New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-02
POLITICAL AND PERSONAL.
THE SITUATION ON THE EVE OF ELECTION

HOW THE DEMOCRATS HOPE TO AID THEIR
voTERs-CAMPAIGN ExPENsEs-REPUB-
LIoAN PROSPECTS OF SUB
srAYT1AL GAINS.
That the workings of the Ballot Reform law win
he against the interests of the Democratic party to
which the great majority Of the ierate voters belong,
leaed by its leaders apparent In the efforts made
to twist the law so TO permit persons unable to
read and write to inelleently. 1t has been
decided erect samplev0ng booths near the polling
places and instruct voters just before they undertake
to cast their ballots and drill them until they can
be sure TO put the proper paers correctly upon all the
official ballots which they viii receive so q to be
certain to vote the straight ticket. Permission was
secured from the Aldermen 20 construct the necessary
booths within 100 feet of the polling places. Ito which
distance all cleotioneerng restricted and they VIII be
| put up tomorrow In all the strongly Democratic
districts
But this Is not all that Is proposed. The claim was
put forth boldly last week that the clause by which
person precuded by physical disability from preparing
his ballot take friend into the booth with him
| to mark and fold his ballot was meant
| to include persons who cannot read and WHO
The managers of the Democratic campaign now go
further They propose to take steps on the morning
Of election day 10 get If possible, judicial opinion
giving TO ltcrate voters tie right TO take informed
companions with them in the voting booths As soon as
the polls are open a rest will be made and when
the inspectors of election refuse TO admit that man
unable TO read and write who makes oath that II is
ply steal disability. under the clause Of the law
and he and his companion are not admitted to the
compartment, application will be made to a supreme
Court Judge his house for order to show cause
why mandamus should not be granted. returnable at
| 10 O'Clock. The case will then be argued and de-
cison sought at once that II Is favorable ii viii be
possible to get the information disseminated sufficiently
for all voters who cannot read write to avail them
selves of it. The plan is pretty but 1t may fail
TO be carried out. Corporation Counsel jerks holds
that physical disability" does not mean mental in
capacity to read write.
Much interest viii be taken in the outcome of the
voting under the system, and the usual methods
of prognosticating results fail utterly The returns
from parts Of the city will be likely to make pro
fessdlal politicians open their eyes.
The of the campaign under the new regulations
II expected would be greatly reduced, as the
expense for ballots and the election machinery involved
in their distribution and the manning Of the polls, 1t
thought, would he greatly reduced and the secret
ballot was supposed to do away with all Of money
in buying votes. But enormous campaign fund
has been raised by the Democrats. Assessments Of
oceholders and contributions from liquor sellers have
been levied in former years What the candidates
have contributed Will be set forth in the sworn state
ments which they must file after the election. The
facts they will detail Will he the interesting
revelations Of campaigning under the new system. How
the Democratic funds have been expended is not made
clear II is maintained that the paser and sample
ballots have cost large sum and that the work Of
iIstructnc voters is expensive No money has been
spent upon meetings and parades. The wealthy
candidates have been told that they could have no
financial assistance The Republicans, with limited
exchequer, have held many ward meetings the
Democrats and great Rink meeting besides.
Money has been lavishly used by the Democrats to
tive Wallace. but the effort to defeat him d.
mnish his majority is failure. To bolster up the
candidacy Of W j. CoOmbs the regular candidate Of the
Mclaughlin Democracy, Carl schurz, who had de
nounced the Tauimany Democracy in unmeasured terms
two nights before, secured to speak. tie did
not say anything about the McManuses and OFlaertys
Of Brooklyn, for their votes are all wanted by Mr..
Coonbs but what lie said in New York Will not tend
10 increase the Democratic vote Of Brooklyn.
The CLERKS and other employees of the Bureau OF
Elections are nearly swamped by the millions Of ballots
10 be handled. There in all eleven different
ballots printed for In various parts o. the city
They are Republican. Democratic, Prohibition. social
istic Labor and blank ballot with only the OF
the Offices be filed, which Will be supplied at all tho
polling places. and Commonwealth, Democratic Labor,
independent Democratic. Independent Democratic and
Labor Tariff Reform Democratic, and Citizens Demo
cratic for in various wards and Assembly dis
tricts. All have to be numbered and Endorsed by the
president OF tie Board OF Elections
There strong hopes not only of electing two OF
three Republican congressman but Of increasing the
representation OF the party in the Assembly from three
TO i've or six The IXth and Alth Districts surely
Republican. In the X1Ith District where Charles J.
Kurth N. c. Earl by eighty votes last
year. tie contest is TO be close, for william Watson,
the Republican candidate, has incurred the opposition
~ his fellow supervisor, John \. McKano and viii
have 10 make great gains in the Tweniy-hfth and
Twenty sixth wards 10 Offset the detection OF Gravesenu
+.
districts in which the Republicans have good hopes
In the I'D the contest Is between two plumbers. G.
Alfred Smith and Is. J. Mcbride, who by 44S votes
last year. Mr.. smith has been actively campaigning
and will greatly reduce he does not overcome these
figures. Assembyman Shields only carried tfe
With District by PSI votes in 1889 against
H. b. Woods James Reilly. the present Republican can
dIGale possesses much personal popularity anu WI set
the With District, is conceded from the unpopularty
Of some Of MS actions In the Legislature last winter
and the strong canvass which G. A: Weller has made
lie has only adverse majority Of 426 10 overcome
The contest l. an Interesting In the With Dis
tret, where there are i've candidates. vita so |
many pirants the chances Of supervisor Boyd, |
Blanchfeld who carried the district by AGA plurality
last year, wac not renomnated, and he is not at all
hearty IN the support of James F. Qnigey. who was |
William s. Walker who entered the field as an indie.
pendent Democratic candidate in the XIIth Assembly |
district has withdrawn but he did moi file his with
drawa with the County Clerk In time to prevent the
printing ne al az oo1 w lnSl f pom n for
supervisor Of the wenty sixth Ward BY the sociastc
Labor party has fed since nomination. but the ticket
will bear his name.
John E. Searles. r., who has come into such prom.
iuence the secretary and treasurer Of the sugar
Trust and whose affidavit deliberately denied last |
we,k the Allegations against him and his fellow-tFus
tees As leading mem er OF the NewYork Avenue |
Methodist Episcopal Church. and 80 900 toward
he debt upOi its building lie Is the son Of a |
Methodist minister, and is about fifty years old. |
MS home Is at No. $40 st. MarIss-av where he
has a fine house and grounds.
The decision that the votes must be canvassed and |
reported to police headquarters az In past years VIII
greatly facilitate the securing Of returns OF the cleo
eIon and VIII also be safeguard against tampering
with the result II they were held bach so as TO be