Semi=weekly graphic., 1896-10-03
ILLINOIS SAFE FOR BRYAN
What 9 Close Canvass of the
 State Discloses.
RURAL DISTRICTS Foa SILVER.

In Chicago tho Free silver Candidate Is the Ayowed Choice of the Trades Unions. 4 Conservative Estimate Gives the state to the Democrats by 10000 Plurality.
 A ransack of Illinois politically brings cheer to the free silver Demoorn- ey. Both sides have of late laid violent claim to Illinois Hanna and his coterie said it was to be for Mckinley; Jones. Altgeld and the Democratic leaders at Springfield and Chicago were equally vehement in giving the state to Bryan and free silver. They declared the bat tie won for Bryan
 The Hannacrats, ill an ecstasy of eager voracity, announced, and do still, that Mckinley would carry Illinois by 100000 majority. Tho wish was fa- ther to this bluff, for such it was. A bit of research disclosed this claim of loo, 900 for Mckinley to be feather headed nonsense.
 In Marion county. where the Repub- licans solemnly assert Mckinley cer- tainty of 100 majority, house to house poll, made with hair line patience, gives it to Bryan by over 800. Tie same might be said of all the country coun- ties The Republicans lay hands on them, but dont t know whereof they speak and don t dare make practical in- yestigation for fear the discoveries might blast and wither them.
 Altgeld, on his part, working with his ljeutenants, Buck Hinrichsen and Fithian, has made, one following the other, two thorough eanyasses, school district by school district, of every foot of Illinois ground lying between Cairo and the Cook county line. They made two because the first cast such an un- looked for glow on their prospect that they couldn't believe 1t true. So they made the second. They declare--Altgeld and aids - that their search was so thorough that not even pin point of political chance escaped them. They slammed every front gate, pulled every doorbell save ill Chicago and it's coun- ty. As a result, they assert that both Altgeld and Bryan will come to the Cook county line with clean majority of 30, GOO.
 They tell, teo, that poll has been made of Chicago and Cook county. and that the free silver Bryan-Altgeld forces will win there by 35, GOO. They claim the state without tremor by 65. 600 for Altgeld and Bryan.
 Conservative ones with whom l con versed cut the rural majority which they claimed down to 10000. That fig ure, it would seem, everybody agrees Altgeld and Bryan will have.
 But, taking the best and most con- servative testimony of both sides, Bryan today stands to get the state by 20, LOGO. It remains to be seen whether the lsss- ss Kinleyites can bribe or browbeat this down. All honest future changes of po- litical faith ill the state will he from gold to free silver. One hears of new converts to free silver daily. This is particularly true of the southern half of the state, where Bryan met such entha- siastic thousands as he crossed it Mon- day.
 In Chicago Bryan is the open and ad-
  unions. His speech Labor day made 6 profound impression. By the way, the labor men say that the attendance at the park where Bryan spoke that day was over 100, 000
 The labor unions make no doubt of Bryan's success in Illinois.
 To sum up, from all could see and f.,oo ,,l Illinois. and do 1t handsomely. The Populists will do their part, and the free silver Republicans would seem to out number the gold Democrats about 10 to l. Bryan should win by good majority. All he has to fear, for it is the only loophole of Republican escape, is the Mckinley syndicate's money in Chica- go. If they can buy or bribe victory. they will do SO
 All of the Chicago papers are for Nc Kinley and violently against Bryan. This need breed no alarm. They were as violently against Cleveland in 1892, when he carried Cook county by fully | 10000 majority and took the state out of the Republican list for the first time since the days of Douglas. They were as violently against Carter Harrison when he was made mayor by a large majority. Bryan need have no fears of the Chicago press if the past is any guide. As the day stands, put Illinois ill the Bryan column. Let it stay till further orders Alfred Henry Lewis in New York Journal.
 
 Free silver would benefit the farmers by raising the price of the silver In silver