Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-23


vote for Weaver is half vote for Cleveland, and
as between Cleveland and Harrison they are for
the latter.
THE THIRD PARTY.
What Il May Possibly Be Able b Accom-
plish in Florida.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star
OcALA, FLA, Aug. 20, 1892.
In framing estimates Of the voting strength
OF the peoples party in this state, since il is
to draw support for its ticket from the demo-
cratic ranks and from white and black repub-
licans as well, must not lose sight Of the fact
that the "black belt" Of Florida, SO called, is
spreading itself all over the state. 1t is no
longer confined to few counties in the north
ern tier, with Alachua and Marion, but extends
to many Of the counties Of south Florida. In
many Of the former 'black counties the CEN
sus returns Of 1880 show a large decrease in the
colored population. Gadsden, jefferson, Leon.
Madison. all show q large decrease, while the
increase in others Is very slight On the other
hand Hillsborough, St. Johns. Lake, Orange.
Polk. Sumter and other south Florida counties
show large accessions of colored people, drawn
directly from those counties where the number
has been diminished. This is due chiefly to
phosphate mining operations in south Florida.
THE BLACK BELT SPREADING.
Dividing the state into two groups Of counties
by the lines separating Levy, Marion, Putnam
and ST. Johns on the north from Citrus. Sum-
ter, Lake and Nolusia on the south give to the
northern group the counties of Escambia. Santa
Rosa, Walton, Washington. Holmes. Jackson,
Calhoun, Liberty, Franklin, Wakulla, Gadsden
Leon. Jefferson, Madison, TAYLOR Hamilton
Lafayette. Baker. Nassau Duval Bradford
Pint - Ii
Marion, twenty-nine in number. including all
the former so-called ''black countless" give the
southern group Citrus, Sumter. Lake. Nolusa
Orange. fernando. Pasco. Hillsborough Polk
Osceola, Brevard. De Soto. Manatee. Dade. Lee
and Monroe, sixteen in number in which in
1851 there were only about 5000 negroes.
INCREASE OF NEGRO POPULATION
The census returns show that IN the north
ern group, since $780, the negro population
has increased only ola per cent, while in the
southern group the increase has been l727 per
cent, the increase of negroes in the entire state
being 81 per cent
This ''scatteration" of the negro vote will
practically upset all previous calculations as to
the control of the vote of the coIored brother
and interfere considerably with the ancient
usages OF the republicans in keeping il solid.
Indeed, 1t has already done SO in former cleo
tons. and to it is 10 be attributed largely the
decrease in the republican vote for President
from 2S. in 1884 to 26657 in 1888. and the in
crease OF the democratic presidential vote from
81, 169 in 1884 to 39,5G1 in 1885,
CHANGE IN THE PARTIES.
These figures show a republican loss in the
state In 1884 Of 374. equivalent to f. per cent,
and democratic gain of 1892. equivalent to
1859 per cent. Should these percentages of in
crease and decrease be sustained in the vote of
1892 the result would be democratic vote of
1883 for Cleveland and republican vote Of
23.2S3 for Harrison, or a democratic majority
OF 22.O10 But now comes in the third party,
which proposes, after capturing the entire re-
publican vote con the ground Of the ..disinte-
grafton OF the democratic partyD to secure
enough democratic votes ION the ground that
the third party platform is solely constructed of
sound democratic timber, inspected and ap-
proved by Jefferson. jackson and Calhoun 10
''dislntegrate" that party and thus assure a
third party victory. To do this II will be nee
essary. assuming the foregoing TO be the prob
able respective party votes for them to secure
the desertion of over IL 900 democrats.
At this distance il looks as if they had bitten
of more than they can "chaw, but il is not good
politics to discount the enemy's force Large
numbers of negroes are now democrats. IL is
certain that. If the third party leaders can .on-
vince the national republican leaders that there
Is a fighting chance Ito disintegrate the demo-
cratic part" in Florida, they will receive large
pooHtitics VI tsuSN 1OnCS. Every
democratic vote SO secured, whether white or
black, and added to the republican vote, is a
double loss to the democracy
ACCEssIONs TO THE THIRD PARTY.
The largest accessions from the democratic
to the third party vote will be made solely upon
the strength of the dissensions existing in the
democratic ranks caused by the bitterness of
the senatorial contest of 1891. Men who could
not be moved out of their true course by cor
rupt motives can be swayed by their passions
and their prejudices. None know this better
than the third party leaders. And they are to
have an ally to work for them who will neither
slumber nor sleep SO long as there is a hope of
personal advantage to be gained, even by
arraying against each other the brethren
Of one household. Senator Call, a demo-
crat, will make personal canvass throughout
the state, ostensibly in the interest of the ma
tional and state democratic tickets, but really
it is believed to foster dissension and dis
quietude in the democratic ranks by encour-
aging third party or independent nominations
for legislative and county offices wherever the
democratic candidates are not sin accord with
u.s."
1t is estimated that the third party ticket in
this the second) congressional district will draw
fully s 100 votes away from the democratic
nominee. II the third party nominee can Sc.
cure the bulk of the republican vote. which he
claims and which the republican leaders openly
admit is going to him. he will be elected by a
majority Of q few hundred But all sorts of
complications are likely to arise before election
day. But even the democratic leaders admit
that If the democratic nominee Cooper is VIC
torious it will be only by the skin of his teeth.