Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-09-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from our regular correspondent
WAsHIHGTuE. d. G.. Sept. IA 1874


WAsHIHGTuE. ID. G.. Sept IA 1876.
If the republican managers had no
ther sources Of information, they
would know from the tone Of the
speeches made by Bryan and his fol-
lowers that the democrats were on
the run. They have already begun
to explain their defeat by all sorts of
ridiculous charges about capitalists
compelling their employees to support
Mckinley and Hobart. But the re-
publican managers know from other
sources--direct reports from the
states-that Bryan is already licked,
and that If the election were to be
held this week Mckinley and Ho-
bart would be easy winners. The
Bryan managers know this too, and
that is one reason why they are
struggling SO hard ON the stump and
through the literature they are dis
tributing to arouse class prejudice in
favor of Bryan. But they are bark
ing up the wrong tree. The average
American voter knows thing or
two, and having once made up his
mind by bringing his common sense
to bear upon the question at issue he
will not allow that decision to be up
set by his prejudice.
The more desperate Bryan's chan
ces get the larger grows the demand
of the populists. Tom Watson com
PEELED the democratic managers to
set aside their original program and
agree that Bryan and himself should
he notified of their nomination, and
he has now started out to compel
them to take Sewall off the ticket
and put him on. Watson has not
minced matters. He has told the
democratic managers that they
could choose between putting him
on the regular Bryan ticket and the
certainty of losing several southern
states, and If they do not decide by
the time that Bryan comes east
again, this week, it Is said that Wat
son, who is also coming east, intends
to compel Bryan to publicly choose
| between himself and Sewall as his
running mate. The democrats say
that Sewall will not be taken off the
ticket, but they are reported to be
bringing all sorts Of pressure upon
him to take himself off the ticket, SO
that the populist may be satisfied
by putting Watson on.
A fair specimen of the misrepre-
sentation which is the most promi-
nent feature of the campaign that is
being conducted III behalf of Bryan,
was the statement Of Senator Faulk-
ner, chairman of the democratic con-
gressioual committee, that the re-
publicans had sent an enormous
amount Of literature to Arkansas.
The republicans sent no literature at
all into that state, except to 4 few
\ hundred individuals who made
specific requests for it, because they
did not feel able to waste good ma
terial in a state where the election
machinery could be SO manipulated
rs 70 turn out any desired democratic
majority In fact, the demand for
literature has been 50 grea, that the
republican committee has had to cut
down the quantity asked for in all
states that are regarded as surely re-
publican in order 70 supply the de-
mand iii states that IRE regarded rs
doubtful. The knowledge that the
figures III the alleged big democratic
majority in Arkansas represents the
crooked work Of dehonest election
officials rather than honest votes de-
frlyes them Of any significance
\ II can be stated upon tile best an
/ tnerity that 1T II conference held in
\ New York city last week between
senator Hin ana i number OF prom
inent falnmany Hall democrats the
opiuienoteNery present was that
Bryan hadn't the slightest chance to
carry New York, and that their only
chance was torake tight on Black,
the republican candidate Ger govern
or. upon purely state issues. still
Mr.. Bryan and senator stewart are
talking wildly about New York being
carried for silver.
/ TiiE season Il upon Us when gloves