Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-12
EFFECT OF THE AUSTRALIAN BALLOT.

| lrhnchlse, coupled with the detection OF the
Providence Journal and its independent
constituency, would complete the down
fall Of the republican party, but it
didn't Democratic mayors, Congressmen and
governors have been elected since, but not
quite as frequently republicans. The
severest blow that the system ever received
however, was the adoption OF the Australian
ballot. 1t knocked all political conclusions
galley west, to use a local expletive. Politi-
cians for almost the first time in their lives
| were really anxious on election day. Hereto
fore they had known go well how every man in
| the little state was going to vote that the man
! ayers OF both parties knew who were elected
| before the poles opened. An entirely new
method OF persuading the doubtful vote had to
| be invented in order to insure satisfactory re-
| suits. The political Arkwrights, Fultons and
Edisons have taxed their ingenuity for effective
means OF exerting influence. but SO FAR with
| only indifferent success. They are absorbed in
the problem today, and the accuracy OF it's
solution will be measured by the relative re-
turns OF the two parties at the coming election.
THE STATE is DOUBTFUL
The result Of the election is certainly in doubt
| In 1888 the state went for Harrison by vote Of
21, $50, Cleveland receiving 1853. In the
| spring of 1889 II. W. Ladd, a republican, was
elected governor, but in 1890 the tide turned in
| favor of the democracy. Ex-Governor Davis
was reinstated In the governorship at the
l
gressional districts returned democrats, lap
ham going in by lead of 1000 majority. while
| Pages election was not made certain until a
second contest-that proved no contest-was
held In January. The state elections in 1891 and
| in 1892 went republican again and Rhode Island
| goes into the contest with republican governor
and two democratic Congressman.
THE CONGRESSIONAL rIaHT.
The congressional fight this year will be be-
tween Congressman Oscar Lapham and Lieut.
| Gov. Melville Bull in the first district and in
the second between Speaker o. b. Capron of the
present legislature for the republicans and Hugh
| J. Carroll or possibly ex-Gov. Davis for the
| democrats.
Col. Lapham is believed to have good chance
| OF carrying his district again He is a war vet
eran and a Grand Army man. and in the con-
test with Spooner in 1890 attracted many re-
| publicans voters who had been offended by his
| opponents hostility to pension bills. Lieut..
| Gov. Bull Is a popular man, and as he has the
entire influence Of ex-Gov. Wetmore Of New
| port behind him will make good fight. His
| nomination was, however, something Of a sur
| prise to the uninitiated, as they had expected
that ex-Speaker Ellery H. Wilson or ex-Con-
| gresham spooner would be the man to court
the somewhat expensive honor of unfolding
| the republican banner in the first district
1t will be "novice" race in the second dis
| trict so far as congressional honors are con-
| cerned. Speaker Capron, the republican
nominee, is a brainy fellow, very popular in
his district, and enjoys the unique distinction
| in Rhode Island candidate of being a COM
| paratively poor man. He has friends, how
ever, and the republicans think they can elect
| him. His chances would be better against
! Mayor Carroll of Pawtucket than against ex-
| Gov. Davis Mayor Carroll is the Dick
Croker of local politics, but his intolerant
course has arrayed many of his own party
| against him. He is at war with his board of
| aldermen and police department. While he
| was away at Chicago as delegate to the national
| convention the aldermen appointed some new
members to the police force. On his return
| Mayor Carroll suspended all the new officers as
well as the chief of police He is q vigorous,
| aggressive politician, and has strong friends
| and bitter enemies. Ex-Gov. Davis, on the
| other band.-never offends any body and has the
! prestige of being the only democrat of late
| years who has been elected governor. At
present the democrats seem TO have the best
chance in the first district and the re pubicans
! in the second, but the aspect may change as
| the campaign goes on.
THE PRESIDENTIAL TICKET.
On the presidential issue the majority o
4,427 for Harrison in 1888 may be wiped out,
but the republicans cannot see why they are
not as well off now as four years ago They
have a well-estahlished republican paper behind
them now at any rate, and they were entirely
without a representation i'll the daily press of
Providence in 1888. The Mckinley bill is
popular with the manufacturers and business
In the mills is very good. The general pros
perity' cry may take with the workers at the
looms and spindles. 1t isn't certain yet.
THE NEWPORT TROUBLE.
The latest sensation in Rhode Island politics
is the claim by the democrats that the special
act passed by the republican legislature last
Friday to rebuke the democratic mayor and
aldermen of Newport, who, it is claimed. I'M
lawfully interfered to prevent the holding of
the regular municipal election in that city last
month
The democratic leaders have attacked the
constitutionality of the act and say that by it
the republicans have wiped all the election
laws off the statute books. and that unless an
other special session Is Immediately called there
can be no presidential nor congressional cleo
lions here next month.
| Mayor Honey Of Newport, who is one of the
shrewdest politicians i'll the state and fighter
both within the democratic party and outside
of it. has been in Providence since the act was
passed, deep in consultation with the lawyers of
his party.
One of them, Gen. John VI. Brennan, says:
q am satisfied that the legislature has left the
Newport middle in worse predicament than
it was before. and i'll trying to make q clear law
for Newports guidance has repealed the entire
election machinery for the rest of the state.
Section II of the act provides: All acts and
parts Of cts inconsistent herewith are hereby
repealed, and this act shall take effect upon its
passage.
Now, to my mind, all previous acts are in
consistent with this one. so that the election
machinery of the state is at q standstill 1t
is robable. however, that the supreme court
will set aside this act as unconstitutional"
The republican leaders when told of Gen.
Brennan's claim asserted that the law operates
only for the city of Newport and repeats only
| such laws conflict with the new one, and
which themselves referred to Newport only.
They say that the best lawyers in the state
have passed on the act, and they are not so
much worried about the legality of the act as
for fear Mayor Honey will manage to defeat its
enforcement at Newport in some way.
1t Is perhaps significant that the democrats
seem to view the prospect of a failure to hold
an election with something of complacency.
As Gen. Brennan said: 1T is good legislation
tor the democrats because it shuts out four
presidential electors that might be republican
| and enables the two present democratic MEM
bers of Congress to hold over for another term
or until democratic House orders a new
| election"
II looks as if they preferred two democratic
Congressman Sin the hand" to four presidential
electors Gin the bush"
MAGEE'S MISSION IN ALABAMA
| The Pennsylvania Politician Went Down to
Unite the Republican Factions.
Correspondence of The Evening Star.