The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-09-06
THE FIRST DISTRICT.
Some Figures on the Congress
sional Contest.
Houston, August 90.

Houston, August %.
To the Editor of the Statesman:
am aware of the existence of very
general appre hension that the split in the
democracy in this district will result in
sending republican, to congress, and
hence sanction what the Post said when
it assured its state contemporaries that
there is no danger" in that direction.
l do not speak for the Post
nor pretend to give reasons behind its
my opinion is shared in very generally
here) that there is no danger. Il is
because l feel quite sure that Colonel
Stewart will be reelected. Why do feel
so? There are many reasons, more than
have time to write, even il you
had space for their elabora-
ton. 1 will, however, mention a
few. In the last presidential election
and that is about the fsirest basis for use
in this com ection-there were polled in
this district 30,698 votes. OF these Mr..
Cleveland received 1873 and Mr.. Blaine
| 1926, making the democratic majority
4,S47. At first glance these figures, under
present circumstances, would seem to
make bad showing for the democracy,
but let us examine the conditions now, as
compared to what they were four years
lag. Then there was no especial effort
m lde in behalf of the democratic ticket
| and no local issues to empha-
size or excite the campaign. Now
it is differeLt, very different.
There are questions entering into this
race which undoubtedly will rise superior
to and set at defiance any calculation
made upon a purely political basis.
Neither Colonel Brady nor any other can
didate can possibly subordinate these
Questions to one of simple party ad-
vantages, and, in my judgment, Brady will
fall far short of receiving the vote cast for
Blaine. 1t is fact we'll recognized
and admitted upon all sides,
that the ten counties east of the Trinity
river will be practically solid for Stewart.
The reason for this is also recognized.
These counties are tributary to Sabine
Pass, and, their timber interests leading
all others in value, the securing of ser
viceable port at the ass is the paramount
question with them. Colonel Stewart has
shown his friendship for that por-
ton of the district by securing
large appropriations for the Pass,
and, above all, by refusing 10 yield TO the
pressure brought to bear to have him
desert his district and turn his services
entirely over TO a movement in favor OF
Galveston. These people appreciate
these facts, and will support Stewart in
preference to nybody-democrat or re-
publican. In brief, they reason this
way: sour hopes are in Sabine Pass
We know that Stewart is friendly
to the Pass, and will do all he can to get
deep water there. He is second on the
rivers and harbors committee. If he
should not go back to congress, Congress
man Grain would get his place ON that
committee. We know what to expect
from Grain, and no new man could get
the place Stewart now occupies. If we
lose our friend at court, our
hopes of Sabine Pass, for the
present at least, are gone, and no
considerations of politics or any thing
else will lead US to vote against Stewart"
That is the way they feel, and that is the
way they will vote, republicans as well as
democrats.
In the last presidential race the ten
counties referred to cast S,849 votes, 2 220
of which we're for Blaine, and which repre-
scented at that time the republican strength.
1t is safe to assume that these
counties this year will poll 10000 votes
Of these l calculate Stewart will receive
1000. Well posted gentlemen in that Sec
ton say 5000 to $500, but 1 will put the
figures at 1000. Harris county will poll
1000. OF these 1 give Stewart, at very
low calculation, 2,000-his friends claim
he will get 5000. This will give
him, according to my figures,
5000 votes from the eastern counties to-
gether with Harris. The balance If the
district at the election four years ago cast
10, 5-democratic, 1913; republican,
1882; about evenly divided. Now, 10 sup
ply the expected increase, suppose we pot
| the total at 1880. Divide that equally,
and Stewart will have $3.50 demo-
cratic votes to draw from. Give
him one-haif of these, and
he will have Alps to add to his 5000,
making total of 1925, leaving 2O,375 to
be divided between Hutchinson and Brady
and Mcdaniel, provided the latter re-
mains in the race. OF this 20.375 1 give
Hutcheson 1000 east of the Trinity, 1000
in Harris and 4,125, the one-half of the
democratic vote in the other counties,
making total for him of 8,125, leaving