Evening star., 1896-09-29
CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS
Republicans in Virginia Believe Mckinley
Will Garry the State.
Will Have the assistance of Sound
Money Democrats I'm Securing
Free Ballot aaah a Fair Count.

Republican vistiors.from Virginia express
themselves as coAfident Of success In that
state Their own! rshls, they declare. are
in excellent condition. tand they are relying
upon substantial support from the sound
money democrats. They estimate, indeed,
that more sound money democrats Will vote
for Mckinley and Hobart than for Palmer
and Buckner. There has always been
protection sentiment among Virginia demo-
Gratis. which is aiding many of those who
repudiate the Chicago ticket on the money
question to go straight over to the support
Of the republican ticket.
A most important service expected OF
these men in addition to their votes Is that
they will help to secure a fair expression of
opinion at the polls and fair count OF the
ballots after they are thrown. They pledge
this, and they are said to be numerous and
influential enough to make themselves felt
in such an undertaking.
A Free Ballot and IL Fair Count.
The Virginia republicans have long loudly
complained on this score. The election laws
of the state they assert, were prepared ex-
pressly to give the democrats the advan-
tage. The ballot is complicated sort of
thing. and the time in which voter Is re-
quired to prepare and deposit it is limited
to two minutes. This makes the process
very hard for the majority of the colored
voters. and. to add to the difficulty, in
many of the counties, the number Of polling
places is insufficient. In the matter Of
election officers. while the law requires that
both parties shall be represented, the mi
| nority representation Is selected by the ma
Jorlty, and this In many cases Is said to
deprive the minority of its rights
Incompetent or pliable men chosen.
and everything goes as the majority de-
creeS.
1t is regarded as important, therefore,
| to have the present movement include,
besides the demand for sound money, the
demand for 4 fair election. Single handed
the republicans have been powerless. The
| present law. designed, as they complain,
| to II jure them, has been successfully exc
cuted to their injury, and their complaints
| nave all gone unheeded. Now the sound
| morey democrats take the matter up, and
| the promise Is that they Will accomplish
| something.
| Influence OF the Railroads.
| A particularly strong factor In the fight
| is the Influence of the railroads In the state.
| Virginia has been greatly benefited by her
| railroad systems, and the men who are in
! charge have managed to get along well
with their employees. Very few strikes have
| occurred. So that at the present time the
| rai!rc ad men are well disposed touS rd their
| employers and not in sympathy with the
! methods or manifestocs of men like Debs.
What is denounced by Debs and Altgeld
| as government by injunction has never
| oTpre ssed them, land hence they are not
| respcndng to tho Debs and Altgeld appeal
| They are in favor of sound money and
| many of them have enrolled themselves
as members of sound money clubs.
Free silver Among the Farmers.
AS is the case In other southern states
| the free silver sentiment in Virginia is
found principally among the democratic
| farmers. Old political affiliations united
| with poor prices for farm products make
| the Chicago platform. with its party regu
| larity and its promises Of great things fol
| agriculture, attractive to them. The sur
| face statement of the case Is said to be
| all they ask. But in all the centers OF
| business, great and small, from Richmonc
| down to the village Of thousand people
| the men of business and most of the wag.
| earners though 'heret ofore dem ocrals ar.
| represented as having resolved to vote thi:
year for sound money.