The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-08-06
RESULT IN ALABAMA,
State Seems to Have Been Carried
8sass.. by the Dem ocrnta

State Seems to Have Been Carried
by the Democrats. .s 81
montgomery, Ala. Aug: 5.-The size OF the
Democratic majority seems to be all that
remains in doubt with regard to the result
q to-day's state election. Because Of the
\ slow process of counting the votes under
q Ine new ballot law, returns are necessarily
slow In coming III. but there Is no doubt
OF g complete Democratic victory. Incom-
plete returns from about half the co1ln-I
ties 50 far received Indicate Democratic
gains IN all but Mobile and Macon. In the
LorneF the Democrats appear to have lost
some 800 votes by stay-at-homes but the
county is still Democratic by 500 majority
jority Of 800 In 1894, the result is close
ana doubtful. The Democrats, on the other
nand, have carried Tuscaloosa county by
l,uou ma1ortty.#alt gave Kolb 200 majority
Two Years ago. Marshall county. which
Went Went ,ior holb by 600, is close and prob
democratic majority Of 500, is like Mar
snail. Chambers county with 400 ma
5Jorlty for Kolb in 1891, is in the Demo-
cratic column. Fayette, another Populist
county, IS In the doubtful column, as are
also Coosa and De Kalb.
In the counties which Gov. Oates carried
Two years ago there have been increased
maJorltles In all so far heard from exceDt
4 Z e 90 n the black belt every county will
give Its usual large Democratic majority
., tsins AiuH o,oVV 70 oVUO eacn. JenerSOn,
+ winch gave Oates less than 100 majority,
Will give Johnston probably 800 majority.
Green county Increases its Democratic ma
Jority. The same Is true in nearly every
North Alabama county
In this section, where the Populists are
stronger than elsewhere in the state, that
party lost heavily. The negroes in North
Alabama generally voted for GOODWIN, but
the number Of Populists who voted for
Il Johnston was larger than the negro vote
cast for Goodwin. Capt. Johnston tonight
said that he stands to his original figures
OF 4O, 600 as the lowest estimate of his ma
jority From reports which he has received
he feels like increasing these figures to
10000, with two-thirds Of the legislature
Democratic.
State Democratic Chairman j. B. Knox
tonight said:
"Johnston's majority is probably larger
than that Of Gov. Oates two years ago.
which was q, 600. I think we have the leg
islature by an increased majority. !"
POpulists Claim It.
At Populist state headquarters the secre-
tary, Frank Valzelle, said: 1--WE have received
no returns whatever from the state We
feel that If we have had fair count Good
wyn has won. The size of his majority
would be governed by the number of votes
the Democrats steal in the black belt.
am not prepared to give out my figures,
but believe we will carry eight counties
which Oates got two years ago, and lose
two which Kolb carried. We expect the
horseback mails to show Goodwyn's cleo
tion.' 81
P. G. Bowman. another Populist, said he
believed Goodwin would have from 1900
to 10000 majority, but had seen no re-
turns on which to base his claim. which
was founded altogether upon opinion.
The silver question has not been the main
issue in the Alabama campaign. Both can
didates were resting on demand for free
silver, but the real issue has heen the
question Of honest elections, Capt Johnston,
the Democratic nominee for governor was
candidate before the convention Of 1894.
He was defeated, but SUI ported the Demo
cratic ticket. This year Johnston captured
the party machine secured the nomination
for governor, and bad IL e party pledged
to the free coinage of silver. Many Of
Johnston's supporters inside the party are
opposed to the free coinage Of silver, but
supported Johnston in order to destroy the
old machine. Goodwin, the nominee Of the
fusion ticket, left the Democratic party in
1892 and was active i'll the campaign OF
1884 against the Democratic ticket. The
e Popul1st convention nominated Goodwin for
governor on; q platform declaring for hon
est elections, free silver and tariff on
revenue basis. The main issue has been the
demand for honest elections, and on this
Issue the Republicans have supported the
Populist ticket Many administration Demo-
Gratis would not support Johnston, but
others have supported tie state ticket, de-
claring that they desire to retain the state
government with the Democracy, but will
rot support Bryan.
4 Capt. Reuben J. Kolb claims Goodwin's
election by 5000 majority, which is regard
ed as a weak claim: He charges fraud in
the black belt.