The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-06
COMING down THE STRETCH
Exciting Struggle of the Dominating
Parties for Supremacy.
VICTORY FOR REPUBLICANS
However, Claim That They Can Discern
q Victory on the Iorizon-So Can
Members Of the Peoples Party.

Members Of the Peoples Party.
Old observers say that not in years
has Lackawanna county seen such a
fierce, stubborn and desperate political
campaign as was the one which came
to close last night. Beginning in al
most a supine fashion, it came down
the home stretch in regular Garrison
finish of bold and daring management
on both sides; and not until late to-
night will it be known to a certainty,
which side has won. The ugliness which
has characterized the Democratic por-
tion of this contest-the lies and libels
on the opposing candidates and the
coarse utterances Of Democracys ut
terly unscrupulous organ-has been
conspicuous, but not necessarily a de-
cislve feature. The profane pouring in
Of administration money would have
meant stubborn battle in any event,
whether the smut mill had been leased
or not. Then, too. there were other in
fluences-but the enumeration of them
all would take far too much space and
time. 1t is sufficient to summarize the
whole story by saying that the fight
winds uD in a Spirited canter, with the
Republicans well in the lead, but not
yet safely under the wire.
Both headquarters were besieged all
day yesterday by scores and even hun
dreds of impecunious hangers-on. In
this particular, honors We're even be-
tween the two parties. Many of these
would-be strikers alternated with
true non-partisan fairness between the
rival headquarters, first touching q
soft-hearted Republican candidate for
a contribution to charity and then pur-
suing a parallel course toward one of
Mr.. Roche's candidatorial staff. The
drift of opinion at both headquarters
seemed to be that the Striker ought
to go. But no one appeared to be quite
able to get him to go.
Predicts Republican Success.
Chairman Ripple, when asked for his
opinion, replied: 81 never predict 1t
will be time to do that when the votes
are in. Every indication, however, is
favorable to Republican victory. | can
not see why we should not elect every
candidate, provided every Republican
goes to the polls. Yes, the contest has
been an earnest one, but l feel very
confident we will win"
Mayor Connell was even more out
spoken. you can put it just as en-
phatically as you wish that l predict
the election, by good pluralities, Of
every Republican nominee. l will be
the most surprised man in Scranton If
we do not
Chairman Roche was found at Demo-
cratic headquarters last night closeted
with Secretary Sando and others. He
was figuring out majorities, he said: 81
am confident of the result" Mr.. Roche
continued, "and firmly believe that the
Democratic county ticket is going to be
elected by decisive majorities. The re-
ports we receive from every quarter
indicates that fact"
Tallie Morgan, secretary of the Pro-
hibition county organization, was in
charge at Prohibition headquarters and
said that his party will poll a bigger
vote today than ever before in the his
tory of the county. He placed the fig
ures at 1,500.
peoples's Party Claims.
NJ. ]. Coleman, chairman of the Peo-
pies party county committee, was in
terviewed. "We will surprise people to-
morrow by the vote we will roll up" he
said as he puffed at very short cigar.
"Our fight has been conducted on prin-
ciple and every honest man in the
county will vote with us, / feel
sure. / do not think our entire
ticket will be elected, but believe that
several of our candidates will pull
through all right. This campaign is
but preliminary to great fight against
the corruption that now exists in local
politics, against which we propose to
wage vigorous battle in the future.p
Doodle in Hyde Park
The day was prolific in its revelation
of Democratic tricks Early in the af
ternoon it became known at Republi
can headquarters that the Democrats
had planned in certain districts tC
erase the marks on Republican ballot.
and substitute other marks. Arrange
ments were at once made for q sys
tematic notification of overseers ant
watchers. Such other precautions will
be taken as occasion shall demand
But one of the most daring of thes,
cunningly planned schemes to pollut,
the ballot was discovered last night
when intelligence was received from {
thoroughly trustworthy source that {
large quantity of Democratic boodl,
had been taken to Hyde Park for us
in the attempted alienation of stronl
Republican wards, The names of tn
distributors, the amounts to be dis
: tributed and the name of the candidat
in whose behalf 1t was contributed, a
well as the name of the contributor
were made known to the proper au
thorities, and any attempt to carry ou
this plan will result, it is said, in i'm
mediate arrests.