, 1892-10-17
A BIG BLUNDER.
The Branch Democratic Head
quarters IS a Failure.
Congressman Ben Gable Will Soon
be Ordered East TO Assist In
COunteracting Republican Act
ivIty In the Empire state.

commencing HepuDiAcan Act
ivIty Ia the Empire state.
Special to The Tribune
CHICAGO, October 17-"Close your head
quarters and Yamoose to New York
You've got to carry that state to elect
Cleveland, and there's no use in you fool
rainbow chasers wasting your time ON Illi-
nois, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin or any
other western state"
That is what prominent Chicago demo-
Gratis have said, in language more forcible
than eloquent, to Congressman Ben Gable,
who has charge Of the branch democratic
headquarters in Chicago They told Ca
bic that when he first came here, and they
have been telling him the same thing ever
since.
1t is indeed a credulous person who inn
agines there is a democrat of the beliefthat
any of the heretofore republican states will
go democratic this year. Just about this
time every four years tie democrats carry
half dozen states and elect their -candi-
dates by overwhelming majorites, but a
month later, when the votes are counted,
it is found the republicans have won.
Dickinson tried it in 1888, and through his
efforts in behalf of Cleveland MICHIGAN
went republican by an increased majority.
When Dickinson first proposed to estab-
hsh branch headquarters in the west he
was laughed at for his pains. He persist
ed, however, and the eastern democrats
who know what politics are, thinking they
could shelve Dickinson by putting him in
Chicago, and thus get him out of the way,
agreed to his proposition. A branch head
quarters was established and eyer since
that time the complete hopelessness of the
democratic cause has been more clearly
demonstrated than ever.
The first question that Gable had to
worry over was one of finances. He and the
local committee got into a sduabble over
this, and they haven't got out OF it yet
The chairmanship of the finance committee
was offered to a wealthy ChIcagOan who
was CleVeland's minister to Persia. He
said he would accept on one condition.
which was that all the money that was
collected in Illinois should be spent in Illi-
nois he told Cables committee plainly
that no one but visionary would ever
think Of carrying any Western state this
fall except Illinois. He argued that Steven
son WAS put on the ticket for that purpose
and that it would be the utmost foolish
ness to spend any money in Iowa, WiscOn-
sin or Michigan. If those states wanted
any money they could raise it for them
selves.
These views did not coincide with Mr.
Cables, so another wealthy man was chosen
for chairman of the finance committee
This committee was appointed three weeks
ago, but If it has done anything yet nobody
knows anything about it. The fact of the
matter is not one thousand dollars has
been collected. Chicago democrats are
little bit careful how they give money
for democratic campaign purposes. In 1884
one of the wealthy democrats subscribed
$4,000 for the cause and when Cleveland
was appointed he asked for the appoint-
ment OF friend TO a certain position. His
request met with fiat refusal, and a man
who had subscribed but $500 got the place.
This is but one instance of CleYeland's
treatments of Chicago democrats, and it is
plain to see that he cannot expect much
financial aid from them this time.
Notwithstanding the fact that he has no
money, Gable has had demands made upon
him from all over the West Most of them
have come from the states where the demo-
Gratis and, the peoples party have fused
The one hope of the democrats to elect
Cleveland is to carry some of the Granger
states for Weaver. If they could carry
Kansas and Nebraska, for instance, they
could afford to lose either New York or
Indiana. In that event the election of a
president would be thrown into the house
of representatives, which, being demo-
cratic, would elect Cleveland. 1t is along
this line that Cable and his western demo-
cratic committee is now at work, but the
republicans are not alarmed over the situa-
tion. They have had word from all the
western states, and they are satisfied that
those states are as sOlidly republican today
as they were four or eight years ago.