Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-10-31

S1~lALu ~ pt very uUleIuI OF success.
Frederick T. Greenhalge. the repub-
lfcan candidate for governor in Mass
achuSetts for reelection is a we'll
known figure in state politics. His
big fortune enables him to make poll
tics LIS hobby. George Fred Williams,
the democratic standard bearer. was
formerly a republican and is some
times called 1.-The original mugwump.''
He has made an active canvass Of the
state. The indications are against
Williams being able to overcome
Greenha3ge's majority of $4,000 last
year.
In Iowa the silver question has been
discussed at great length. The demo-
GRATIS are making this a feature of
their canvass, and Ex-Governor BOieS
has been SJumping the state making
free silver speeches. General F. NJ.
Drake. the republican candidate. was
industriouSly Stumping the state when
his health gave out and he was COM
pened to stop. General Drake has
been prominent i'm politics for several
years. He is bank president and
has built i've railroads. W. l. Babb.
the democratic candidate. is a lawyer
and writes Judge" before his name.
He has been on the stump also. The
two tickets complete are:
Republican-GOvern /. NJ. Drake,
of AppanOOse county: lieutenant gov
ernOr, Matt Parrott, of BIackhawk
county; supreme judge, Josiah Given,
of Polk county; superintendent of pub
lie instruction, Henry Sabin. of Chin
ton county; railroad commissioner,
George W. Perkins, of Fremont
county.
DemOc1a tic-GOvemOr W. I. Babb,
Of Henry county; lieutenant governor,
s. L. BestOW, of Lucas county; super
itendent of public istruction, Lyman
B. Parshall, of Jackson county; rail
road commissioner, George Jenkins, of
Dubuque county; judge of the su-
preme court, Thomas G. Harper, of
Des MOines county.
The campaign has been very quiet
and a large stay -at-iTOme vote is antic-
ipated. At present lit looks as though
the republicans, confident of their
control Of the state, would be heavy
sufferers and that the pluralitieS Of
/ last year would be reduced But in
general the state is in a condition of
political apathy. The vote last year
OH secretary of state was: Republican,
'229. 1916; democratic, 149, $50; peoples
party. 34,907; prohibition, 7,457-re-
publican plurality, 1896. Jackson's
plurality i'm 1898 was $4,000. This
year the peoples party claim to be
able to POLL $4,000 votes. The prohi-
bitiOnists claim they will make large
gains but do not give figures. The
republican state central committee
claim THE election of Drake by 10000
to 10000 Secretary Walsh, of the
Democratic committee. says there lis Il
good chance to elect Babb.
lit is needless as the democratic
Times of Philadelphia says, ''tO dis
cJtsS the outcome i'm Pennsylvania
The republican state ticket will be
elected and the only question is how
many scores of thousands the republi-
can ma GRITTY of last year shall be re-
dJTced. That THE republican county
majOrities will be greatly diminished
and the democratic majorities greatly
increased is not doubted by any intel
: ligent observer of the situation. but
there are no visible signs of political
revolution, and the republicans will
hold the state but with a departure
! from cyclone figures The election,
will, however, mean more that the
mere election of the several candi-
dates for state officers. The great
battle fought by Governor Hastings
and his party, known as the ''cOm-
bine," with Senator M. S. Quay, was
apparently settled at the state cOnven-
tion held in this city on Aug. %. At
THAT time lit appeared to be a general
settlement of all past grievances, but
the leaders objected and Senator
Quay'S things are different now"
used ait the convention, can be very
appropriately applied in It's connec-
tiOn. Instead of the cOmbiTC burying
the AK and harmony being restored,
the governor has swung it with a ven
geance, Topping off the heads Of Quay
enthusiasts wherever he felt like doing
80. Quay followers have thus far
failed to receive amy recO2 lition from
the chief executive in the many ap-
pOintmentS made since the memorable
state convention. This shape of af-
fairs exactly suits the den 0cratic
party, which was defeated at the last
election, when Governor Hastings re-
ceived the enormous majority of 240,-
900, and the Indications are that the
democratic candidates viii p0l a
large vote. Of the democratic candi-
dates for state office, it is generally
conceded that Benjam.--: F. Meyers,
editor of the Harrisburg Star-Inda-
pendent, will poll the largest vote on
his ticket for state treasurer. He will,
in all probability. carry his own
county, which is strongly republican.
The issue upon which the republican
party will go to the polls is political
reform with reference to the manipu-
lation of the state offices. The demo-
cratic party wants the fee system
which is now i'm vogue abolished, and
gives some Officia Is salaries amounting
to over $4,000 a year. The governor
receives but $4,000 a year. The lat
ter party wants all salaries fixed.
The election in Utah is important
because it Will determine whether or
not a new star is to be added to the
faId on old GLORY and incidentally