Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-10-31
THE SITUATION IN NEW YORK.
The Scenes at Party Headquarters
Case Of Diamond Cut Diamond.


F. A. Richardson in Baltimore Sun.
NEW YORK, Oct. 30.-The methods Of man.
agement with the national committees running
the campaign for the two great parties are
strikingly dissimilar. At the democratic head
quarters there is a large staff of stars, walking
gentlemen, and supernumeraries, every one of
whom knows it all, and is quite ready to tell it.
Majorlties everywhere - North, South East,
and West-are figured up by tens of thousands.
Letters from all sections are exhibited by the
bushel, which relate surprising gains in repub-
lican strongholds. Once day elaborate printed
bulletins are 8 iven out portraying the situa-
ton in such rosy hues Of light and beauty as
fairly to infame the minds OF enthusiasts.
Altogether the stalwart and hopeful demo-
crat enters party headquarters, treads on
flowers and sips nectar. At republican head
quarters there are but few such, and these
are of the kind who work They have no time
except to talk business. The subordinates
are drilled like soldiers, their faces set always
to their tasks, and never have they any infor-
nation to communicate, except that Harrison
and Morton will carry every Northern state.
No details are vouchsafed, no bulletins are
issued and no letters are triurnPhantly Haunted.
II is amazing to see the evidence in every
nook and corner of the purpose to succeed, and
the determination to leave nothing undone in
furtherance of that purpose. 1t has been said
that defeat to the republican party now means
Generalization and destruction. This is GER
tainly realized, and if the party should be
beaten on Tuesday next it will not be because
every end and effort known to the diplomacy,
the intrigue and corruption OF politics has not
been resorted to. / have never seen finer or
more consummate work in political campaign.
1t is a fact as has been suspected that the re-
publican committee has plenty of money 1t
has had oceans of it from the beginning, and
il is still flowing in in a steady and continual
stream. 1t will all be needed. The republican
committee has an army of detectives at its
command. They shadow constantly all the
democratic leaders and the democratic heelers,
and it is claimed they have even penetrated to
democratic headquarters and picked up the
secrets there.
am convinced that the republican commit
Whether it be blind confidence or not, it is ap-
parent they are not disturbed by prophecies of
losses in republican states. They have from
the opening of the campaign proceeded on the
theory that so far as the North was concerned
the contest would hinge on the same four states
as from 1876 down. To carry New York will be
enough to win the game for them, and resting
on the assumption that all which can done for
Connecticut, New Jersey, and Indiana has been
done, New York is now to be the sole object of
attention The desperation with which they
are concentrating on New York indicates that
they cannot be SO certain of Connecticut and
Indiana as they assert However. was assured
most solemnly to the contrary. had an interest
ing talk with Col. Dudley while at republican
headquarters to-day. He is one of the very best
managing politicians in the whole country, and
has been doing splendid service for his party
during this campaign. He has heretofore al
ways been to the front in the campaigns in his
own State, but he told me he was not needed in
Indiana this year. Everything was going on
all right there, he said, as he held up a letter
just received from General Harrison. He said
conceding the democrats the vote of the float
ers" the republicans would still have 5000 to
spare. asked him about Illinois, He replied
instantly that Harrison would beat Cleveland
e, 900 in that State. He expressed much pleas
ure that this campaign had been fought on one
clean political issue and there had been no at
tempt on either side to assail personal charac-
ter. He said two or three months since affi-
davits had been brought to him for sale reflect
ing on the domestic life of the President. He
refused to have anything to do with them and
told the persons concerned that the republican
committee did not propose to conduct the cam
paign on any such principle.
1t must not be supposed, because of the con-
trast between the two national headquarters,
that the democratic cause is lacking for skillful
management. Far from it. There are master
hands in control, only they are never seen
about headquarters, but direct from private
parlors in the Fifth Avenue Hotel. The repub-
lican committee call those in charge at demo-
cratic headquarters "plungers," but they know
full well the head persons they are matched
against, and realize that at most il is diamond
cut diamond. The maneuvering for these few
days preceding the great battle will call for the
utmost resources on both sides of political skill
and genius. The loss Of single trick may be
danger to one and Joy to the other. My OBJ
servation leads me to credit the claim of the
democratic managers that they have the better
hold on this state, the more so as the promi-
nent republicans are less confident than hope
full, but no victory is assured until it is won
and no friend of tariff reform should under
any circumstances, fail to cast his ballot. This
by the way, is just as applicable to Maryland
and every other state as New York.