promised certainly enough majority Tor
The Republican candidate Of four years
later. Yet, since coming into the State 1--WE
DAYS ego, the Herald correspondent has no
net a single Republican OF the many VITA
whom he has talked who has not placed
MIR. Blajne's majority, at the outside, nj
over 1900 votes. Five out OF six Repub-
leans admit that there is nt least n doubt
that the State viii give majority Tor the
Republican electoral ticket The Demo-
cratic and Labor party leaders and the ln-
dependent Republicans are seemingly con
hdent that the State will gives majority
hostile TO the Blaine electoral ticket.
THE FUSION VOTE.
The circumstances that have led 10 this
doubt on the one side and confidence on
tie other are peculiar. AS In Maine. the
(ireenhack detection from the Republican
party was largely the product OF simple
dissatisfaction with Republican rule in the
State. II had its first important expression
In 1876, when Cooper pol'ed 1900 votes.
from the Democrats. This the figures show
In the election for Governor in 1878 the
Gyeepback candidate had 1888 votes, the
Den ocratic candidate 7s.503, and the Re
publican $3.50. Two years before the
Republican candidate for Governor had
Io5.926 votes. In 1880 Weaver bad 1885
votes; Hancock, 1871 ,597; Garfield, 1sj.393
In 1852 Bcgole, candidate OF the fusion Tor
Governor, had 154, 800 votes; jerome (iie-
publicap), 1867; but Crosby, Republic
can candidate for Lieutenant Governor, had
15S.0i4 votes. rs against i49,443 votes for
PringIe, the fusion candidate. The same
proportion very nearly obtained with all
the other candidates except the Governor.
WHAT TUE PROHIBITION VOTE THREATENS.
Thus, while the fusion has made great
inroads upon the oldtime Republican vote,
Of Itself il does not promise an anti Blaine
majority ia November. II Is TO be expected
that the regular Republican vote will be
larger in proportion at this juncture than
in an off year. What gives reason for the
evident concern OF the Republican mana
gers. both within and without the State, Is |
the prosptc CT Of an unusual and stiff-Decked |
Prohibition vote, and the constantly-grow- |
ing DETECTION among the Germans and The |
more thoughtful Republicans.
The same causes lead 10 the prospect OF |
n large prohibition vote. and 10 the GER 1
tainty OF large German detection. Fol-
lowing close upon the example OF Maine,
Michigan, in 1858 adopted strict pro-
hibiiory law. There was already In the
Constitution section forbiddIng licenses
to iquor.dealers. Both the statute and the
constitutional provision have since been
repealed, but that there is, and has always
been, very strong antl.hquor sentiment
in the State there can be no doubt. Its
largest direct vote was 1854, polled two
years ago; but IL has been promised IN
the Republican platforms year after year
the eountenanee and support oil the He
publican party. Two years ago II was
definitely promised that the Legislature |
then TO be elected would submit TO the |
people probibitory amendment to the /
Constitution. There was a large Republic
can majority in the Legislature, but
resolution submitting the amendment was
voted down. This year. therefore. the
Prohibitionists are irste and determined.
They claim that they must teach the party
a lesson, aud have nominated for Governor
David Preston, banker Of this city. the
most prominent lay Methodist in the State.
and man OF much strength Of purpo,e.
They have provided for an electoral ticket, |
and 81. John will stump the state.
The lowest Republican estimate OF their
vote Is 1900, and IL Is admitted that
Preston will get at least 5000 Methodist
votes outside OF thaf Doubtless ninety
per cent. Of all this vote will be Republican
TIE GERMANS AND INDEPENDENT REPUBLI-
CANS.
The Germans, on the other hand. are
alarmed at the prospect that Republican
supremacy will finally mean prohibition.
A careful canvass among them, it Is claimed, !
shows that not less than 60 per cent. OF the |
German Republican vote Will be east !
against the Republican State ticket this |
year, and nearly as large a vote against the |
Republican electoral ticket.
Then the number Of prominent Republi- |
can merchants and professional men who |
have declared publicly or privately against |
Blaine Is sufficiently alarming 10 the Repub- !
!ican managers. even did not the prohibit /
ton vote, together with the fusion, threaten
the normal Republican majority. When
Carl Schuiz spoke here week or so ago he
had an audience OF 5,000-all that could
crowd into the largest hall in the city-and |
among the yice-presidents were William e..
Thompson. twice lately elected mayor by |
the largest Republican majority ever polled |
in the city; E. W. Meddaugh one OF the |
two or three most prominent law
yers In the Northwest; Captain John |
Pidgeon, n wealthy ship-owner; ii. NJ. VI |
ley, secretary OF the Board Of Education |
Henry c. Lowe, John Il. Fisk, A. {. Ray |
mond, a. NJ. Stanton, and Thorudyke |
Nourse, prominent merchants and manu-
iaeturers; James V. Campbell, son Of the
Republican Chief Justice Of the Michigan
Supreme Court, aud L. G.. Holden, local
author OF some note. The Herald CORE
spondent has taken pains TO discover APP
proximately the extent Of this detection.
IL Is evidently so large as even TO surprise
one familiar with the Independent Repub-
iican sentiment in New York and Brook
Ign.
THE FUSION kLEcToRAL TICKET.
The details OF the fusion itself are per-
baps not well understood in the East. The
fusion on the electoral ticket Is 50 con-
structed rs to make treachery or indiiier-
cnce In either party to II most unlikely.
Michigan has thirteen electoral votes. The
fusion dominates joint ticket of twelve
electors. Then each party 10 II nominates
a separate thirteenth elector, each party to
vote for It's own candidate. The twelve
electors then, II chosen. are 10 be divided
for Butler and Cleveland proportionately 10
: the vote for these two separate candi-
dates. When the Douglas and Bell parties
fused In New York In 1860, each nomins-
ting an agreed number OF electors, the
Douglas people voted for their own electors
and the Bell people for theirs--eaeh trust.