Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-15
Bryan's Visit to Minnesota and the
DakOtas.
FIGHTS IN TIE Twin COMMONVEALfHS
St. Paul is for Gold and Mime
apoIis for Silver.
JOHN LIND'S CANDIDACY
special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

soil for free silver than other western
states. st. Paul is as strong in its support
Of the gold standard as New York or Bos-
ton. Minneapolis is more friendly to free
silver, and Mr.. Bryan balances one against
the other. just as he puts strong populist
county in northwestern Iowa against re-
publican stronghold like Sioux City. Cast
ing up the totals, he thinks he is going to
be as strong as Maj. Mckinley.
The farmers are the deciding factor in
the Dakotas and in Minnesota but in Min
nesota. in addition to the farmers, he must
have the larger share of the workingmen
because the business community Is solidly
against him, not merely in st. Paul and
Minneapolis, but in Saltwater. Winona and
other towns. Knowing that. he has been
appealing to the labor classes. The sue
cess of these appeals is yet to be shown.
but his journey has clearly strengthened
him among the farmers. Prices for wheat,
corn and cattle are getting better, yet they
farmer thinks they ought to be, and he
listens readily to Mr.. Bryan's argument
that the gold standard keeps prices down.
In South Dakota.
Mr.. Bryan's South Dakota spcechmaking
was given over as much to helping Senators
Pettigrew and Kyle as to exploiting his
own candidacy. The struggle for the legis-
lature is a warm one, and Senator Petit
grew has staked his political future on car
rying it. To do this the state .!ill have to
go for free silver by a decided majority.
led large number of republicans out of
the party when he bolted The faction
which had been opposing him was in con-
troll and his own followers had been scat
tered. However, it lid not need 81 over
whelming gain to make combination with
the populists and free silver democrats
which would leave the republicans in the
minority. Senator Pettigre" is a shrewl
politician. and he laid the wires for the
combination skillfully. Mr.. Bryan's coming
and his speeches completed the fusion of
the free silver elements.
In the face of this condition reports are
puellshed that the republicans, after two
polls of South Dakota, expect d majority
of 5000 to 10000 for Mckinley. This kind
OF claim shows the worthl ,ssness' of the
alleged poll. The total vo.e of South
Dakota is 5000. A majority of 10, 900 in
such vote would indicate a contest so
one-sided that nobody could mistake the
signs Yet defecttons to silver are add
united among republican farmers in some
sections of the state, and it is impossible
TO point out corresponding gains. The
democratic party went to pieces four years
ago, and has never pulled itself together SO
tnat there are few sound money democrats
for the Chicago ticket to lose. In the Black
Hills President Cleveland mas some sup
porters who will vote for Mckinley. The
also kept their organization fairly free
from the inroads of the silverites. They
are nerVed to unusual efforts because Of
their determination to down Senator Pet
tigrew. In order to do this and to carry the
state for Mckinley it will be necessary TO
outvote the farmers, and that is debat-
able question. To The Star correspondent
it seems that the four electoral votes IF
South Dakota are in doubt, with the
chances favoring Bryan.
The North State.
Mr.. Bryan's trip through North Dakota
was limited to the southeast corner of the
state, and the opportunity for judging of
it's sentiment was not good. Here, how
ever. it was also made plain that repubi-
cans are supporting Bryan and free silver,
while it was difficult to single out demo-
Gratis who We're upholding either Mckin-
ley or Palmer. The situation was illus
trated at Mr.. Bryan's Fargo meeting, when
Senator Roach and Henry F. Miller, bank
candidate against Roach, sat on the same
platform The total vote of the state is in
the neighborhood of $4,000. and the COM
bined populist and free silver democratic
strength is nearly equal to the republic
cans. The three electoral votes are in the
balance, without much definite infOrma ton
on which to base guess. In both the
Dakotas the federal office holders are sup
porting the Chicago ticket almost without
exception. regardless of what President
Cleveland'S wishes may be.
Minnesota is the best state in the Union
for meas urng the extent to which free
silver has destroyed old party lines. The
champions of Bryan's candidacy are near
ly all men who have been republican lead
ers and who take the ground that the party
has left them. In fact, little is heard in
Minnesota of the democratic party except
from the stately old fellows who talk of
traditions and of preserving the organi-
cation from destruction by sacrificing
themselves. They are eminently respecta-
I lI-m minority
Tess men in the cities who democrats
are going to vote for Mckinley, but the
rarty organization is completely in the
bands OF the silver wing.
Talking to Republicans.
Mr.. Bryan in his speeches recognizes the
situation. He has had a little to say
about Jeffersonian principles, but most of
his talking has been for the benefit of re-
publicans He follows the line taken by
Congressman Towne, Lieut.. Gov. Day and
the other republicans who are supporting
the Chicago ticket
The republican vote has so largely out
numbered the combined vote of the popu-
lists aid democrats in Minnesota that ii
would take a more pronounced political
revolution than can now be discerned to
give it's electoral vote to Bryan. 1t is
more than probable that he will cut down
the republican majority, but this Is the
most that his cwn supporters can reason
ably expect. They are, however, hopeful
| that ex-Congressman John Lind the silver
| candidate. will be elected governor. Many
| republicans will vote for Lind who do not
| fully 'ndo:se his position on silver and
who have no intention of boiling the ma
| tional ticket. His popularity among the
| ScardinaviaBs holds, though Senator Knute
| Nelson is trying to play the Norwegians
| against the Swedes. The republican lead
| ers profess Indifference yet they are nerv-
| Gus. and they would be intensely chagrined
| by Lind's success. 1t would demoralize the
l mar fn
Mixed Congregational Outlook.
| The congressional outlook is queer mix
| The republicans say that Congressman
| Towne. by his desertion, has learned what
| it is to be a leader without a following.
| They talk confidently of burying him under
| an adverse majority so large that the
| sixth district will forget it ever had a
| representative of that name On the other
hand. the silverites say that Towne's cleo
| ton will be nearly unanimous. while Con.
| gresham McCleary will be buried out OF
| sight in the second district. McCleary has
| advocated the gold standard with ability
| though. perhaps, with less brilliancy than
| Towne has shown in supporting silver
| The silverites want to beat him just as
| badly as the republicans want to defea
| Towne. The truth probably lies some
| where between the conflicting statements
| made. but the campaign will have to ad-