Evening star., 1896-10-29
FROM the FRONT
Scenes on the Political Battle
Ground at Chicago.
BRYARS TREMENDOUS RECEPTION
Discounted by Republican Com
mitteemen.
WHAT THE LEADERS SAY
scial Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

| Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
CHICAGO, October 2S, 1896
Bryan arrived yesterday, and ever since
the democrats Of Illinois have been in
high feather. They are building great
hopes on the speeches which their can
6idate will make and on them alone they
seem to place their expectation Of carry
ing the state. Chairman Hinrichsen OF
the democratic state committee officially
claims a plurality OF 10000. As the cam
paign now stands Mckinley seems certain
to carry the state by a plurality Of hot
less than $1,000.
Bryan is making stirring canvass. On
his arrival here his admirers gave an en-
thusiastic reception. but at the same time
1t seems difficult to see how a few speeches
made by him can change the state.
Chief Adams of the democratic literary
bureau, who is an Illinois man, says that
he believes that Bryan will gain 1000
votes by his speeches in Chicago. This
seems hardly enough. II he gains no more
than that he will lose the state. At the
same time it is very questionable whether
he will make such a gain.
1 was talking yesterday with a man from
Quincy who had heard Bryan delivering
his speech at that point This gentleman,
who Is republican. says that his heart
went down into the bottom Of his boots
when he saw the size of the crowd. He
thought that the whole country was going
to be swept by Bryan. He expressed his
fears to one of the men in the crowd, when
the other laughed and said that more than
oEe-half of the men present were for Nc
Kinley. They agreed to make a canvass
and asked thirty-four men in their vicinity
how they stood on the presidency, and
were agreeably surprised that twenty-three
of them were In favor Of the election OF
Mckinley.
the state, and there is no record that Mr..
Bryan's speeches have influenced any very
great number of voters. The democrats
are very loud in their claims. but they are
apparently without foundation.
The Egg Affair.
The rotten egg incident Tuesday is count
ed upon to have some effect Indeed. it is
such an excellent card for the democrats
that the republicans have suspected that
the ingenious brain Of some of the demo-
cratic workers devised the plan. The act
has excited great resentment, which is
shared by the republicans. The repub-
licans Unanimously express their disap-
prova Of 1t, although at the same time
they call 1t to mind that the egg throwing
The democrats are bitter. and resent the
Insult offered their popular idol. One
Bryan man asserts that the egg incident
will cost Mckinley 5D,UN votes in this
state but this seems to be an exaggeration.
and it is doubtful IL it will influence 1000.
In the closing days of the campaign the
democrats are renewing their efforts to
capture the state. The campaign is being
concentrated here. Last night Chairman
Hinrichsen brought in 14 speakers from
the country. There are two reasons given
for this. The democrats say it is because
they have already won the state, and are
now after Cook county. The republicans
say that they have given up all hope Of the
state and wish to make some impression on
the republican majority in Cook county.
These orators are In addition to the 100
others who are now Stumping Chicago. and
who may be heard in halls all over town.
and on barrels at the street corners.
Any method seems to be tustifiable in
their eyes. They claim anything at all.
and make assertions that the republicans
are going to do pretty much anything.
Yesterday. when Bryan arrived. cards were
scattered from one Of the carriages, which
read: Friends of Bryan and Aitgeld. watch
the count November g." the evident inten-
ton being to insinuate that the elec ton
would be stolen by the republicans
An Honest Count.
This charge has been frequently made,
but according to all the information OBJ
tainable the election will be one Of the
most nearly honest ever held in Chicago
The arrangements which have been made
prevent any juggling. 1t was said that the
returns would be held back. At Chair nan
Hanna's suggestion, it has been arranged
that as soon as the polls close the officers
| in each precinct shall first of all canvass
the vote for presidential electors and send
| the figures at once to the City Hall by
policemen. The result in Cook county
should thus be known at Z O'clock as the
polls close at T. The story has been that
the republicans having control of The eiec-
ton machinery would hold back Cook
county until they ascertained how many
votes they needed to offset an alleged GER
tain majority in the rest of the state. OF
course, the charge falls to the ground, in
view Of the facts.
The republicans expect some sort of sharp
trick will be attempted on them during the
closing days. They believe that the street
will be flooded with pamphlets on the MORN
ing of election day before the republicans
can deny them. The instructions which
have been given to the republican county
committee and the leaders in each pre-
ctnct are to be on the lookout for roor-
backs. The republicans are. however. be-
lieved to be fully prepared to prevent them.
Governor Altgeld's canvass in Chicago
has been remarkable. He made speeches