St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-03
Both Sides Claim the Coming Victory but the Signs Point
to the Downfall of Prohibition and the Election
Of Honest Horace Governor

claimed, and is now generally
admitted, that at that election a great
many Republicans voted for BOieS, as
all of the remainder of the Republican
state ticket was elected by from l, 7OO to
5000 plurality. Last year the total vote
was $780, 353. Of which the Republican
candidate for secretary of state had
19l, sos. a plurality of 1865, and the
whole Republican state ticket was elect
ed. Thus the Republicans have once
carried the state for minor state officers
since Gov. BOieS was elected by the
Democrats. The fact that the legisla-
ture will re-diStrict the state adds
greatly to the local and general interest
in this election, and both parties are
making strenuous attempts to capture
the general assembly as well as to
elect the state officers. The Democrats
are credited with the assistance of the
liquor and saloon interests in their
struggle for the legislature and the gov
ernOr, while the Republicans are Qui C
as cOnfident.that they will get the sup
port of thousands of PrOhibitiOnists,
who will cast their lot with the Repub-
licanS in the fear that Democratic sue
cess would mean the repeal Of the pro-
hibitory law. The Republicans also
claim that great majority OF the In
dependent Republicans have gone
back to the old party fold because they
fear that the result In the state will be
accepted as IOwa's declaration on the
national issues which divide the par
ties, and because they fear Democratic
governor and Democratic legislature
might gerrymandeT the state, neutral
iZing Iowa's powers in the electoral col
lege and the Republican nominating
convention
This claim is doubtless correct, as is
equally so the Democratic claim that
thousands of German Republicans aud
the liquor interests generally will sup
port the Democratic ticket. There is in
Iowa heavy German vote, naturally
Republican IN its utilization. Much Of
it went over to the Democracy two years
ago on local issues. and this accession is
confidently counted upon by the Demo-
Gratis again this year. On the other
hand, the Methodist conference de-
nounced and attacked the governor for
his abuse of the pardoning power IN re-
leasing from prison large number of
violatOrs of the liquor law, and his al
legged opposition in general to the pro-
hibitOry law. Just what effect the adj
Won't of the church into the political
arena will have is difficult to determine,
but Gov. BOieS has not hesitated TO de-
nOunce and defy vigorously the inter
ference of the clergy.
An address to Prohibition Repub-
licans. signed by members of that fac
ton in the larger cities, has created
quite favorable feeling for Republican
success. But the Democrats claim that,
while the leaders of auti-PrOhibition
Republicans return to the party, the
masses of them will not. Another very
IL a TO
fall,th candidate of the Peoples party.
He claims that he will poll at least 49,
600 votes. Gen. Weaver says he will
get $4,000, but the Republicans and
Democrats do not concede Westfall
! over 5000. These will probably come
in about equal numbers from both of
the leading parties. In 40 legislative
| and 10 senatorial districts the Peoples
party have candidates for the legIsla-
ture. and IN legislative and sem
atOrial districts these candidates are in
dorsed by the Democrats. They may
elect several members, but it is not
thought possible that they will even
hold the balance OF power. The Pro-
hibitiOnIstS are not expected to poll
over 1000 or 1000 votes.
Chairman Mack, of the Republican
state central committee. tonight esti-
mates that Wheeler will have a plural
ity OF at least 1900 Chairman Fuller,
of the Democratic state committee.
placed the probable Democratic plural
ity at from II 900 to $4,000. based on re-
ports considered conservative. BOies. it
is estimated, will run from 1000 to 5000
ahead OF his ticket.
Thus the situation stands: The Re
publicanS are divided on the prohibition
question, the Democrats are divided on
the silver question, so that on the tariff
question alone have the party lines
been at all tenaci0usly drawn. The
Democrats have naturally striven to
make the tariff question the paramount
issue, while the Republicans. hoping to
absorb the greater part OF the prohi-
bition vote, have kept the liquor ques-
ton well in the foreground. Both par
ties have coquetted with the silver
question and tacitly striven to postpone
this issue until after the national con
yentiOns next year shall have spoken.