Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-03
The Republicans Are Conducting a
Still Hunt.
WILL HAVE 4 SLIGHT ADVANTAGE
Plenty Of Democratic Candidates
for Governor.
GEN. MOBILES PROSPECTS

81. LOUIS, September /, 1895.
While the republicans OF Missouri are os-
tensibly playing waiting game, there are
the best of all reasons for believing that
they are prosecuting a vigorous still hunt
with the acute hope of not only electing
governor next year. but United States
Senator in January, 1897, as we'll. They
have not forgotten their victory Of 1884, if
their enemies have, and the complaisant
| smile with which the average republican
listens while his democratic friends parcel
out offices. in their minds. to be realized in
| tangible form next year, indicates that he
believes democratic effort will be loves
| labor lost
Slight Republican Advantage.
To a dispassionate observer 1t would
seem that even with united democracy,
the republicans will enter upon :he next
campaign with slight advantage in the
senatorial race. There has never been
legislative gerrymander in this state, ard
NEST of the members of the assembly. out
side of large cities are elected by counties.
The very same constituencies will vote at
the very same polling places next year that
voted last. Nearly all the state senators
that hold over are republicans. These are
conditions that cannot be wholesome to
contemplate from a democratic point OF
view. To be sure, there was large demo-
CT attic stay-at-home vote last year. Put
what Is going to bring 1t out In 1886? Sure
ly not q divided state central committee
and fractional fight in nearly every town.
ship.
One would think. at first blush. that I'M
der these circumstances. there would be
very large crop Of republican candid tes.
But there is not. At least not openly. You
can hardly throw stone without hitting
democratic candidate for governor, and
there are almost as many for the United
States Senate One reason for this is the
foo hot hay ha
Missouri and its fullneSS belongs to them
that they cannot conceive its going repLb-
lican in presidential year.
Gen. Mobiles Prospects.
The inquirer. Notwithstanding the quiet
manner in which they are working can al
ways hear of republicans probable Of
f'oe-holders when the state is redeemed
as they are fond of terming it. General
Mobiles friends at Washington may be sur
prised to learn that he is under discussion
as a probable nominee for the state SUI
preme bench. The only thing between him
and nomination is his consent to serve.
If nominated, the St. Louis bar would
probably bring such influences to bear
throughout the state that he would be
elected no matter what became CT the
rest Of the ticket. He will also
be in line for the senatorship If the state
legislature Is republican. In such an event,
however. there is sure to be scramble,
and Gen. Noble is too dignified to scramble.
The republican most prominently spoken
of in connection with the governorship-
because just now he has Boss Filley's ear,
and perhaps his supports rural poet
named Russell, who has edited country
weekly in the Ozark mountains for twenty
years. He was speaker of the last general
assembly. Mr. Russell says he no longer
dallieS with the muse. He adopted Reeds
rules while speaker Of the legislature, and
was anxious to pose as man of intense
f1rmneSS.
Some Candidates for Governor.
Mr. Russelrs chief rival for the honor
is Mayor Cyrus P. Walbridge of this city.
Mr.. Walbridge is weak in acquaintance
throughout the state, and besides, though
he went into office with flourish of trum-
pets in favor of reform and civil service
efficiency he has shown himself to be
rather too plant in the hands of reform
ers who accomplish their reforms with a
meat-ax. On the whole, he has made a
pretty fair mayor, and the anti-Filley ele-
ment will be for him.
The strongest nomination that could be
| made, perhaps, is Mayor Webster Davis
of Kansas City. But he says he is too
poor to make the race, and is out of it.
Davis is oddly. His father, with whom
he lives. is a democrat to the core. and he
himself is a rampant free silver man and
advocates low tariff. It is not these
views, however. that would help him, but
his charming personality. He has the
happy knack of making friends wherever
he goes. The republicans will undoubtedly
adopt a single standard plank in their
platform. Davis, therefore, is out Of the
question. If he had shown himself to be
anything of stickler for party tenets there
would be some danger of his landing in the
populist camp.
Major VIM. Warner Is again discussed.
He ran against Stone on the New Mis-
souri," platform, with stand up for Mis-
souri, as his rallying cry three years ago,
and was defeated by $4,000 plurality. He is
an ex-commander-in-chief of the National
q