Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-13
CONSTANTLY FRIGHTENING
The Republican Prospects in Maj. McKinleys
Own State.
The Last Poll Indicates a Majority
Nearly Equal to That of
Gov. Bushnell.
pecial Correspondence OF The Evening Star


COLUMBUS, Ohio, October H. 1896.
The Ohio registration law applies only TO
the cities of this state. Last Thursday
was the first day of registration for the
coming state and national elections. In
the large municipalities tine voters dis
played a most remarkable eagerncss to
qualify for casting their ballots. In these
cities the republicans expect large gains
in their vote, and the democrats do not
deny il. In this state at least il will be
the cities against the country, to a great
degree. The democrds pin their hope TO
the agricultural districts. The republicans
look upon the enormous registration in the
cities as evidence that the BUSINESS men
are getting ready 10 enter vigorous pro-
test against the proposed change in the
standard of values.
No such opportunity for indication Of the
feeling of the rural districts will bc afford
ed for comparison, but tne voters there
are no doubt fully alive TO the importance
of the issues CO the campaign. The re-
publican campaign orators have made tell
| ing arguments to the farmers lately on Tie
score of the revolutionary character of the
Chicago platform, and the peculiar Views
on property rights held by many of the
| leaders of the free silver movement. The
| farmer believes in nothing more implicitly
| than in his right to his acres.
Republicans Making BoIder Claims.
| While the democratic state committee
! still claims that Bryan will carry the state
the Ohio democrats generally concede that
Mckinley will carry ii by small plurality.
The republican state committee is making
bolder claims than at first. Since the re-
suit of the first poll of the state was re-
ceived the prospect mas been constantly
| growing brighter for them. That cursory
! poll showed that the plurality for Nc
kinley would not exceed in,Wrt and might
| fall low $1,000 That loss in his
] own state was, of course, threatening TO
| Mckiniey's success Tie next -epoGt made
/ il look far more favorable. and upon it
the state committee estimated the repub-
lican plurality at between 5o.oD ana ,aioHn
| The last poll, and the most accurate one
OF the campaign Is being made and
| reported to tire republican state commit
| tee. 1t raises the hopes of the state COM
| mittee for the election of the Mckinley
! electors by a plurality equalin4y thai Iiyen
| to Governor Bushnell last year-al .oiHb. The
poll is a house-to-house inquiry, and is
| believed to be practically correct. Only
| small part of the safe has so far
| ported the result Of this poll but I'm every
| county that has reported so far there is
| indicated d republican gain over the vote Of
| last year. The gain is small. but is an
| likely to be increased decreased, for the
| reason that a majority of the counties
| that have reported belong to the rural
class, where the OBJECTIONS were expected.
| State Chairman kurtZ of the republican
| organization is very conservative man,
| and little disposed to talk about the work
| he is doing He was the chairman of the
| state committee last year, when the re-
pubhcans carried the state by nearly 1o0,-
600. yet he could not be induced to make
any claim prior to the election to what
plurality the republican ticker would have.
The most definite statement he would make
was that he believed the republican ticket
would be elected. In certain quarters the
fact that no claims 20 the strength of
the sound money movement in this state
| 1pr m has ala tssfa
, | 1t need cause no fear that the movement
| has strength here. 1t is simply Chair
man kur:z's way. He is a man of very
few words. But he makes IL UP in action.
Speakers and Literature.
A fact Indicative of this was given to The
Star correspondent at the republican state
headquarters Saturday evening. E ID.
Archer who has charge of the speakers
: bureau Of the committee, stated that there
, had been held in this state, under the au-
: spices of the state committee, and indie
, pendent of and i'm addition to the STUMP
: work of local republican committee, in this
campaign, 1,2.1 political meetings, to which
e | speakers were assigned and their expenses
S paid by the state committed This is ar
Y | average of sixteen to a county, and repre-
a sents a great amount of work in the max
. | ing of the arrangements.
d The Star correspondent suggested to As
$ sistant Secretary Malcolm Jennings of IN,
e | mittee seemed to be doing no such " ork
d either In the way of stump speaking OIL
| sending out campaign literature. The re
|. | publican state committee, II should be add
:, | ed has sent out over 12,0n,Hd0 pieces o
n | campaign literature. Secretary Jenning,
e | replied that the democratic campaign il
l. | this state was being directed from Wash
d ington not from the committee rooms II
d | this city 1T is still hunt that is bein,
e | made from the national capital" said he
n I'm many counties the local democratic
$ | committee is doing active campaign work
= but we find that in many places whore II
v open fight is being made for the democra ii
" ticket a quiet movement Is in progress
p They are sending no speakers of note int
q the state and taking the state all owe
what work on the stump is being done
by local speakers and men not known out
side of their counties.
The fact that the republicans are sendin
n | Foraker. Sherman and all the ADLER speak
l.. ers of their party who are not engaged i
; campaigns of their own out OF the stat
i | for work in states that are regarded 9
: | more doubtful is itself indica ton tina; the
+. regard the state as safe at least.