The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1896-10-10
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from II regular Correspondent
WAsH:NGTON. OCT. 2nd, 1896.

from our regular COrrespondent.)
WASHINGTON. OCT. 2nd, 1896.
Mr.. Bryan's supporters find nothing
discouraging in the situation. On the
contrary they have excellent reasons
for believing that Mr.. Bryan's chances
for election are better than those Of
Mr.. Mckinley. These reasons are no
entirely based upon reports made to
the managers of Mr.. Bryan's campaign
although there is no doubt of the
trustworthiness Of those reports rs n
rule. Those democrats who are
careful not to allow their wishes to
become tangled up with their jndg-
ment have been making Il study of the
figures put out by the conservative
supporters Of Mckinley and have
thereby strengthened their belief in
Bryan's success. The latest IF these
tables appeared IN the editorial page
or the Washington post, which is
strongly :or gold. It gives Bryan $50
electoral votes, Mckinley 14O. and
puts 1O2 in the doubtful column. To
accept this table as correct ia to Re
sure that Bryan will be elected, as the
1O2 electoral votes classes as doubtful
of which Bryan must get 10 to be
elected and Mckinley must get "a:
are made up Of the following states
Illinois. Oregon, California, Maryland.
Delaware, West Virginia. Minnesota,
Michigan. Wisconsin aud Iowa. 1t is
a verv conservative claim to say that
Bryan will certainly carry mnre than
five ont of these ten states, which
would elect him with votes to spare
if the rest Of the table be all right,
and there ia no doubt about that, as
with the exceptions of Indiana and
Nebraska, in the Bryan column it
only includes states which are count
ed to Bryan by the republicans.
Hon. w. E. Chiffon, Secretary Of
State Cor West Virginia, was one of the
party which came to Washington to
escort Mr.. Bryan to that state. While
In Washington Mr.. Chiffon said II am
not afraid Sf the result in West Vir-
ginia, and have no hesitation in pre-
dieting that Bryan will get its eierto-
raj vote. Our people are strongly for
silver, and many converts have been
made from the republican ranks. The
Palmer and Bnckper ticket will not
poll mnci Of a vote. The republic
cans are making the most strenuous
efforts for Mckinley and the allega-
lions of coercion and intimidation of
railway employees are strictly true.
But there is Away a reaction against
such methods, and n feeling of resent
ment arises in the minds of the men
who are thus coerced that will sresnlt
in causing hundreds Of them to vote
the other way"
Gen. w. j. st. Clair, Of w. Va, was
in Baltimore with Mr.. Bryan, and who
passed through Washington this week
said 81 found q degree Of Bryan n
tbusiasm in the City Of Baltimore that
was rather surprising, IN view Of the
tone of its boiling democratic news
papers. The talk about McKinley's
great majority in the Maryland ne
%tropolis is all nonsense"
Senator Gorman's disinclination to
make ante. election claims and prom
Uses adds force to what he told Mr.. |
Bryan and the other gentlemen who
participated in the conference held in
New York City this week. He prom
Used that Mr.. Bryan should have the !
electoral vote of Maryland, and he
said the democrats still have an even
chance to win. notwithstanding the
influences that were being used against
them.
Democratic confidence, which has |
been fairly good from the beginning |
OF the campaign, has greatly increased
since the conference in New York this |
week, participated in by Messrs. Bry-
an, Sewall, Chairman Jones, Senator
German AMI other democratic leaders.
At that conference every aspect Of the
campaign was carefully considered,
and the deliberate and unanimous
conclusion Of those present was that
MIR. Bryan was making a great cam
paign and that unless something not
expected should occur to change
the drift Of public sentiment in favor
of the free coinage Of silver he would
be elected with a number of electoral
votes to spare. 1t did not take long
for this opinion to spread among the
rank and file and the result has been
n natural increase in democratic
which cannot fail to make
itself felt in the work of the campaign.
Senator Faulkner has been getting
some very cheering news this week
from all around. bnt that which
him most has come from
California, Iowa, and
Kansas, whicl, are claimed by some
and put in~ the doubtful
column by others. According to Sem
ator F~aulkner's advices neither Of
them will be carried by Mckinley.
The democratic state committee OF
renOIts that state To he all