The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-06

ness enterprise and costs lots Of money
| How much money do you suppose tho twt
national committees In this city VIII hav(
disbursed BIZ the time the polls Close uexl
Tuesday, OF course IL II impossible to 81
at the precise figures, but from some 10
quiries which I have made ct both head
quarters am led to believe that the total
will be about like theses
Republican outlay. accommodating
Democratic outlay. 8o'u1
This money has come from ofilceholdsra
or men who want to be oniceholders, from
manufacturers, from wealthy men who
take patriotic interest In the welfare OF
their party. from the big politicians, from
great variety Of sources. As usual. the
Republicans have had less trouble In rails
ing money than their rivals. A number
of very large checks, from so. 900 to go. 900.
have been handed in at Republican had
quarters.
have heard of but one such check at
the Democratic headquarters, and that
was put in by ex-Secretary Whitney. Mr..
Whitney is the controlling genius OF tho
Democratic campaign. He has ruled its
destinies from first to last. But for his
adroit management at Chicago Cleveland
could not have been nominated. But for
his energy, skill and generosity Cleveland
would stand very small show Of success.
For four months Whitney has given all
bis time to the party. He has given much
more in the money way than that $4,000
check. have heard that this campaign,
from first to last, has not cost him less
than quarter of million dollars.
The third party has headquarters at St.
Louis. They do not attract as much at
tention as the others, and OF course do not
spend as much money. But you would
have to travel long way before you
would find men who are moro earnest,
more self sacrificing than some Of these
third party men.
Reports are often sent out to the effect
that the third party candidates are sup
piled with money by the Democratic man.
ayers or the Republican managers. do
not believe IL. OF course the Republicans
help the Populists in the south, and the
Democrats help them in the west, for sci.
fish reasons, but General Weaver does not
get his expense money from such sources.
He gets it from the silver men of the far
west, some of whom are Democrats and
some Republicans Above all, they are
silver men.
General Weaver, I hear, has become OF
late very religious man. He used to Be
little careless, like the most of us, but
now he may often be seen while travelling
on the cars engaged reading the Bible. A
gentleman who was with Weaver during
his southern tour says the third party can.
didate often had tears in his eyes as he
looked at the weed grown fields, the aban.
doned houses, the appearance OF desolatiou
in some sections of the south. This same
gentleman says that when Weaver started
In the campaign some months ago be had
no more doubt OF his election than he had
of being alive. He thought that neither
Harrison nor Cleveland was ''in II" and
that he would sweep the country. General
Weaver knows better now, and has known
it for some time Though the awakening
from his dream of power was a rude one,
he has pluckily kept up his fight
The third party has been thorn In the
sides of both the old parties this year.
Even now shrewd managers are admitting
that the Populists may hold the balance
of power in the electoral college. This is
the ambition Of the Weaver men-to pre-
vent an election of president by the usual
method, and by sending the election to
congress demonstrate that the third party
is power In the land. IL they succeed in
doing this curious result will appear IN
all probability The house will elect Cleve-
land president and the senate will elect
Reid vice president. There are men who
think this will happen, and that then Mr..
Reid's luck viii play him another good
turn and land him In the White House
through one of the accidents of nature.
The politicians are discussing with o
good deal of interest another peculiar fea,
ture Of the situation. Suppose the result
OF the election should be that neither
Cleveland nor Harrison had a majority Of
the electoral college and little band OF
Weaverites had the balance of power IN
that body. Would it be possible for the
Republicans to make a bargain with the
Weaverites by which Harrison should be
elected president and either Weaver or
Field vice presidenti Or. should the Dem
ocrats enter the competition, would it be
possible for them to make bargain by
which Weaver or Field should be elected
vice president, thus preventing Reid get
ting In through the action Of the Repub
lican senatep These are interesting ques
tions
No one has any right to suppose that the
Weaver electors who might chance to hold
the balance OF power in the electoral col
lege would do anything dishonorable. This
are they would refuse all
overtures for bargains and vote simply as
they were elected to vote-for Weaver and
Field. Any other course than this would
be very unsatisfactory to the country. II
know anything about the temper OF the
American people, | know that whether
or Democrats they are I'M
opposed to any Juggling with the
presidency after the votes are cast. They
want no fine work." and will not be in
mood to tolerate IT, They will demand
the regular order" AT the same time
here are politicians who whisper, If five
,otes held the balance Of power In the
electoral college, those votes would be
worth half million apiece in cold cash"
L will be a sorry day for the country II we
,ome to this, and, If we ever do, there will
De constitutional amendment instituting
new method of choosing president aud
rice president.
There is also some speculation among
politicians as TO the result OF the election Of
members of congress Here Is where the
bird party men still hope to achieve real
riumph Aided by the silver men OF the
ar west, they seek to control the balance
4 power in the house Of representatives.
they believe they could under such cir
umstances organize the house, elect the
peaker and other officers and control leg
-. l.. - Il