Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-24
A POLITICAL MAZE
An Alabama Democrat Who Says There
Has Been No Fusion.
What May he the Effect of Putting
Revolt Against Election Frauds.

Mr.. Chappell Cory of Birmingham Ala,
formerly editor of the Montgomery Adver-
tiser, who has been in Washington for
several days and has had a conference with
the ways and means committee in the in
terest of the coal and iron ore industries of
Alabama, says that politics is worse mixed
in Alabama than in any other state in the
Union.
What would be the effect of the fusion
announced between the Jeffersonian or
Kolb democrats, the populists and repub-
Hcans?' he was asked.
THE announcement is premature" he re-
Piled ''There has been no fusion as vet.
though when the time comes all elements
opposed to the democratic party will doubt
less be found working in harmony The
populist organization is a very weak affair,
those people who would otherwise consti-
tute that party being swallowed up in the
kolb wing of the democratic party. The
Jefersonian convention will meet in jan
uary and will undoubtedly put out the same
old ticket with Kolb at it's head. Very
many of the democrats who went off with
capt. kolb last year and who believe they
were counted out will stand by him on the
principle of vindication. SO far as the white
republicans are concerned, they are for any,
thing that Will break up the democratic or
ganization. The negroes are divided, and
the Australian ballot system adopted by the
idSl ieSlsidture Will go long way toward
reducing their aggregate strength. They
are Tor sale to the highest bidder ANYHOW
think III is safe to count on the negro vote
as stand-off in the state election so that
the contest of next August will be decided
by the white vote. The Jeffersonians claim
large majority and so do the organized
or regular democracy At the last August
election the margin of white majority either
way was very narrow and is an open ques-
tion that never can be decided The fact
that the Jenersonians or Kolb organization
claiming to be the real democracy went off
to Weaver in November and failed to carry
their rank and file. renders il certain that
great many democrats who voted with
kolb In the state election in good faith and
for Cleveland in November will never sun
port capt. Kolb again. l think this number
is sufnciently large to assure the victory
TO the regular organization"
The silver Question.
"Will the silver question play any part in
the state election?
80 far as chin music goes, yes. So far
as votes go, no. If our Senators and men,
bers had voted with the gold standard
wing of the party we would have had a
very rocky time indeed in explaining the
matters to the country democrats and the
working men in the towns, who are prac-
[.
There is not the slightest doubt about our
next state convention taking strong ground
for silver, and while Capt. kolb will raise
great clamor. and is raising it, nobody
entertains much uneasiness on that score"
rs Senator Morgan in any danger of be-
ing beatel for reelection by the next legis-
lature?
mo. To put it just as it is, the people OF
Alabama would regard Ii as a piece of
audacity for any man in the state to run
of the court. When the Senator gets ready
to die. somebody else may stand a chance"
III the tariff bill should pass with free
ore and coal in it. would it have any effect
on politics in Alabama
Certainly. While the fight against ii is
purely non-political, yet the fact remains
that the mineral counties have been hereto
fore held in the democratic columns by the
active influence of the coal and iron COM
panies. who have considered their interest
in stable government to be identified with
the democratic party. Free ore and coal
would chill their ardOr, at least, and there
Is no telling how far the detection might
spread. The fact that the Senators and
nearly all the members of Alabama will
actively fight free ore and coal minimizes
that danger"
4 Revolt Against Election Frauds.
'Then you don't feel much apprehension
about the future?"
Yes: while l think the chances of the
regular democracy are the better, and it is
too early to forecast evil. the fact remains
that there is wide-spr Nad revolt against
fraud in elections. Practically, SO far as
the votes are concerned, the only issue the
Jeffersonians have is their claim to have
been counted out last August A great
many organized democrats, including a
number of newspapers, are clamor
ing for a free ballot and a fair
count There Is danger along this
line for the regular democracy unless
they give assurance that the new ballot law
will he adninist ed in strict fairness .,