Evening star., 1896-10-09
Illinois is Now the Turning Point Of
the Campaign.
BOTH Sides CONCENTRATING ENERGIES
No Reliable Means of Forecasting
the Result.
CHICAGO IN A FERMENT
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.


CHICAGO, October 8, 1885,
The massing here of the big political
guns goes to show that the decisive bat
ties of the present campaign are to be
fought in the doubtful states Of the mid
die west Here in Illinois within the past
two or three days such siege artillery as
Speaker Reed, Senators Hale and Cullom,
ex-Presioent Harrison, with Chauncey
Depew as a dashing cavalry leader. have
all been brought to make a final onslaught
on the democratic enemy. Then. too, those
stanch old allies of the gold democracy
heavy field pieces, though slightly ante
dated and of the smooth-bore variety
Palmer and Buckner-are to be brought
up to take part in the final charge which
is to carry Illinois for Mckinley and sound
money.
What will be the result? Nobody knows.
Whether it will be Waterloo for Mckinley
or Bryan the most astute of the politicians
can do no more than guess. One signin-
cant feature in the campaign Is that the
forces of Mckinley. like those OF the great
Frenchman to whom he has been ltkened.
are making the assault. The democrats
may be said to be In the trenches with
Altgeld in command. But whether the fig
ure will continue through to the end Is
one Of those things that mo fellow can
find OUT
Illinois Pivotal.
1t seems to be conceded on all hands
that as Illinois goes so will go the nation,
and again, as Chicago goes so will go Illi-
nois The battle ground has been trans
ferred from Gotham to the windy city by
Lake Michigan. To form any estimate at
the present time as to what Chicago Will
do on election day Is simply impossloie.
Never before in the history OF Illinois
h@a 60 a
ly muddled One fact stands out promi-
nently amid all the confusion. that old
party lines have been completely swept
away. How the political forces will re-
form will only be known after November 3.
These facts are apparent-the republicans
have thorough organization, unlimited
means, and an overwhelming preponder-
ance Of newspaper influence on their side
The democrats until within the past ten
days or two weeks have had little or moth
ing in the way of an organization. less
money and practically no newspaper sup
port. Even at present they are no better
off as to funds and the help OF q vigorous
press. The national headquarters of the
democracy seems to be In state OF coma
while with the republicans all Is energy
and activity. 1t Is true that the democratic
of life within the past two weeks. and the
state committee is supposed to be doing
some very effective work for Altgeld.
The Ignorant Vote.
But it is a serious question whether all
the campaigning and all the newspaper
influence will really affect the result. There
are many things which indicate that the
people have their minds made up. There
is no ignoring the fact however, that here
In Chicago, more than in any great city iI
this country, there is tremendous vote
which has no mind whatever, politically
speaking. Mainly foreigners, other thar
Irish thew know little hing about fhk
issues of the day. They do not read the
newspapers. have no decided conviction.
on any question beyond securing the bar.
necesSaries of life for themselves and fam
lilies. and, when it comes to voting, cas-
their ballot for the side they think will
win.
This condition is thoroughly appreciated
by the managers of both parties, and it is
| to catch this swaying vote that both sides
will burn red fire, blow trumpets, beat
drums and claim everything in sight. ir
| order to make the impression that 1t is
all their way anyhow. There Is unques.
| tionably strength enough in this vote tc
| turn the election either way by big ma
| jcrity. AS a consequence, from now on II
| will be question of mere noise and spec
! tacular performance for the purpose Of
i ruZZle-daZZle.
| Carter HarrisOn's Strength.
Talking with Carter Harrison, jr.-who
by the way, Is one Of the shrewdest poll
4
on this phase of the situation, he said i
was his fathers greatest element O.
strength, tLat this element always ha
| implicit faith in his ability to carry an elec
| ton, and, consequently, voted for him.
vas this vote which gave Illinois to Cleve
land in 1892. Chicago and Cook count,
| gave him plurality Of 1850 out of a tota
| vote Of about 100000, and overturned tn,
| plurality for Harrison outside Of Cook
leaving Cleveland the state by 26,893.
The following spring Carter Harrison car
ried the city for mayor by about 21,ON
| though he was opposed by the local repre-
sentatives of the national administration
| Since then, however, the state has given
republican plurality Of about 135.OOO. whel
Wulff ran for state treasurer, and Chicag,
| gave Mayor Swift plurality of abou
10000 in the spring of 1895.
| But today the Issues are all changed, po
litical feeling is running higher than /
has before since 1860 and the thinkin,
| vote is shifting from one party to an
other. So that 1t would appear to be i'm
| possible to make an intelligent forecast
The very bitterness with which the cam
paign has been waged makes 1t difficult t
| form any estimate Of this element in tn
electorate. The quiet. thoughtful man VIII
studies out the situation for himself an
/ votes accordingly Is not expressing hi
/ opinion. He Is shy Of gettirg s. % an argu
/ ment such as he sees going on along tn
streets, and even in the places of bushes
| where men do discuss the situation.
| Republican Detection Outside Of Chi
| cagO.
But from all over the state outside o
Cook county comes reliable news Of defec
ton on the part Of republicans. 1t seem
to be a safe prediction that the old orde
will be reversed this time, and that tn
democrats will come up to Cool, count
with a plurality ranging anywhere fror
10000 to 10000. The republicans, however
claim the state, outside of Cook, by pit
ralities ranging from $4,000 to 100000, bu
have failed SO far to find a man VIII
could or would give the evidence uao
j which the claim is based.
4 Among the conservative politicians O
7 both sides, when pinned down to sobe
statements. the prevailing prediction ia ths
Altgeld will surely carry the state but ths
Il Bryan will not But even in this predictio
i one can get at no reliable evidence @
which 1t Is based. At best 1t can only
put down as a popular prediction. Ny ow
observation has satisfied me that at lea.
Is per cent Of the labor vote here in Ch