Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-22

state. The democratic press has not been slow
to tell its readers that these conditions are all
| due to the Mckinley high tariff.
CALIFORNIA; chief product is wheat, which
the farmer has TO sell at prices made in free
trade England, while everything he buys is
rated at prices controlled by the protected
manufacturers Of the east. At least this Is
what the Cleveland organs and politicians have
| impressed upon his mind, aud it has had its
! effect.
Whatever the facts of the tariff problem may
be, the average Californian has been made to
zee that nearly everything he buys is protected
by the republican tariff. Iron and steel, glass
ture. farming tools, &C., are among the chief
items in the list On the other hand
California produces only two things which
are - protected ana which cannot be
produced elsewhere in the United
States. These rsisins and prunes, and are,
therefore, the only two articles which Cali
fornia exclusively ENJOYS the benefits Of protec-
| ton Here again the democratic press has not
failed to make the most Of its opportunity. and
it has repeated day after day and week after
| week that SO far as the reciprocal benefits OF .
| high tariff between citizens and localities are
concerned this coast is getting very much the
worst Of the bargain.
| All this savors OF the Industrial rather than
the political, but it is the only explanation of
| the undeniable fact that the Harrison admins
tration has not proved popular in California
and Of q growing feeling that there Is enough
commercial discomfort to give the state to
| Cleveland. In fact, Californians do not indulge
in much purely political feeling, They realize
that they not the inside with either
party. They feel that. politically, their state
is still an outlying province whose existence il
not essential to the happiness Of either Mr..
Carter or Mr. Harrity. But few crumbs OF
patronage fall to California in any event. Mr..
! Cleveland did not give the coast any more
| than he obliged to when he was
in the White House, and President Harrison
has drawn the line after appointing Califor-
MAN minister to Japan. Neither of the candi-
dates inspires any personal enthusiasm in Cali
| fornia. and SO il NAV be understood how the
| campaign narrows itself down to cold basis OF
commercial and industrial conditions. The
people are restless and desire change for the
sake Of change and chance to experiment
with the free trade theories of Mills, Carlisle,
Shively, Harter and Springer.
PROGRESS OF TARIFF REFORM.
| That this estimate of the situation is accurate
is proved BY the fact that the democratic press
| of San Francisco is teeming with interviews OBJ
tanned from the local Greshams and McVeaghs.
! who regret the necessity of severing lifelong
| political ties" &c, but who feel it incumbent
upon them to vote for tariff reform in the best
| interests of the country" score or more Of
| the leading merchants and business men in San
| Francisco have expressed themselves to that
| effect. while the republican newspapers have
not been able to oppose the storm by recording
a single disaffection from the democratic ranks.
\ SO much for signs.
! On the other hand the republican party in
this state has the help of the Southern Pacific
Railroad Company, which has been the con-
trolling influence in politics, business and
almost everything else for twenty-five years.
| c. 2. Huntington is on the ground and tells
everybody he is here to keep his corporation
! out of politics. but the Southern Pacific is very
/ in in init az Mr. HIM tine tons
| interviews with the reporters. Senator STAN
| ford is also on his way from New York and the
Senator always takes a lively interest in politics
without any of Huntington's nonsense about it.
One unfortunate circumstance for the repub
lcans In California is the candidacy OF NJ. II.
| De Young for the United States Senate. Mr..
De Young is the proprietor of the San Fran
cisco Chronicle one of the largest and most
/ successful newspapers in the west. He is
| gentleman who receives distinguished consid-
| Grafton when he visits Washington, and is CAL
ifornia's worlds fair commissioner. Mr.. De
| Young. however IL more popular abroad than
he is at home and if it transpires that the state
/ legislature is to be packed in his interest many
republicans will bolt their ticket. For
many years the Chronicle made bitter
warfare upon the Southern Pacific Railroad
Company, but now its proprietor has been COM
PEELED to make peace with the big corporation
| to further his political ambition. and there are
railroad and anti-railroad republicans in Cali
fornia. The Southern Pacific seems to have ac-
cepted him-at any rate Mr.. Huntington has
ordered .hand0f''- the present appear
ances that Mr.. De Young has very good
chance to crafty his ambition and go to the
Senate. partial canvass among the republic
can candidates for the legislature reveals the
fact that IF elected they will feel bound to
stand by the republican candidate" &c. Mr..
FELTON, has not displeased his constituents par
tlcuiarly, but he is not a man OF great political
force, and there is strong fight against him.
IN TIE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS.
Gesry, Representative from the first district,
has been exactly the sort Of Congressman that
most Californians profess to want. His work
in the interest of Chinese exclusion has pleased
men of all parties on the coast, but his district
has been so gerrymandered that it Is doubtful
If he will be reelected.
In the second district Caminetti has a hard
row to hoe. His constituents include both
| farmers in the valley and manyhy drauc miners
/ in the noun tains. Caminetti was faithful TO his
pledges to the-miners and did his best TO induce
the government to help the miners and settle
the debris problem by legislation. Conse-
| quently he will lose democratic votes among the
| farmers and gain republican votes among the
miners, who are now in the minority. The
district is close one at best, and it is possible
that the little italian will be beaten by a new
man. John Davis of Caiaveras with the accent
on the e. There are no new complications
| in the other four districts which are all repre-
scented by republicans.
| THE POPULIsTs.
! When Gen. Weaver was in San Francisco
some weeks ago there was great enthusiasm
among the populists, and farmers came from
all parts of the state TO hear him speak in San
Francisco. They made strong showing at
/ that time in the interior and claimed several of
! the fifty-three counties, but they have been
| laboring under disadvantages and the move
ment seems TO be waning as the election day
approaches. At any rate they do not worry
| the state committees of the old parties to any
| great extent for it is thought that they are
drawing about equally from both republicans
and democrats. The peoples party is strong
est in Ventura county and the southern part of
/ the state. They may carry Ventura and one
| or two other counties. Something depends
! upon the extent to which the Farmers Alliance
votes for Weaver, and to that none of the
| politicians seem to have any accurate notion.
| The hostility of the peoples party to De Young
may help FELTON, or ex-Gov. Perkins, who is
also candidate for the Senate.
Ii is remarked on every hand that Caifornians
| never before manifested less real interest in
presidential election. There is just as little
brass banding as good form in politics will per-
nit. and the average San Franciscan is actually