Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-13
The Party in Michigan Not in Har-
mony.
SOME ISSUES OF TIE CAMPAIGN
The State Democracy and the A.
p. A. Movement.
THE SENATORIAL OUTLOOK

1INAND hAt1DS, MICH, OCTOBER ~ 1891.
A lively sensation was sprung Saturday
by the public alton of letters written by
Timothy E. Tarsney. declining to go on the
stump for Fisher. and by Charles C. Cas-
terlin and Samuel Robinson, withdra wing
from the democratic state central commit
tee
Tarsney Is brother of Congressman
Tarsney of Missouri. He was himself in
Congress, representing the Saginaw dis
trict. during two terms-the Forty-ninth
aid Fiftieth-and is widely known through
the state rs a brilliant orator and q good
democrat In his letter he accuses Spencer
o. Fisher, the democratic candidate for
governor, Of belonging to the A. p. A, and
of having made a trade with that organiza-
ton for It's support. He makes out a cir
cumstantiai case against Mr.. Fisher to
prove his accusation, denounces the A. p.
A. and says he would "be untrue to my
country, untrue to the democratic party,
false to myself and a traitor to my chill
drer's heritage" were he to go on the
stump for MIR. Fisher or support him. The
letters of withdrawal of Mr.. Casterlin and
Mr. Robinson are addressed to Chairman
Stevenson Of the democratic state central
committee, and base their actions upon Mr..
Fishers A. p. A. Affiliate and the ref
cree system. which Mr.. Fisher represents,
which is far from being as dead as Don NJ.
Dickinson and his friends claim.
The letters are published too early for
roor-back purposes. They nave a deeper
meaning and the republicans claim that
they indicate the unhappy condition that
the democratic party of Michigan Is in
Mr.. Taisney is thought 10 be honest in
his belief that Mr.. Fisher is affiliated with
the A. p. A. Mr.. Fisher denies the charges
which Tarsncy makes and promises to SUBJ
nit proofs Of their falsity. AS for Mg. Cas-
terlin and MIR. Robinson. it is not so much
the a. +. A. that worries them as Ii Is the
referee system.
The Referee system.
This will be remembered as peculiar
institution, created and put into practice
by Don NJ. Dickinson for the distribution
of federal patronage in Michigan. He had
absolute control of the patronage and it is
charged that instead OF consulting the
wishes of local leaders and party managers
in each district he created a board of per-
sonal advisers, through whom all offices
were given out. Last spring there was an
outburst against the referee system. which
was made an issue in the state conyen-
ticn. All the federal Cffce holders in the
state rallied TO the support of Dickinson
and the referees, and as d result they con-
nominated. 1t may be explained that FL
lott q. Stevenson, the chairman of the
state central committee. is Dickinson's law
partner. Some democrats claim that this
campaign Is eminently a Dickinson cam
paign, with Fisher as the figurehead. and
should Fisher be elected it will be a vic
tory Tor the referee system, and the state
would hardly be large enough for Dickinson
ana his triumph The anti-refetee people
claim that In case OF Fisners election thew
Would be stepped Grou ana treated worse
than thouSh the republicans swept the
state. n democratic defeat would he a
blow at Dickinson, and the worse the de-
feat the heavier the blow. Mr. CasterIin
anu Mr. KGbiIison are both ants and their
h. .t..ta
mlttee may be Interpreted as a strike at
Dich,iIs0n rather than as a protest against
me A. L. A.. although the latter is made
tne excuse FOR their a. ton.
1t is considered highly probable that 9TH
eI members OF the state central committee
VIII drop out now that the movement has
S.arled. w; +. Mcknight of this city and
george L. Hummer of Holland REPRESENT
ing this district on the committee. are both
anus the latter especially. Mr. Mcknight
IS also Catholic, and unless Mr. Fisher
ui'PioVes the charges that be belongs to the
A. 4: A. ne would have double object i'm
retiring. Hummer has been affiliatinf. with
the popuilsts for two or three months past
ana the announcement that he had gone
over 70 them bodily would create no sur
prise here. Hummer Is at the head of q
large furniture factory at Holland has a
VIDE influence among the Hollanders in
ottaWa county. has always contributed lib
eraily 10 the democratic campaign fund and
Is serving his second term as mayor of a
town that until his first nomination was
soildly republican. In this connection, as an
additional democratic calamity Million F
Jordan of Barry county. who was nonJ
mated on the state ticket for lieutenant
governor. and who declined to make the
run. has come out In support of the repub-
ican ticket. This Is another case of anti
refereeism and a desire to kill Don Dick
iESon. Jordan was for years chairman of
the Barry county democratic committee. In
the distribution of the federal patronage
his wishes were not consulted, his indorse-
ments OF candidates were ignored and the
referees had 1t all their own way 1t is said
that nine-tenths of the democratic trouble
IN michigan this year Is due to the referee
system. IL that were enough of a remi-
niscence. with the revival of business in
every line. the campaign which Fisher has
been putting up, combined with the scan
dals charged against the republican admin
lstration and the dissatisfaction in repub-
lican ranks, the democrats might carry the
state. AS conditions now exist, the bitter
hess between the democratic factions is
stronger than between the democrats and
republicans. and thousands of democrats If
they go to the polls at all. will not vote for
Fisher even though they do not vote for
Rich.
The Senatorial Outlook.
John Patton, jr., is practically out of the
race for the election to the senatorial seat
to which Gov. Rich appointed him upon
the death of Senator Stockbridge The re-
publican candidates for the legislature from
this city are all against him, and il elected
will vote for Burrows. The fact that he
lost his own city in caucus and convention
will be used with deadly effect against him
He is campaigning with Gov. Rich, and Is
making general canvass of the state but
1t Will help him little, IL any. He hasn't the
money to make a winning fight, while Bur-
rows, though he has not money of his own.
mas plenty of money back of him. in addi-
ton to his wide reputation as a states
man. S. S. Odds is as usual working In the
dark, and not until the time comes to
count the votes will it be Known how his
chances stand. Jay Hubbell will In all