Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-06
CAMPAIGN NEWS AND COMMENT.


electoral votes more than Michigan. Many
and conflicting claims are made as to the
outcome of the district plan of choosing
PRESIDENTIAL electors. just revived by the
democrats of the Wolverine State. In 1883
Michigan gave Harrison plurality of g, ,923,
but In the tidal wave of 1890 Democratic
Governor was elected by 1l,b20. and
Legislature anti Republican In
both branches chosen, Last year the
Republicans redeemed the State to the
extent Of electing Judge of the Supreme
Court by plurality of 4,94o. In the mean
time, though. the Legislature had passed the
law providing for the choice of Presidential
electors In the Congressional districts, which
were were also gerry mandered Tor the occasion.
The constitutionality of this law was ques-
toned by the Republicans, but has been
unanimously affirmed by the State Supreme
Courg, and there is no doubt that it will
stand, Tor this election, at least. BY this
scheme the Democrats figured on securing
eight of the "a electors TO which Mich
igan is entitled, and their claims are
stlli placed in that vicinity. The Republi-
cans are thoroughly aroused. however. and
General Alger and other leaders positively
assert that Harrison and Reid will secure all
but three or four of the electoral votes.
There are con tinyencies in which even this
small number might be Important, and for
that reason the political calcuators are
anxious .or more definite estimates OF the
outcome. Because of the entire rearrange-
ment OF the districts though, close figures
are comparatively hard to obtain.
The first big wagers of the campaign
have been recorded. There has been $4,000
of even Harrison money up in New York for
some time awaiting takers, and. now the
famous Senator "BilI'' Brown has mustered
courage to cover So. 900 OF it. He also puts up
$500 to be wagered at even money on Cleve-
land carrying New York State.
THE Philadelphia Times agrees with THE
DISPATCH as to the possibility of concerted
plan to discredit ballot reform by
complicated and costly Interpretation
of the Baker law. The Times
says: "The new election law charges the
City Commissioners with the duty of fitting
places for holding elections under its pro-
visions. and it is their duty to facilitate the
execution of the law by furnishing the
greatest convenience to the public at the
least expense. The law does not contem-
pla te the erection of booths in any precinct
except where it is necessity. In the coun-
try districts many of tile election places are
schoolhouses, and i'll this city some have
been used and more should be used. In any
event the erection of needless booths should
be avoided, as the cost is $3.50 for each one
erected. The public well understand that
the party leaders whose views are reflected
by majority of the City Commissioners
arc bitterly hostile to every method look
ing toward ballot reform. These same
leaders sought to make the law as offensive
and 1nconvenient as possible in the Legisia-
ture. to provoke hostility against it; and if it
is true, rs is now intimated, that our City
Commissioners propose to erect as many as
500 booths in this city, with only about 500
tion of the purpose of such wanton profiiga-
cy. The Commissioners must mean to
sQuander money by the hundred thousands
simply to create popular prejudice against
election la thew
that their motives can be concealed, and
that they can escape popular condemnation
by their abuse Of public trust, they are seri-
ously in error. There is not one precinct in
ten in this city where IL suitable house could
not be obtained for holding elections with
out erecting booth"
THE New York Wine and Spirit Gazette
says that the liquor dealers contributed
large sums of money to elect G rover Cleve-
land in 1885, but that this year they are not
taking much interest in him, in spite of the
ragraph i'll his letter of acceptance which
lntilnates th0t their support would be agree
able.
MISSOURI may not and probably will not
go Republican this year, but it is one of the
hitherto solid States which are BEGINNING to
see the light. Mayor Joseph j. Davenport,
of Kansas City, has been in New York in
consultation with the Republican leaders at
national headquarters He has just COIL
cluded a stumping tour of the State and says:
"Never, in my 25 years OF active political ex-
perience, have 1 seen such meetings as have
greeted Republican speakers in Missouri.
The people are thinking and weighing the
issues as they never have before. There is a
determination on the part of the younger
generation of voters to do away with the
social ostracism which heretofore has re-
suited from afiiliaJing with the Republican
purity. The customs of the old Confederacy
are doomed. The Democrats are plainly
afraid to face the great issue OF the tariff,
and are relying entirely upon the force bill
buraboo. Last week Senator Vest and Col
onel John x. Fellows spoke at a Democratic
meeting in Kansas City, and never men
toned the tariff. In the southern tier of
coun ties in the State of Missouri many new
industries have recently sprung into ex-
tstence, and are thriving under our protec-
tive system. The Democrats in that section
dare not advocate change in our tariff
laws. have noticed, in the political meet
ings which have addressed, the presence of
many old mossback Democrats. They are
not so intolerant as they have been in the
past, and will listen attentively to Republic
Gun doctrine. / have had them STAKE me by
the hand after the meeting, and follow me to
the train, plying questions which went to
show that they no longer were going to fol-
low in the Democratic procession"
UP to this week the white registration in
W
the colored registration was only ], S34 short.
This indicates that apathy can be found in
more than one party and in other States
except Maine and Vermont.
WHILE the large majority of the voters
in New York are apparently not aware of it,
there is alleged to be a Peoples party in ex-
istence in the Empire State. Lawrence j.
McParlin, of Lockport, is the New York
A.
tee. In discussing the prospects of his
organization he said: "We shall nominate
an electoral tickot at our State Convention.
Our convention will not be q large one.
There will be only one delegate from each
one of the 81 Congressional districts. We
are poor or we would hold q larger conven-
tion. But l think we shall make good
shall poll at least 100 900 votes. A good pro-
portion Of these votes will come from the
knights6f Labor living in the cities. l am
the master workman Of one OF the e. knights nights
or course, the Knights of Labor, as an
order, take no part in political action, but
arter a meeting of the order,and an adjourn
ment has been taken. there can be political
argument without offense."
THERE are nearly 26, 900 colored voters in
Ohio $4,000 in Indiana, $4,000 in Illinois and
6. 600 in Michigan. but comparatively few in
Wisconsin and Minnesota. Over AZ per cent
of the aliens in Wisconsin,, over 50 per cent
o, those in Ohio and over "a per cent of
those in Minnesota are returned as not
speaking the English language.
INTEREST in the Kansas contest increases
as the election approaches. An observer
VINO probably looked through Cleveland
spectacles says of the situation in the State:
Kansas has the biggest political fight on