New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-22
A NETWORK GERRYMANDER.
WHICH HAS NOT WORKED JUST AS THE
DEMOCRATS EXPECTED.

WHICH HAS NOT WORKED JUST AS THE
DEMOCRATS EXPECTED.
THE CONTEST IN THE TWENTY. FOURTH DISTRICT
FARMERS INTEREST IN THE TARIFF
GOOD ASSEMBLY NOMINATIONS.
,yxoxA SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or TIRE TRIBUNE,
| Oneonta, n. Y, Oct 21.-There are five or six
Congressional districts in this State upon which
the Democrats, under the direction Of Governor
| Till. are concentrating oil their political and
| financial power for the purpose Of reversing the
present proportion OF representation OF New-fork
IN the House OF Representatives namely, nineteen
Republicans and fifteen Democrats Among these
districts Is the XVIII which was formed in 1888
/ fror, the counties OF Otsego, Herkimer and Seho-
harie.
The district was carved out by the Democratic
legislature of 1885, with the thought that it
| would be q Democratic one-and q sure" Demo-
cratic one Schoharie County is one of the Bour-
hon Democratic counties OF the State. 1t never
has gone Republican. Otsego County also in
! Iss3 was thought to be a Democratic county
| II usually elected two Democratic Assembymen
and Democratic co, nty officials. Joined In part
| nership with theS Democratic counties was the
Republican county Of Herklmer; but 1t did rot
contain sufficient Republican votes In the opinion
| Of the Democratic leaders, TO overcome the Demo-
cratic majoritics cast by the Democratic counties
| Of OtscQo and Schoharie. Nor was the gerry
| mander effected by the Democratic Legislature OF
! 1893 ut FIRST failure. At the first election Of
| Congressmen in the district John ). Pindar oil
Schoharie County, Democrat, had plurality OF
| l,ll2 votes.
The next election, that Of 1886, there was
| neyolution-a revolution Of such character that
Il throws light upon the probable decision OF the
district this fall between the Republican and the
| Democratic candidates for Congress. The dlstrct
is almost exclusively an agricultural one; 1t has
no city within its limits. only large villages
The bulk of the voters are farmers, ana their
chief crops hops and potatoes and their dalres
are famous all over the Union. Otsego County
raises more hops than any other county In the
United States; and as for llerkimer County, size
possesses the largest cheese market in the country
Mr. Pndar was so ill-advised as to vote for the
Morrison Tariff bill, which reduced the tariir
upon hops He also voted for the Mills larH
bin. which did the same thing. The farmers of
Otsego County, whether Democrats or Repuph-
cans. naturally resented this betrayal Of their in
tercsts When the Republican Congress Conven-
ton for the district met in the fall of 1886, in
David WILDER, a leading dealer in hops in Otseso
County MS the Republican candidate for Congress.
The nomination was highly fortunate one. Mr..
WILDER was known to about every farmer in
Otsero County and had large acquaintance also
with those OF Schoharie and Hcrkmer counties.
No one who lived in the district was therefore sur
prised when he was elected BY plurality of 1868.
In 1883 Mr.. WILDER was reelected by plural
ity of 1850 He served the district greatly to
it's satisfaction and his death the past winter was
much mourned by every ono in It,
The present year the Republicans have nomi-
mated Frank b. Arnold as their candidate for Con-
gress from the district. Mr.. Arnold lives at
Unadlla lie is one of the leading lawyers of
Central New-York and is a man Of such genial
presence that he has hosts Of friends. He also is
rightly Mr.. Wiber's political heir. Mr.. WILDER
regarded Mr.. Arnold one Of his most intimate
and dearest friends. The two men were one in
political ideas II Mr.. WILDER Loyalty defended
and advanced the agricultural interests OF his
district in Congress, so will Mr.. Arnold. The
Republican candidate also is in favor In the dis
trict because he already has had legislative ex-
perience. For several years. 1885, $50 and 1887
he was o member Of the Assembly, and In 1888
and 1880 he was q member of the State Senate.
Mr. Arnold had most distinguished place in the
Assembly and in the Senate. He was one OF the
leaders He won State fame by his thorough
investigation of trusts and his able report
upon their operation.
Mr. Arnold was nominated TO Ill out the short
term still left Of Mr.. Wilber's and for the full
term succeeding It. The Democrats are doing
him the honor of running two candidates against
him. For the short term they nominated eX-
Congressman John S. Pindar of Schoharie County,
and for the long term George Van Horne, OF
Cooperstown, Otsego County. The Democrats hope
to hold down Mr.. Arnold's vote in Otsego County
to nominal majority, and to overwhelm the
Republican votes OF Herkimcr County with the
votes of the Bourbon Democrats OF Schohare
County. Mr.. Van Horne was formerly county
clerk Of Otsego County. and therefore has some
acquaintance in it, which he is attempting to use
to further his canvass.
Mr.. Arnold is making fine and vigorous con-
vass In no Congressional district in the State
does a Republican candidate for Congress more
| merit the support of voters. The chief agricult-
ural products Of the district have all been marked
up in price by the operation Of the Mckinley
| Tariff bill and the farmers are prosperous and
happy The duty OH hops has been advanced by
the Mckinley bill from cents pound to 10
| cents a pound Last year the farmers Of Otseso
| County were only able to get IL and Is cents
| pound for their hops. This year, owing to the
tariff, they are offered from 40 to so cents a
pound; and the price is rising. Last year there
was imported from foreign countries into this
country over 1000, 900 pounds of hops. With
the tariff increased there will be such importa~
ton Of hops into this country, and no such COM
petition with the American hop dealers OF
Schohare and Otsego counties. 1t should be
stated that the increase of the duty upon hops
,vas largely due to Mr.. WiIbcr's efforts and that
| Mr. Arnold will uphold the tariff as it is.
Other crops Of Otsego County are also feeling
| the effect OF the tariff Potatoes have gone up
| in price, and many farmers are thinking of buy
| ing sheep and going into wool raising. There is
| no better feeding ground for sheep in the State
than can be secured on the hills Of Otsego County.
| In in Herkmer County also the butter, cheese
| and egg dealers sec that the tariff law has ad-