Evening star., 1896-10-26
BOTH CLAIM 1T.
Two Estimates as to- the Result In
MichiGan.

Michigan. t
Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
GRAND RAPIDS. Mich, October o. 1885,
Chairman Fred A. Baker of the popo-
cratic state central committee has given
out a statement claiming Michigan for
Bryan by $4,000. He bases his claim on the
election returns Of four years ago. the re-
publicans polled 22O,OOO democrats 202OOO
populists and prohibitionists each 2OO0O
He figures that Bryan will receive half the
prohibitionist vote, which will more than
onset the sound money democratic defec-
ton. The popul:st vote will be solid for
Bryan. making the popocrat vote equal to
the republican vote of two years ago, and
the gains from free silver republicans will
De clear velvet. He estimates that there
are at least 500 free silver republicans In
each OF the eighty-five counties of the
state, taking the average. on a total of
42'5Oo Mr.. Baker then cuts this silver re-
puoHcan vote In two, as a precaution
against undue confidence. and points To
n $50 as the Bryan plurality in the state
Inc claim Is not based ON anything like a
canvass OF the state, nor on obserya tions
mace oy experienced political workers. but
occasion. ~
ihe republicans admit some losses to free
siVel' especially in the southern part of
,ne state out claim that it will not amount
or 1l.UoO in all. This loss will he rnorr
than onset by gain of per cent from the
democrats, and the democrats will lose
per cent more to the Palmer and Buckner
ticket The populist vote Is conceded solid
to the popocrats, but not above ~ per
cent OF the prohibitionists will go that
way ana as many will go for Mckinley
me Total vote four years ago was 46s,UOO
against Is5,UoO eight years ago This wear
the total vote will probably reach $4,000.
and the republicans claim The gain will be
largely In their favor. Tie republican
claims are not based on u thorough can
Vass In any part of the state because it has
been found impossible to make such a can
Vass. The wCrklngmen in the cities and
the farmers out in the country have alike
been retlcent in regard to their political
prediction or what they will do on elec-
tlon day. Many OF the sirewdest and keen
est politicians in the state are in the re-
publican ranks, however, and the estimates
given are as they figure it out on con-
servative ba isis. None of them will admit
that taking the state through the repubii-
can loss Will reach per cent, and many
or them estimate that the republican gam
from the old democracy will be at least 10
per cent, with a further loss Of per cen:
TO Palmer and Buckner. The republicans
have made leading card Of the tariff in
the rural districts the past month. and tins
Will undoubtedly hold many republican
farmers line
For the go down the home stretch the
popocra:s have Vice President Stevenson
T. j. Mahoney, E. b. Howels and Charles
Hartman OF Montana. John Marion Of
Pennsylvania. Gen. Weaver of Iowa, ]. H.
Holman Of Rochester, M. w. Meagher of
iiiiois aid Com harvey of luIno.s and
hope to secure Gov. Altgeld. George Fred
Williams spoke inIs wee1 at Detl OFT and
other Joints. Throl gh Chairman Campaus
Influence more talent and money have been
concentrated on Michigan for the last two
weeks tnan has Deen IL the campa .gn thus
far The republicans are swelling their
speaking list and will have 150 or more
out for the last week and the sound money
democrats will have twenty or thirty
speakers scattered about the state, besides
the Jones-M ailer special train party on
Bryan's trail.
The supreme court has passed upon the
question OF the ballot and the relative
positions of the tickets. The court holds
that the democratic peoples union silver
party, the sound money democrats and ma
tional prohibitionists are all new parties
and their positions on the ballot must be
governed by the order in which the ticket
filled. The republicans and prohibition
lists are regular and are entitled to first
and second place, respectively.