Mexico weekly ledger., 1888-09-06
WON THE FIRST FIGHT.
Democrats Carry Arkansas by an
Increased Majority.

Ioih All aSCouuts tuc hthaISas
State election passed off to-day
quietly and the Democrats were
successful by an increased ma
jority. The returns are coming in
slowly and it will probably be two
days before the exact result ean be
made known. The Democratic
State Committee, however, has in
formation from several points in
the State that leads to the belief
that the Democratic majority will
not be less than $4,000. There
were but two tickets in the field,
the Democratic, headed by Jas. P.
Eagle, and the combine, by G. NJ.
Norwood. The Union Labor
party nominated Mr.. Norwood and
he was Endorsed by the Republic
cans. Norwood is an old Confed-
crate soldier, an old Democrat,
Granger, Greenbacker, Wheeler
and United. Labor man. Although
nominated by the Union-Lahor
party, he really made his canvass
as a Wheeler and a Republican.
Two years ago the Democratic
candidate for Governor received
$4,000 votes, the Republican can
didate $4,000 votes and the can
didate of the Wheel had 1900.
II WHEEL.
There are now in the State about
10000 Wheelers. This is suppos-
ed to be a purely agricultural
society. Its constitution COM
mands its members to abjure par
tisan politics. The Wheel as
such has NO politics, but its lead
ing members have developed a
wonderful appetite for Office and
as extraordinary affection for Be-
ppbNenns. Norwood was nominal
ed for Gsverner by the Union.
Labor party, with the hope that
he could swing the full vote Of the
Wheel to his support. When he
was nominated Norwood gave the
Republicans to understand that the
Wheel would support him solidly,
and with this understanding the
Republicans Endorsed his candi-
dacy. Norwood made his canvass
almost squarely as a Republican
He defended the wal tariff and adj
vocated the Blair bill. Extraor.
binary efforts were made to roll
the Wheel to Norwood's support,
but when the old farmers saw that
the Republicans were trying to
gobble their organization they
dropped Norwood. There are sew.
eral negro branches of the Wheel
but the white Wheelers are almost
to a man old Democrats. There
are few white Republican farmers
in Arkansas. Of course the Negro
Wheelers very largely voted 70,
the Republican candidate just the
same as they would have done il
they were not Wheelers. But,
from present appearances, the
white Wheelers stood by their ole
party and refused to make theil
organization a cog of a political
machine.
WANTED TROUBLE.
There is reason to believe that
the Republicans had orders to kick
up rows in several portions of ths
State. A couple of murdered ne.
groes in Arkansas would make 6
rich text for Republican campaign
speeches, and of urs the way
their death would be brought
about would be of no consequence
to the Republican bosses. The
Republican leaders here tonight
began to throw out ominous hints
of trouble as soon as the polls wer,
closed, some of them even goinf
far enough to name the counties
where it was expected. The bloody
shirt organ at st. Louis, too, sent
brace of "outrage experts" here
and it is understood that a claim
will be made tomorrow that tn,
combine carried the State. Sub
ssquent!y, of course, it will be sx
planned that the Democrats count
ed ont the successful candidates.
According 10 all indications, how
ever, the Democratic majority viii
run up between $4,000 and 10000
and it is safe to say that fully
5000 negroes voted the straigh
Democratic ticket.
t The only outrages that al b.
f heard flare the violent attempts 0
| Republican negroes to intimidat'
negroes desiring to vote the Demo
cratic ticket.
FL W. w: Edwards the Nominee.
Special Dispatch to the Ledger.
, LOUISIANA, Mo-, Sept. 4.-Th'
Republican Convention of tn,
Seventh Congressional District