Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-14
MICHIGAN POLITICS.
A Very Lively Convention Likely Of the
Republicans Next Week.

| MlNnI0AN fOLlIISSs
| A Very Lively Convention Likely Of thu
| Republicans Next Week.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, July IS, 1892.
The republican state nominating convention
will be held July 20 in Saginaw, and Judging
from the manner in which the brethren are
''getting together In caucuses and county con-
ventions II will be of the hveliest affairs Of
the kind in the history Of the party in Michigan.
The convention promises to be to politicians
and those concerned in affairs Of state as alb
sorbingly interesting rs border drama with
lots Of blood and slaughter in 1t is to the dime
novel reading small boy. The fun will begin
in the first act and there will be no let up until
the finish. 1t will be worth attending from the
time the curtain rolls up on the first act until
the glims are doused when the thing is all
over. The chief interest ms . matter Of course
will center around the gubernatorial nomina-
ton, but there will be fight over every place
on the ticket down to land commissioner with
anywhere from four to dozen patriotic citi-
zens willing to sacrifice themselves on the altar
Of duty 70 the commonwealth in each particular
| place.
For the head of the ticket the candidates are
John T. Rich Of Elba, Lapeer county, with
Congressman Jas. O'Donnell Of Jackson on the
| ground waiting and watching for an opening.
| Pingree and Rich have thus lar studiousIy Oh
| served the courtesies and amenities of political
life towacd each other but the canvass il growing
that heated 70 the veneer of kindness is RAPIDLY
melting away, and before the convention meets
both candidates win be in tho faeld tooth and
nail, as their adherents already are. Every
county convention is becoming the scene of a
| fight between the followers Of the two candi-
dates, and when one side or the other gains an
advantage in the election Of delegates there is
rejoicing or grief In the respective camps AZ
the case NAV be- The contest is becoming 90
close that the conventions Of the counties
which elect only two delegates are observed as
that 1.-TWO count, especially il there are enough
of them.
The PinRree men. besides extolIinp the record
Of their candidate as a business man. soldier.
friend Of hbor and popularity in Detroit do
not hesitate to cast reflections upon the Rich
boom. They openly and loudly declare that
Rich's candidacy is backed by the millionaires,
railroad interests and corporations, who know
IL he " elected they will have a friend in tho
executive chair. They have been looking over
his record AZ railroad commissioner and point
ont where his decisions were advantageous to
the railroads instead of the people; they have
been nosing around among the archives Of his
own county and district and publish to the
world that whom he failed in o denomination
for Congress he contributed to the defeat Of
his successful rival, and ever since then the
democrats have held the district; also that, dis
appointed in not getting the nomination two
years ago, he contributed 10 the defeat Of James
NJ. Turner. the republican nominee.
The Pingree advocates also show that Rich
has been an office holder or an office seeker for
twenty years, and they advance the theory that
his laundering after office ought to be cured be-
fore it becomes chronic. The Pingree men are
making an aggressive fight, and if q single post
master or federal officer Of any kind appears at
q caucus or convention they raise q mighty
howl against federal interference and dictation
But the Rich following Is not by any means
idle Rich is a horny-handed farmer. they
say; he is a sympathizer with labor, and all the
Offices he has ever held have been bestowed
upon him for merit. And then they get down
to punching holes in Pingrees boom. Pingree,
they say, is following the Turner tactics Of two
years ago and If he is nominated the party will
be led to a second defeat.
Pingree is making his canvass on business
principles and has his barrel open at both ends.
His advocates have al inspired enthusiasm with
Jingle to it, while Rich, comparatively poor
man. is travelling not on his barrel but on sub
stsntial personal worth.
Thus the fight is going and is becoming more
intense as the day for the convention draws
near. The convention ia earlier than usual and
in this Rich has an advantage, as Pingree has
been very rapidly gaining ground the past
month. Pingree will have the solid vote of