Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-10
Interest Of the People Of St. Louis in
the Coming Election.
4 new LAW TO BE TESTED
Indications Of Republican Victory
in the City.
H O A r D NG OF OLD

ST. LOUIS, October 1O.-The interest
which the people of ST. Louis are taking In
the approaching election Is shown by the
registration. On Tuesday of this week
more than $4,000 voters registered. That is
more than ever registered before an cleo
tion In this city in the past. There are still
two days registrations to be counted-today
and Tuesday next-and it Is estimated that
the number registered will be fully 12O, 600.
house-to-house canvass made some time
ago showed that there were 14s,OOO voters
in the city, and If 10000 of these register
it will be a proportion unprecedented in al
most any great community.
A New Law TO BE Tested.
While the lively interest taken in the is
sues of the campaign is responsible in q
great measure for this unprecedented regis
tration, the fact that a new election law Is
to be tested is to be credited in some degree.
There Is a republican law on the statute
books today. 1t was approved by demo-
cratic governor In May Of 1898. Under it
registration has been made much simpler
than it ever was before.
The old law discouraged any but poll
ticians from registering. The new law
makes registration easy. For many years
it was required that all voters visit the
city hall to register. Then 1t was made
possible to register at night at few places
wide apart. Under the new law the city has
been divided into precincts containing ac-
cordtng to the canvass Of last March, about
300 voters each. In each of these precincts
registration booths have been opened and
voters have had to go only square or SO
from their own homes to register St
Louis has been notoriously a city of small
registration and light vote. The record of
the present election Is going to be a great
record breaker
The last day for registration will be Tues
day next. When the registration closes the
clerks will make up lists OF the voters and
make a canvass. If a man does not appea r
to live at the place from which he register
ed the clerks will check his name and later
VIII send him by mail notice to call and
show cause why his name should not be
stricken from the list. When the list is
made UP the names of the voters will be
printed and the list for each precinct will
be hung outside the voting booth SO that
any fraud can be detected and the vote
challenged. So far the new law has work
ed admirably, and the voters of ST. Louis
expect that under 1t they will have a fair
election and an unusually :ull vote. The
same law is being tested in Kansas City.
Republican, InIications.
or course. the indications are strongly in
favor of republican victory in this city.
Normally it is considered safely democratic.
although 1t is at present under the control
of republican administration. AS to the
state, there is a strong disposition on the
part of the more conservative to do no
predicting, though the general belief is
that Bryan will carry it. The fact that
Senator Vest is a candidate for reelection
Is stronge factor in this contest and will
bring out full democratic vote. But
where four years ago even two wears
ago there would have been no Shadow of
doubt in the minds of democrats about the
result the surprising experience Of the
last election in which Missouri sent a
republican delegation to Congress, has
made democrats less confident. They be-
lieve they are going to carry the state
Secretary Francis, who Is sound money
man. thinks they will. But conservative
democrats say: I'VE are not sure what will
happen"
Convictions on the general result of the
eltceion vary widely. One man, who is at
the head of a large tobacco house. and
who has been travelling through the middle
states, says he is confident Bryan will be
elected. Another man, lifelong demo-
crat. who mas just come from the south,
says he believes Bryan cannot carry Texas,
and that there are doubts of his ability to
carry Alabama. He is as sincere and posi-
tive on one side as the other man is on
the other.
HOarIins Gold.
One curious condition arising from the
uncertainty of the people of this city is
the way they are boarding gold 1t would
Dc Interesting W kilOW llOW 0uCn pOld the
express companies are Withdrawing from
the subtreasury in New York every day
for the benefit of people in the west. Demo-
Gratis and republicans alike in this COM
nunity are putting all their spare cash
into gold and boarding it in safe deposit
vaults One real estate agent told me two
days ago that he had just sent $1,000 to
New York by express to be exchanged for
gold. The express company undertook for
3 thousand to deliver his currency in
New York, exchange it at the subtreasury
and return the gold to him. He says he
expects to make 10 or 10 per cent on his
speculation-$JO0 to s750-but there are
many people in ST. Louis who are con-
WINGED that gold will double in value If
Bryan is elected. Many people are con-
verting property into cash and drawing gold
from the subtreasury here or in New York
The subtreasury here will not give gold for
legal tenders. but will take coin certificates
for gold in sums of $50 or more. There has
been steady run on the subtreasury fol
two weeks now. AT the safe deposit vaults
men wait their turns to get into the little
stalls with their boxes, and each man has
il his hand bag of gold
In ordinary times gold is received at
steamship offices almost as often as paper
but the agent of the American Line tells
ME that for two weeks he has not seen a
gold piece on his counter.