Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-17
FIGHTING FOR MAYOR
A Unique Campaign Now in Progress
in the Worlds Fair City.
FOUR BIG MEN In THE FIELD.
Carter Harrison's Original Method of BOOM
ing Himself.
BOTH THE GREAT PARTIES SPLIT UP
SPECIAL TnLEeRAN To TIE pIspArcH.,


paigns in her history. Each of the two
great parties has couple of candidates in
the field. one regular and one independent.
The Socialists have put up man, the Labor
people another, and the Prohibitionists may
vet put candidate in the field. The Re-
publicans have nominated Hampstead
Washburne as their candidate, with an out
burst OF enthusiasm which even drowned
the whistles of the Illinois Central locomo-
tives that were at that moment passing the
armory in which the delegates were assem-
bled.
Mr.. Washburue is an able man. He has
filled the City Attorneyship with great aoil-
ity, and since having that post couple of
years ago has given up mis- law practice and
devoted himself to negotiating real estate
deals and making building loans. He is
without personal magnetism, but withal is
popular and has the machine solidly at his
back.
Another washburn in the Field.
Early last week a self-appointed commit
tee OF "citizens" put up for the office an
other Washburn, who spells his name with
out final e, and the latter has accepted and
promised to make vigorous tight for the
Office. Elmer Washburn belongs to the
Republican party. He was Chief of Police
when the Republican Joe Medill was Mayor
a few years ago. and won the reputation of
being a man OF marked individuality and
force.
The men who put him up are largely Of
the Democratic faith and it is believed that
he will draw heavily from the Republican
vote. He is ultra respectable and inclined
to be somewhat puritanical in his ideas.
With Elmer Washburn for Mayor, the
gambling fraternity would have a hard row
to hoe and the foreign element might find it
slightly less easy than it is now to drink on
Sunday.
The Democrats have not vet made their
nomination. The present Mayor. Cregier.
has made good record. He has convinced
everybody of the sincerity OF his efforts to
make the street railway companies pay the
city for their franchises and has incurred the
bitter hostility of some powerful and Infuen-
tial street railway men. No very serious
effort has been made by him to rid the city
OF public gambling, but that evil has not
been by any means as loud and fagrant as
it might have been. Cregier is good or
ganizer, and, has the party machine solidly
at his back.
Assessing the Oficeho1ders.
The man with the assessment roll has been
around in his behalf. and those in Office
have contributed literally to perpetuate his
rule. He has in a measure conciliated the
ultra decent element by compelling saloon
keepers to keep their front blinds closed on
Sunday. That much has never been accom-
plished before. and it is ster forward,
though liquor selling goes on as actively as
ever behind the blinds And he has not es-
tranged the liquor men.
1t seems to us foregone conclusion that
Cregier will capture the regular Democratic
nomination, though his candidacy will be
hotly contested by the world-renowned ex-
Mayor Carter Harrison. While Harrison
was away ON his trip around the world, be
kept the city in mind of him by series of
readable letters to one of the Chicago papers.
When he returned he was heartily well
coined by his old political friends, but for
the last three or lour years he has been
looked upon as a sort of political corpse.
1t was commonly believed that his wonder
full vigor as politician had departed for
ever, and henceforth he would be notable
only for what he had been. 1t was there
fore with no little surprise that Chicago
heard the announcement few weeks ago
that ne was In the field ior the Democratic
nomination, if he could get it, and that if
he could not get the nomination he was In
the field as Democrat.
Carter is worth perhaps $3.50, 900. He is
pouring out his money like water, organiz-
ing clubs, hiring halls for Horrison meet
ings, hiring bands to patrol the streets by
day and by night to call the people to those
meetings. Follow the crowd to one of his
gatherings and you strike something really |
novel, the like of which is never seen in |
Pittsburg politics.
A Specimen Harrison Meeting.
The crowd gathers and becomes restless. |
Presently a man drags table to the center !
of the stage. Another man places upon it a |
stuffed eagle with folded wings and with a
general air Of being the worse for wear. !
Then follows another stuffed eagle with |
outstretched wings, also little the worse
for wear. Then large, elderly parsonage |
enters; there is a clapping OF hands, which
is acknowledged with a graceful salute,
and then, after more or less formality, comes
speech, full of vigor and fire and lie.
The man who is talking is hard hitter.
Building 1nsl ector John Dunphy has
ventured to disapproye his candidacy, and
Dunphy is called out by name and hauled
over the Goals. The Herald has disapproved
his candidacy, and Carter Harrison talks
rabidy of John r. Walsh, proprietor of the
Herald, and tells the crowd to stop taking
his paper until Walsh knows how to treat
Democrat. The rest OF the speech is what
81 did when L was Mayor" six years ago,
and ''what shall do if you elect me Mayor
again, as elect me you must and SHALL"
QueerIy enough, each meeting winds up
with taking vote OF those present, in
which half dozen venture to vote that they
do not want Harrison to be next Mayor,
and the rest vote ''aye" with a cheer. The
band plays, and rs the crowd wanders out
the stuffed birds are boxed up to be taken
to the next gathering. Such is Harrison's
peculiar way of conducting his campaign.
Bette Noir to Cregier.
What is he after? And can he succeed?
That he can win the Democratic nomination
succeed as an independent candidate, no.
body believes. What he eau do, though, Is
iefeat Cresier for reelection and put a Re
publican in the Mayorshlp for the next two
years. During all that time he will be tell
ing the Democratic workers how different
il would have been had he been made the
nominee in place of Cregler, and he will be
formidable candidate for The nomination
in 1893 for the term covering the Worlds
Fair. That is probably what Harrison ex-
poets to accomplish.
If he succeeds, everything in Chicago will
De wide open during his term. Public
gambling will flourish, and the sporting
generally will breathe more freely
han they ever have for years. The city will
sin a reputation during the Worlds Fair
ime which years of subsequent good be-
lavi0r my not overcome. IL is not to be
wondered at, there. ore. that the drcenter
element in the Democratic ranks is doing Its
Utmost 20 keep Harrison IN the back ground
md :>crmis the present Mayor to succeed
liMse)f.
A sLIG TT cold. II ne. lected often attacks the
ungs. BkowS's BRONCHIAL TRocHEs give sure
md immediate relief. Sold only in boxes. Price
B cents.