New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-23
IN THE BOY ORATORS STATE
A SOUND MONEY VICTORY NOT IMPROB-
ABLE IN NEBRASKA

MANAGERS HAVE STRUGGLED AND THE
SURPRISING RESULT OF THEIR LABoRs.
IRON STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF HE rnrBUSE.l
Omaha Oct. 22-Nowhere has the essential
weakness Of Mr.. Bryanx crusade for short
weight dollar been more clearly illustrated than
in Nebraska. Three months ago the visionary
leader of the free-silvcr forces could not have
picked out in all the Union field more fallow
than his adopted State in which To scatter the
seeds Of political unrest and financial heresy.
Here. in Nebraska. the new issue OF cheap
ened dollar was to have trial on its inherent
merit to becloud and bewilder public judgment,
and under conditions which promised its sophis-
tries the widest popular success. The plea for
a clipped coin and Reputation of debts was
To be made in State purely granger in inter-
est and sentiment. which had suffered for years
the hardships and dsappointments OF contin-
ued agricultural depression: where the COM
bined Democratic and Popust vote had en-
ceeded the Republican by an average OF nearly
10000 in the successive State elections from
1890 to 1880. The issue OF Reputation was to
he presented too. by "A Presidential candidate
whose nomination carried in itself an appeal to
Nebraska local pride and whose personal hold
on a susceptible public had been twice proven
by capturing seat in Congress against heavy
party odds.
Mr. Bryan's Presidential canvass opened here
three months ago with every superficial al
vantage in local conditions and every prospect
Of ultimate victory Yet such has been the
driving practical campaign conducted by the
Republican organization that the tinerant free
coinage candidate Is now Sravely threatened
with defeat In his own State Nebraska's eight
electoral votes. which in July or August seemed
surely lost to the cause Of sound money, are
" hal ICED scales
slightest further tu,n OF opinion Will incline
them definitely to the nominees of the St Louis
Convention.
I'VE have had the odds against us all through
the campaign" said Mr.. Rosewater. the Edtor
Of The Omaha Bee" when asked for an opin-
ion on the chances of the two electoral ticke's'
..The fight is now about even. but | look to the
work of the rext ten days to give the State by
a narrow margin To Major Mckinley.
II feel certain that Mckinley and Hobart
will carry the State next month by plurality
Of 1000" was ex-senator Charles r. Mander-
sons reply to a similar query.
Opinions from two such conservative anu
competent Judges can leave no doubt of the
losing turn in the figh: which in the absence vi
the Boy Orator candidate on his transforming
tours through the enemys country mas peeh
conducted for him among his neiGhbors and tor-
NOR constituents But If in typical Popust
and Granger State like Nebraska, with Ioca'
conditions wholly in his favor, Bryans fort-
Z unes have gone to wreck In three months W'a'
a nash-in- the pan must his efforts seem IN Iowa.
Minnesota and the Dakotas. when from inc
first have offered far less receptive SOIL LOT
Popocratic sophistries.
THE UPHILL STRUGGLE AGAINST FIS'oN'
To appreciate the uphill nature OF the hght
made this year by the sound money iorces ]"
/ Nebraska one must go back lttle ihto ''e
states political history. Settled iarse'y "S
/ Union veterans. who came here ana 'ooh NY
/ holdings in the carly seventies. ts Poil'''d
affiliations were at first all stalwartlN iN'P""
/ lican. Up to lsSs no opposition had arisen 10
D threaten Republican control OF the state ,'cn
/ eral Harrison had received plurality OF -''''"
/ over Mr. Cleveland In that year and there were
/ no signs anywhere Of party mutiny or dlsa"ec-
,ion. Yet two years later. in the state ana
/ congress elections OF 1890. the Republican party
I was loft in an actual minority of '3'4'"
That curious political upheaVaI, WHICH "'-
ginning in 1890 under the Guiss Of an alliance
+ Of farmers to advance their interests 10y legis-
,a,ion has since so completely upset the politics
D -, both tho South and the West. found one or
to chief storm centres in Nebraska. Agricul-
Il ,ur,I d.presslon had brought suffering ana DIS
/ coninnt and an imaginary remedy for fallinS
/ nrices and scvcrer conditions of life was eagerly
CRASHED AT by the farmer. The drf' TO inc nc"
marty was 50 sudden and violent as 10 carry the
. Republican organization completely OH us I''"
4 In tho contest for the GOycrnorship in ~" u
/ pollcd fewer votes than either Its foruhs' "'
Democratic rival The Legislature WAS I"s'
and so vas every Congress District IN IN" S'a'''
Tb. yo,c Of $500 showed the three political
/ portics about evenly balanced In strength Inc
+ democratic candidate for Governor hah Po'fo
/ Il ?3I votes the Populist candidate U.S. ana
/ the Republican candidate tS'l'S. The net re
/ ,,t,,can Ioss from lSsS to 1890 was over 10000
votes
rror, 1870 70 1896 the history OF local politics
had been on the one hand a SLOW put SUI
/ stan,iaI recovery Of Republican strength on the
1 other gradual approach toward FUSION pe-
tween the rival opposition parties In NV al
the advice 81 the Democratic National COM
/ r,itte. a large body Of Democrats. Mr.. Bryan
/ among them deserted Mr.. Cleveland and cast
their votes directly for the Popust PRESIDENTIAL
electors Yet with three tickets in the field, the
Republican candidates carried the state pF
narrow margin. The Harrison and Reed elec-
tors got S72I1 votes the Weber and Field cleo
tors 81 10 and the Cleveland ana stevenson
! electors 2i.9i3. ,o., -,
Fusion failed in the State tickets OF ls!'2 and
IS.c, but i'm 1894 the Administration wing
- no D.mocracy formally indorscd the Popu-
LIST candidate for Governor. and he was elected
after a bitter contest. in which the Republican
! organization almost succeeded IN Pol,I's 10
,nr,ncr normal vote Hocomb the Fusion-Popu-
list had a. plurality Of only 3.2O2. His total
was 81 SlI while that of Majors. his Repub-
lean opponent was 94Gl3 A straight-out Adj
! ministrafion Democratic candidate. who had
also entered the field. got 6.9S3 votes. The Re
publican gains Of 1894 had been made chiefly
on the tarf issue. and had put the party once
! more In a fair way to recover its lost ascendancy
/ I'm the state Tie election Of lS9J was one or
! minor interest and brought out light vote
I There was no fusion. and the Republican ticket
won by n small plurality. In the appended tabie
are given the votes cast by the three rival par
ties i'm the various elections since ISM Win
rho excess I'm each OF the joint Popust-
t"' 80 80, Tim Ronuhlican The