The morning call., 1890-10-22
SIGNS OF A PANIC.
Democratic Leaders Frightened
at the Outlook.
Western Farmers Blight Their Hopes
Of Carrying the Election.
A Dark Plot to Secure Every Southern
Congressional District at All
Hazards.
Special TO THE MORNING CALL

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21.-As the Congress
sional campaign approaches that time when
the last big Clicks" must be put in, the
Democrats are beginning to show signs of a
panic. Their committee here in Washing
ton has not as yet been actively exerting
itself except in the promotion of the con-
spiracy to initiate prices. The Democratic
leaders have calculated that with the thirty
eight seats which the Southern Democracy
is depended on to steal, and with the thirteen
which are expected as the result of the gerry
manders in Ohio. Maryland, Indiana and
kentucky, they will be in majority in the
next House without any work. In other
words they have reckoned that with these
fifty-one Republican seats thus easily Sc
cured, they could not possibly lose enough
of their Northern districts TO deprive them
of the control of the House. This fact ex-
plains the apparent inactivity of Chairman
Brice and Chairman Flower.
Recent events, however, have caused
these astute politicians much anxiety. They
have made the discovery that the new tariff
law is not so unpopular in the West as they
supposed it would be. Before the Tariff
full of protests against it. offered in the
name Of the Western farmers. The English
have finally perceived that it is not prudent
to advocate free trade in America on that
candid ground that it will enrich their own
man ufarturers, and so their later arguments
are advanced unselfshly for the alleged
benefit of the American farmers. They
have printed many columns den0unclng the
Mckinley bill. because 1t Is going to I'M
poverish the agricuturists of America"
They have said that the farmers are on
the borders of revolution" that they are
getting down their rifles" and are going
to do something desperate. The Demo-
cratic managers easily persuaded themselves
that this was true and when this campaign
began they undoubtedly expected to see
the West boil over with rage against the
new tariff. After waiting in vain for six
weeks for some signs of a revolution"
they have come reluctantly to the painful
conclusion that 1t is not going TO occur and
that unless they want to be beaten out of
their boots they must make arrangements
to steal more seats than they had at first
contemplated.
They have convinced themselves that the
repeal of S70,000,000 of sugar duties, the
placing of goods on the free list which were
last year imported to the value of $3.50, 000,-
000, the low tariff on binding twine, the high
tariff on WOOL and the shutting out of
Canadian farm products from the American
market, are PROVISIONS which, so lar from
displeasing the American farmers, are sure
to return Republican Congressman from the
WeStin ever greater numbers than before.
This has caused within the last three
days an entire change in the plans OF the
Democrats. and they are now making
arrangements to prevent the return of a
single Republican from any Southern State.
The present Congress contains twentr-three
Southern Republicans, and without any re-
gard for the result of the balloting on No
yember 4th, every Southern certificate is TO
be made out to a Democrat This plan was
discussed by the Democratic managers be-
fore Congress adjourned. but they abandoned
it for two reasons: First, because they
counted on that ridiculous Western "revolu-
tion" against the tariff, and thought it
would not be necessary and second, because
they feared it would result in the passage
an act of Republican retaliation.
They preferred to avoid an extension of
Southern ballot-boX frauds if they could do
so without danger of losing Congress. Every
Southern certificate voluntarily yielded to a
Republican was an argument against the
necessity of Federal election law, and they
hoped they might he able safely to give such
arguments in sufficient numbers to allay the
Northern demand for the Ledge bill. This
course, however, is now definitely aban-
doned. They foresee tha. the Republican
victory in the West is to be complete and
overwhelming and orders have been issued
to their Southern leaders that no quarter
must be given to Republicans in any South
ern State.