Evening star., 1896-10-26
SIGNIFICANT STRAwS.
The Political Wind Veerln1 to Re-
publicanism In Tennessee.

publicanism In Tennessee.
Correspondence of The Evening Star.
MEMPHIS, Tenn, October @, 1896.
Although nearly all forecasts place Ten
nessee in the Bryan column. 1t is more and
more evident that the state is In doubt and
the republicans have an even chance to
carry It, Indeed, In this city even money
has been offered by democrats that the
state will go republican. The republicans
themselves are confident that they will
elect their governor and that Mckinley
will have the electoral vote Of the state.
The only persons who confident that
Tennessee will go democratic this year are
the free silver men, whose confidence in
the triumph of their idea under any and
all circumstances never wanes.
AS election day approaches two things
are made apparent. The first is that there
| Is no perceptible change of republicans to
the Bryan side. The second is that the
populist factor in the election cannot be ac-
curately estimated. Everything points to
an exceptionally large republican vote in
east tennessee, which is the stronghold of
that party; and even those republicans
VINO believe in free silver will vote for Nc
hlnley. Up In the mountains the people
are peculiarly tenacious in their beliefs
ana once republican always a republican
seems 10 be the rule.
Shrewd observers saw th.t tb. s;,u.,;o
Is In the hands of the populists All over
lures between the pops and the demo-
eLats nave come to grief. and the leaders Of
the two parties who have conducted the
negotiations seem TO have been more in
tent on slapping each other in the face
as IL were, than on coming to harmonious
adjustment. Some of the populists, how
ever are inclined TO regard themselves
now as rebaptiZed democrats, but it is NOT
easy to estimate how large a percentage
can can De placed in this category. AS eiec-
uon approaches 1t looks more ano more
wOnld
Ihe1r strength being between 10000 and
oo'ooO they can, if they keep together.
SWING s the state to suit themselves. So
far the democrats have been willing to
concede to them nothing but empty hon
ors' whereas the republicans have offered
mem the1 81 substantial food. The chances are
| ~ Ina. ene popuiist party vote, therefore. will
| De cast solidly tor the populist electors
ana the populist candidate for governor.
Inc star correspondent has during the
last rev days picked up number OF
10 the trend Of political thought here
abouts. When 1t is remembered that west
| tennessee is ordinarily the democratic
stronghold of the state the Significance
| of these facts may be estimated parry
ties have literally been cast to the winds,
and men who have always been known
as intense partfsans are declaring openly
ana without caring who knows 1t that
they are going to vote against tnLir party
FOR instance. well-known lawyer whose
omces are In the Equitable building SAID
going to vote for Bryan for President, TILL
! man for governor and Patterson for Con-
gress. Isn't that / combination for YOU?
But this is the year for queer voting
suppose there are al least a hundred dem
ocrats In this building, and I will venture
10 say that not more than ten of them are
going to vote for Bryan and Bob Taylor
I estimate that at least 1890 democrats in
Memphis will vote for Mckinley and TIL
| man. 1 understand that fully as MANY
In Nashville will do likewise and that
Chattanooga and Knoxville combined will
give similar democratic vote to the re-
publican ticket There are several hum
dred towns In Tennessee, in each of which
there are few dozen Of Jews and Ger
mans. who are almost to a man opposed to
free coinage. Usually they are democrats
but they will not vote the democratic ticket
this time. do not how it is possible
to overcome this vote with accessions from
the populists.
One can hear this kind of talk all over
the streets, but the workingInen are in
| clined toward free silver. The motormen
and conductors on the electric systems are
almost solid for silver. but most Of them
will vote for Josiah Patterson for Con-
gress.
The formation of sound money clubs is
also a straw showing which way the Wind
| Is blowing. The club in this district now
has membership between five and six
thousand. Nashville has a similar or
ganlzation with membership numbering
several thousand, and there are clubs or
considerable membership in Clarksville,
Jackson. Bristol, Knoxville. Chattanooga
and other. places. The free silver strength
is deficient in organization and depends
evidently upon cyclone of enthusiasm
for victory, but the indications are that
this particular cyclone will not material