St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-04
FULL OF EXCITEMENT.
Political Pulses Went Way Above
the Hundred Mark.

the Hundred Mark.
Dies MONIES, Nov. 3.-The most ex-
citing election in the history OF Iowa
has closed. The result is only matter
of counting now. Both sides have
renamed very confident. In Des
Moines the Democrats commenced FIR
ing their cannon before single pre-
cinct had finished its battling. The
Republicans were not as demOnstrative,
but just as confident of victory. 1t is
conceded that the election will be
close. The most remarkable thing is
the increase in the vote cast over
last year and two years ago. All
vote ever cast. The weather has been
disagreeable in parts of the state, but it
has not probably decreased the vote.
The interest taken has been 50 intense
that no unfavOTable weather could keep
the people from voting. There were
four tickets in the field. Early in
the campaign it looked as if the
Farmers Alliance or Peoples party
would seriously complicate the election.
The Republicans anticipated this move
ment by nominating farmer for gov
ernOr and farmer for lieutenant gov
ernOr. Mr.. Wheeler, the candidate for
governor, is one of the most successful
farmers IN the state. He had
for years been closely identified
with the state agricultural society, and
was Republican of good as well as
long standing. He is neither poIiti-
clan nor speechmaker. He has made
a canvass unique in Iowa politics. In
stead of talking to the people from
the stump he has met them in
the reception room. His tour of
the state took him into the
majority of the counties. He has been
shaking hands for nearly three months,
and his record in this respect is, per-
haps. uneQualed in state politics. He
further placed himself in cOmmunica-
ton with the people by conducting a
letter bureau. He has written more
personal letters to his supporters than
al the other candidates who have ever
run for governor in Iowa.
The Democrats have severely criti-
ciSed his campaign methods, but they
have been very popular with the farm
ers, who have a certain admiration for
a candidate who, like themselves, is not
polished speechmaker. The outcome
Of the experiment is awaited with
a degree Of interest that is un-
unprecedented. If Mr.. Wheeler is
elected. his methods will be very
popular with candidates in the future.
Il not, the campaign of handshaking
and letter writing will be in bad repute.
The Republican candidate for lieutenant
governor, George Van Houten. has
played an important part on account of
his close association with the Farmers
Alliance, in which he has been one of
the organizers and leaders.
The Democratic candidate for gov
pnin do l,5 nj
power in state politics. He was Re-
publican until the issue of prohibition
became a prominent one in Iowa. Two
years ago he was rather Obscuse law
yer in Waterloo. He was nomi-
mated by the Democrats when
nobody was anticipating Democratic
| victory in Iowa. lie made a calm and
| dignined canvass, and surprised the
| people by being elected the first Demo
cratic governor of Iowa in nearly forty
years. The canvass made by Mr.. Boies
mas been something of triumphal
procession. lie made speeches
in nearly fifteen counties through
out the state. He confined the
| hibition, which he called the paramount
issue. Many of the legislative candi-
| dates especially made re-submisSiOn
| prominent. The question of redistrict-
ing the state. following the national
| census. became very prominent
toward the end of the campaign,
as well as the question of the passage
of a law changing the method of select
ing presidential electors, similar to the
one enacted last year in Michigan. The
| Republicans urged these matters with
| so much persistence that Gov. BOies
finally publicly pledged himself to
veto any Michiganizing bill that might
! be passed, and TO approve only redis-
| tricting bill that would be considered
by impartial men as fair to both parties.
The Peoples party candidate was A.
j. Westfall, a farmer of Woodbury.
| county. He ran for congress in the
| Eighteenth Iowa district last year, and
received an Unexpectedly large vote.
/. The fourth ticket in the field was the
| Prohibition ticket. headed by Isaac T.
| Gibson, of Henry county.