Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-05
THERE MAY BE A CHANGE
Rhode Island Republicans Expect to Come
Out Ahead
Only Danger is ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
on the Municipal Elections.
of The Evening Star.

PROVIDENCE, r. l., Nov. g 1894.
Rhode Island has not anything at stake
in next Tuesdays election, except the
choice of Congressman. Its state election,
as Is well known, occurred last spring, and
is safely out Of the way. The republican
majority at that tiE,e was sufficiently
strong to give the leaders hope that they
may return two republican Congressman
in place of the two democrats, who now
hold seats in the House of Representatives.
In the first district the reelection of Col
Oscar Lapham is opposed by Melvin W.
Bull, a well-known and popular republican.
Unless the democrats are prosecuting d
lively still hunt the republican candidate
seems sure of election. The greatest dan
ger to the republicans is overconfiience
1t was this that lost them the city election
at Newport. and if the same apathy should
prove TO be maintained next Tuesday Col
Lapham may yet be elected. A decided
stand has been taken by Col Lapham
against Contributing any large sum of
money toward election. This may mean
that he believes the election is a foregone
conclusion, or 1t may indicate confidence
in his record Congressman, and dis
position to go before the people squarely
upon it.
The warlnest congressional battle is be-
ing waSei in the second district, where the
candidates are DR.. l.. +. e. GarVin of Cum
berland, democrat and Warren .. Arnold
republican. DIR. Garvin is a comparatively
young man, but has long been an impor-
tant tigure in Rhode Island politics. He
has always been in sympathy with or
Sanized labor and takes the field now quite
as much as a reform-labOr candidate as a
democrat He Is on the stump every night
pushing the canvass with charac terStiC en-
ergy. 1t is said that some irrepreSSible la
Dor men have somewhat rudely interrupted
his political .pecches by inqulring when he
proposes to make good promises made in the
last presidential and congressional cam
paigns. Or. Garvin always has an answer
ready and the queStioners il not satisfied
are SileEcei DR.. Garvin has challenged
his republican opponent to a series of joint
debates, but MIR. Arnold has not dignifed
the communication with an answer In
fact, he is pursuing exactly opposite tao
tics. lie is maintaining discreet silence,
placing his money where it would do the
most good and perfecting the organization
in his district. His fun strength is de-
voted to getting out the republican vote.
If he succeeds in that there is little doubt
that he will win. The Rhode Island stu
alton in brief looks favorable to the re-
publicans and they can only lose their vic
tory by OvercOTIidence and apathy.
The social-labOr prohiDitionist and peo-
pies parties have nominated Congressman
in both districts. and they compliCate the
problem somewhat. The greatest and gray
est uncertainty is what the A. p. A. may
do.
While some Of the candidates affiliated
with the extraneous parties, such the
socialists and peoples, may be connected
with the Roman Catholic Church, none Of
the republicans or the democrats are. So
politicians consider that the A. 2. A. will
not affect the struggle for first hOnOrs.
Locally, that is in the municipal elections,
the A. u. A, cut quite a figure,