The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1888-09-29
DOUBTFUL.

The statement that a large prohlol-
ton vote will be cast in Minnesota ana
Wisconsin is verified by reports from
there. A private letter from all Iowa re-
publican now living in st. Paul takes a
very gloomy view of the situation from
d republican standpoint. The letter
says il would not be at all surprising
should Minnesota cast her electoral vot
for the president, for two reasons
first, because the prohibitionists will
draw largely upon republicans, and
second, because the tariff reform SEN
timent is unusually strong there. Many
republicans in Minnesota will vote for
Gen. Fisk because they do no wish to
vote for Mr. levelend direct, though the
effect will be nearly the same. Two
years ago, when "Doc' Ames ran tor
governor against Governor McGill, the
latter's majority was but 2,'33, while
| Ames claimed to have been elected.
The result was a great shock to the re-
publicans, who did not imagine they
held the state by so slender IA majority,
and a majority at that which could
hardly bear inspection. Mayor Ames,
| who at that time was the chief execu-
tive officer of Minneapolis, claimed
fraud, aud openly declared he had been
cheated out of the ~governorship by
crooked work in the northern part of
the state, where The population was
sparse.
With fighting chances in Illinois,
Wisconsin,, Minnesota and Michigan,
the democrats in those commemorative
are a~nxiously watching the growth Of
the prohibition vote and the spread OF
the temperance sentiment. Those re-
publicans III Illinois, Wisconsin and
| Michigan who are tariff reformers, but
do not feel exactly like voting directly
| for the democratic nominee for presi-
dent, will follow the example of their
brethren in Minnesota and vote the
prohibition ticket. In Illinois the
greatest gains for the prohibitionists
will be in tile northern and northwest
tern portions of the state this year,
whereas the gains two years ago were
in Central and Southern Illinois. These
gains OF 1856 will be held, and it can
be seen. therefore, that the prohibition
ists have good reason to feel elated.
| They do not seem TO care, when the
fact is demonstrated to them, that
thousands of these votes will be cast
ulEcCIly iOI tle ucLuOCEatlC hotiOhoi
ticket in 1899. They only look at
things in the present, leaving the future
to take care of itself. If the prOhibi-
| tionists east $4,000 votes this fall in
this state, and the probabilities now
are that they will, General .Harrison's
majority will be very small, it, in fact
re has any.
The democrats are preparing to Cir
culate by the hundreds OF thousands the
presidents letter of acceptance, and
every voter in the state will have the
opportunity of reading it, no matter
what his political predictions The
democrats are enthusiastic over the
document, and for this reason think it
the most powerful argument possible to
advance tor the conversion OF voters.
The Revenue Reform League, whose
officers are all republicans. will also
send out the presidents letter. The
war is to be carried into Africa, and
when the republicans get their victory
in lllinOis-prOVided they do get tit
will be earned, To date the republic
CANS have conlented themselves with
the stereotyped and comforting assur-
nee at is. Eonsense to talk OF Illinois
going otht rwise than overwhelmingly
republican," but now they have chang
ed their tune and admit the possibility
OF what they call a "reasOnably' close
contest. The activity of the prohibit
tionists Is, primarily, the cause of this,
and secondly, the zeal and hard work
| OF ihc revenue reforms.