New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-12
THE FIGHT IN ONONDAGA.
DEMOCRATS ABANDON ALL HOPE OF
ELECTING A CONGRESSMAN

POSITION OF THE REPUBLICAN FACTIONS
HOW THE DIssENsIoNs AROSE
tvRoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBuNEI
Syracuse, Oct 11-Nowhere are the evidences
Of the decentralization of the Democratic part!
In this State apparent than IN TINS part
Of Central New-York: nor are there anywhere
more facts TO be seen at glance indicating
great Republican victory. Onondaga County IN
the centre of which is The city of Syracuse LOT
many years has been of the three or four
leading Republican counties of the State. This
has largely been due to the excellence of the
party's organization. Its machinery has been
in good shape. and the Republican voters have
been thoroughly loyal There has been no drift
among them toward Populism the Democ-
racy.
THE DEMOCRATS ONLY CHANCE.
Occasionally the Democrats managed. through
Republican visions. to elect Mayor ana o'ner
city officers here in Syracuse. but otherwise
the party had no success. A Democratic Mayor.
James II. Mcclure. now rules the city put ne
owed his success to the fact that the Republ-
cans INDUCED i'm the luxury Of running TWO
candidates of their own for the Office
This year the Republicans feel so confident OF
success that they naming two candidates
for Congress- the Democrats are so hopeless
that they have not nominated any. Thus the
election of a gold-standard Congressman is as
sured The Congress District is composed of
the counties of Onondaga and Madison, and its
Republican majority is very large. James ).
Relden carried it in 1892 by majority of '32i'
and Theodore L. Poole the present Congress
man. in 1894 by $40
A REPUBLICAN, FIGHT TO FINISH
1t thus happens that the Republican voters
are left free to fight out "to finish con-
fict which had arisen among them. 1t Is one
that ragged for years. and finally eliminated IN
1895, when each Of the two factions. one led py
Francis Hendricks and the other by James D.
Belden, ran candidate for Mayor In this test
OF strength II was shown that the Belden rae
ton was the stronger it polled 6,ooo votes 10
5000 Of the other Owing to this Republican
division James H. Mcclure, Democrat was
elected Mayor.
But the Hendricks men, although IN the
minority, controlled the machinery of the Ke-
pubican party and they made rules for the
registration of Republican voters which rem
dered it impossible for any Republican VINO
voted for the Belden candidate to get his name
on the party rolls Thus 5000 Republicans were
cut off from voting for delegate TO the Ma
tional Convention Supporters of Mckinney
thereupon organized the Mckinley League OF
OnOndaga County. and through committee
formally applied to the Republican General
Committee for a change in the rules or the eau
cuses which should permit all Republicans 10
vote This request denied. and the sup
porters Of Mckinley were unable 10 gam ao-
mission to the caucuses. The result was that
ex-Senators Hscock and Hendricks. faVorine
Governor Morton for President. were electeo'
NEW COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
The members of the Mckinley League this
fall resolved to create a new Republican or
Ranization in Onondaga County, and to make
nominations for all the offices to be voted 1or
at the coming election. They chose eX-Assem-
blyman hlrles II. Duell president and FORMED
an organization in every part OF the county
Finally they nominated James j. Beiden 1p''
Congress- and put up Republican candidates lot
IT,. Assembly in every one Of the four Assem-
bly, districts of the county. Moreover, the NC
Kinley League organization was ex'enoeo ih'o
Madison County, and there also obtained sup
port for Mr. Belden. The followers OF ex-sena-
tor Hendricks have responded to this cnalienge
nv renominating Theodore l.. Poole for Con-
gress, and making their own nominations LOT
the Assembly in the four districts
The Democrats have abandoned all nope Oh
electing a Congressman. but have some ex-
mediation of gaining some Assemblymen. 10
foster the Republican division. they have IN
dorsed the nomination of Mr. Belden for Con
gress In letter accepting these pronere"
Democratic votes Mr. Belden says;
MR.. BELDEN's ACCEPTANCE.
The emphatic assurance of your committee Ihat
this pronfer of support is coupled with no condl-
REQUIRED me to take the matter into most serious
consideration and has infus need me TO oto an,
which prevailed throughout this district have IN
duced the I'll goor from the fonnda
ton Of that party to become your canI ,i h i'm
* pod8 his poca Views or placing any restraint
upon his political action. feel constrained 10 pun
on To- refuse further public service and accept the
nomination which your party has given me.
In his letter to the Mckinley League accept
ing it's nomination for Congress- Mr. Belden
said:
The members Of your organization have long been
cipies of wei-paid labor and honest money, and
they were among the first TO perceive the popular
20 be the next President of the United states They
were Influenced by sarns d and oprom for the
snu ,nes election of William McKniey They
h effort TO an Gna nd
sisted that the primaries be opened TO a VINO ae
dates Your organization represents the Republi-
Of this district, ana h csndSans Of ahe
Republican party. No technical question OF regu-
ca 2s San or prevent their recognition genuine
and loyal RepuDiicans
Theodore L. Poole the present Republican
Congressman. is one-armed Army veteran
For many years he was the pension agent here.
and he has held the post of County Clerk. His
reelection as Congressman is supported by the
Hendricks Republicans on the ground that he
has been one Of the most attentive painstak-
ing and efficient Representatives in Congress
ever sent from the district" and that "he has
been faithful in attendance, watchful of all in
terests concerning his constituents and success
full in passing needed and valuable legsla-
ton"