National Republican., 1886-10-23
Woodward & Lothrop,
No. 1913 # Street Northwest.
wIsE's NiEAGER CHANCE.
Returning knights OF Labor on tho
Richmond Congressional Fight.

Returning knights OF Labor on tho
Richmond Congressional Fight.
A reporter OF the NATIONAL REPUBLCiN
talked with several OF the returning Knights
Of Labor ut the Baltimore and Potomac
depot yesterday about the outlook in the
Richmond district. One Of them, who had
done considerable cauvassing for Mullen,
the knights Of Labor candidate, during the
recesses Of the convention, said: 81 have
seen some pretty close contests Mt my home
in New York, but the race Of the three
candidates In the Richmond district Is the
tightest and most exciting that has come
under my notice. Under ordinary condi-
tions Democratic candidate In Richmond
Is pretty sure Of n thousand or fifteen hun
dred majority. Conditions are very ex-
traOIdinary now, however. A third can
didate Is IN the field, and one with strong
backing, too. IL Mr.. Mullen does not poll
5000 votes everybody Will be surprised
while not few expect that he will have a
plurality. Anyhow, you cannot reckon on
the usual vote"
"If Mr.. Mullen should poll 5000 votes,
how would it affect Wise's chance of re-
election ~ asked the reporter.
~ should think II would have very
ruinous effect. During my stay in Rich
mOnd became pretty well acquainted with
most of the local knights, and found that
fully four-fifths OF them had formerly voted
the Democratic ticket. II, then, Mr.. Null
len gets anything like the vote he and his
friends expect, 1t is hard to see how Mr..
Wise's l,5O0 majority OF two years ago will
avail him anything. While / am strongly
In favor Of the knights OF Labor candidate,
| confess that his chances OF election are
slim, 1t would take over ten thousand
votes to give him plurality, and these, |
foo. l,n. ..,tll t,.NN 60
that Of the three Waddll has about the best
chance. The Republican vote of the dis
trict is 1900 out Of n total 10000. Mr..
Waddil, II Is claimed, will bring out the
full Republican strength. Should Mr. Null
len, then, receive 5000 votes, 1000 would
come from the Democracy, leaving Mr..
Wise something like | | 900 votes. or course
my few weeks In Richmond were not sulli
cient to give me u thorough acquaintance
with politics there, but from all indlca-
tions | should judge Mr.. Waddil will be
elected by purallty OF 1000 or 3,OOO-un-
less the Democrats and knights bring
about some kind Of compromise
before Nov. .. What surprised me most
of all in Richmond was the growing
hostility Of the working classes toward the
aristOcrats who have always ruled them.
The laboring men there, more than any
where else in the south, are revolving against
these ante-slayery magnates. They are, as
yet, hardly prepared to leave their old-timo
preiudiCGs and come directly into the Re-
publican party, but they follow with avllity
every movement OF an independent char
acter looking to the overthrow Of the Bour-
bOnS, Thousands OF men went into the
Readjuster party when il started, not 50
much on account OF it's principles as be-
cause II was opposed to the arlstocrats.
So, when the Knights of Labor organized
and put a candidate In the field, men who
are looked down upon because their fam
lilies did not own slaves for generations
back came forward 10 protest against
Bourbon biGOtry. These men, as | said, are
not yet prepared to go into the Republican
party, but when they lind they cannot effect
the permanent overthrow Of the Bourbons
bysupporting spasmodic independent move
ments, II is more than likely that they will
Join the party which does not acknowledge
class distinctionsn