Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-10-17
THE SITUATION.
DEMOCRATS MORE THAN CONFIDENT.
How it Looks Politically at the
Present Time.

Present Time.
| The Outlook in Illinois Particularly En-
couraging something About Western
Headquarters and Mr.. Cables Work
Review of the Field of Politics from
Chicago.
CHICAGO. Oct. 15-It is less than a
month before election, and from a repub-
licsn standpoint affairs political are more
chaotic than ever. Conversely the demo-
Gratis are more sapguins than ever.
Democrats Confident i'm Illinois.
That the democrats regard Illinois as a
doubtful state we'll worth fighting for is
evidenced from the beginning of the cam
psign. II they had not go viewed it. they
would not have nominated AGlai E. Sie-
venson for vice president. 1t was only
after careful, conservative thought that
he was selected as Cleveland's running
mate by the Chicago convention, and "a
hours before the nomination was made he
was scarcely thought of for the place
Then, as in previous conventions. great
many supposed the time honored custom
of selecting one candidate from New
York and the other from Indiana would
be followed. But that custom had led
only to defeat, except in one instance,
aud that was when Thomas A Hendricks.
one of the greatest democrats the coun-
try over produced. was alive.
Where shall we turn to select our
candidate for vice PRESIDENT was the
question the convention asked itself.
Not to Ohio. certainly, as the ticket met
with defeat but four years ago when the
most popular man in that state was on
the ticket. Nor to Iowa, Wisconsin, or
Michigan, for the time was not yet ripe to
risk defeat for so small prize as either
OF them. but to Illinois.
To understand the exact political con-
dition of the other western states some
knowledge of Illinois politics is neces-
ssry. This state at one time was re-
garded as solidly republican as Vermont
or Pennsylvsnia is. There was a time
when it was democratic but that time dis
appeared with the passing away of
Stephen A. Douglas. Since then the re-
publicans have always had a majority
in the state, but that sjority is not
what it once WAS. From gu, 900 and So
900 it has gradually dwindled down TN
I'll now the party OF monopolies and
trusts is satisfied if it gets bare plural
ity 1t was this fact that led TO Steven
sons nomination for vice president. and
now all eyes are on Illinois. AS Illinois
goes, so will the country 60, is the
watch ord OF the republicans. The dem
ocrats do not take exactly the same view
OF the situation. bu, they say they are
willing that Illinois should join New
York, Indiana, New Jersey and Connect
cut in the democratic column and elect
Mr.. Cleveland by still larger majority.
Western Headquarters and Mr. Cable.
The second step was TO establish west
ern headquarters in Chicago. and Con-
gresham Cable, of Illinois. was put in
charge At first the republicans ridiculed
the idea Of establishing democratic head
quarters here for the purpo of fighting
for Illinois and the other western states.
They said it wss some of Don Dickin>
cons rninbow-chasing which he INDUCED
in 1883. They scoffed at the idea and
laughed it to scorn. Even the local
democratic papers denounced the plan rs
one that would embarrass the work that
must be done in New York. This was
because Cable would not give the local
democrats any money for the state cam
paign.
All this is now changed. 1t did not
take long for democia ats and republicans
TO learn that Cable is man Of greet pc
litical sagscIty-a man resourceful in
lsleAS ana strASeSl5t eQudl 10 tue DeSt
He began to conduct the fight IN earnest.
He lard his wires first to capture Illinois.
and his representatives. in Iowa, Michi-
gan, Wisconsin, North and South Da-
kots made play for these states. He
took the stand that Illinois should be
made the battle ground. and that it was
worth sill the rest OF the other states put
together. He knew that Governor Boes
would be able to carry Iowa for Cleve-
land if any man could. and that he would
do it il such . thing were POSSIBLE. He
also knew that Michigan is sure to give
half of her electoral votes to Cleveland.
anyhow. and that Don Dickinson would
secure the rest il there was any way to do
it. So he bent his energies toward &C.
curing the vote of Illinois.
Thus far his efforts have been more
than successful. The democratic n
didate for governor in Illinois has been
conducting his own campaign in r.
markably successful manner, and Ca
ble's national committee have seen to it
that the national ticket is taken care of.
Thus the two tickets-nationsl and the
state-are working indie pencently of
ach ether, and each is helping the other
IN q great measure On the other hand.
he republicans have been handicapped
because the state committee has had both
campaigns to look after. At first it was