Evening star., 1896-09-18
BRYAN IN EBRAS KA
His Managers Do Not Share His Confidence
in the State.
WOrkingmen Support the Republi-
can Ticket, but the Farmers
Seem Inclined to Free Silver.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

commence IN his own state. After months 9
absence he puts in three days at home then
starts off on another months journey with
the word that he may be back for a few
days during October. but he isn't sure that
he will be home again for a stay until the
night before election. His free silver and
populist managers do not share his con-
fidence to the same degree. They have been
scared by the thorough organization and
the activity of the republicans. Neverthe-
less they acquiesce in the belief that Bryan
can do more good in other parts of the
country. and that by proper effort they can
carry his own state for him.
On his return from the east Mr.. Bryan
found two things Of Importance. One was
that his followers can make no impression
on the Germans. Even those who used to
be with him. although they did not indorse
his free coinage views. are now for McKin-
ley. The German detection in Nebraska
from the Chicago ticket and platform is
something tangible. Wherever the German
voters are massed you can put your finger
On 1t. The circulation Of Coin Harvey's
books and other free silver literature in
German has not changed them. They fol-
low along the old path. If there was any
tendency on their part to waver the circu-
lation Of Carl Schurz's speech would bring
them back.
Fusion Complete.
Against this German detection Mr.. Bryan
"a
fusion. 1t extends from presidential cleo
tors and Congressman down through the
state officers to candidates for county
offices. This makes very powerful COM
| bination. In the fusion the populists have
taken the lions share for themselves, but
as they are the more numerous party no
other course was practical. The Nebraska
populists form a compact political party.
They have not sloughed away. The free sill
Yer democrats have accepted whatever was
offered them out OF loyalty to Bryan. No
sacrifice Is too great for them TO make If
| they can be assured that he will carry the
state. The division of the electors so that
half were conceded to Watson for Vice
| President, was a bitter dose for them, but
they took 1t and male no wry face
1t is the vitality Of the Dopulists in Ne
! braska that has to be kept constantly in
| mind in figuring on the probabilities. Sen
ator Allen and Governor Holcomb have
proved pretty shrewd politicians. Holcomb
| has something more than an even chance
! of being reelected governor, while Allen
| will be In a position to command the sup
port of the free silver democrats when his
! term in the Senate Is up. Both Allen and
| Ho!comb realizing their own interests are
| doing all they can for Bryan and their
| joint influence is considerable.
| The republicans talk confidently in pub
| lie and cautiously in private. They under
| stand better than is understood in other
| parts of the country the strength of the
| free silver democratic and populist coai-
| ton They are getting some results from
| their thorough organization and from the
| vigorous campaign which they entered
! upon Immediately following Bryans nomi-
Eation. In their strongholds in the east
ern part of the state some latent free
| silver sentiment has been checked and
| party discipline enforced to the benefit OF
| Maj. Mckinley's candidacy. Their leaders
| also think that they are gaining some
| what from the tariff They can't make II
| paramount but they succeed in keeping it
| alive among republicans with whom pro-
lection has always been strong. They
have now all the literature they need.
Reaction of Bluff.
| One mistake which the republican man.
| ayers made is now causing reaction. I'M
| medately after Bryan's nomination they
| thought I necessary to put un what they
| called a magnificent bluff. This was to
claim the state by 5000 majority, to as
sert that Bryan was stronger in Ne
braska than Bland anybody else would
have been, and to deny that here were
any defactions on account of free silver
The natural course of politics having
| shown that all these claims were unbound
| ed and that nobody could carry :he state
| by 2J,UO majority, these managers have
| been under the necessity of explaining .ha1
their purpose was to discount any stam
pede for Bryan. Now they say that they
| have the state by safe majority. tha
they are gaining converts 10 Mckinley
which offsets their free silver defections
ard that Bryan has failed to develop th'
wave of enthusiasm that was promised foi
him.
1t may be said that the republicans arr
making some gains for Mckinley: Th'
sound money democrats, while enthusias
tic In their praises of Senator Palmer:
nomination, show a disposition to vot'
the republican ticket. This. taken Will
the gains from the Germans. gives the re
publicans justitiahle encouragement
shows that the changes are not all on
way Nevertheless, there is an unpieasan
suggestion in the rough poll of :he stat
which has been made by the republican
committee. In almost every county
has been possible for the republican can
| yassers to determine what repuDi an
were going to desert. but their information
| as to what democrats were going to sup
port the republican ticket mas been rack
ing in defniteness. Supplementary repor:
| have made a more favorable showing an
have undertaken to point out 'oters Eh
were doubtful when the first poll was mao
but who are now for Mckinley. The quick
ness with which this Information was ac
| quired lessons its value.
Workinxmen Support the Rcpubli
can Ticket.
Taking the state generally, the working
men. and the railway employees especially
seem to be pronounced in their support o
| the republican ticket. The farmers con
tfnue the doubtful factor. In the populs
counties in the western part OF me stat
| there are unquestionable defecsions OF re
| publiC an farmers. which more than ofse
any possible gain for Mckinley. Will
| crops are abundant, prices are going lower
| and this Is the kind of a free silver argu
ment that the republicans have so n;uc
difficulty in combating. 1t begins to loo
now as If the populist farmer vote. whic
1t was thought might he won over to Nc
Kinley, must be left to Bryan The farm
5 ers are also showing irritation over a!lege
discrimination by the railroads in maxim
: rates to the political rallies of the diferer
| parties If the railroad question gets force
into the campaign in this manner. tn
BRYAN vote will be mat e.ially increased
t the central and western part of the stat
= Taking Nebraska generally, MIR. Brya
| seems to be a trif1e stronger than he wa
| four or five weeks ago. This advantag
e may be lost through the loose organizatio
g of his supporters. The populist state con
e mittee and the state committee OF the FIRE
| silver democrats keep up an independcr
existence, though they ere working in ha
n mony. This double-ended arrangement
f not a match in political management Il
f the compact republican organization. NJ
d is the free silver enthusiasm overpOwerlr
t enough to justify the notion that ordEsI
= political agencies can be overlooked. tt
| talk of twenty-five or thirty thousand m;
e jority for Mr.. Bryan In Nebraska in tot
a vote of two hundred thousand is just as a
$ surd as the same figures for Maj. Mcku
= lev IF either candidate receives ten thou