The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-01-30
FIRST GUN FIRED.
THE ANTI-MACHINE PROPAGANDA TAX
ING FORM.
BOB EVANS BOBS UP

At a Meeting Of the Eighth Ward Re
publicans, where the Anti Machine
Movement is Talked <Up-Headuuar-
tors to Be Engaged Down Town
Soon.
is rapidly developing strength, . said Bob Evans
at meeting of the Republicans of the Seventh
| precinct Of the Eighth ward last night. The
meeting was attended by about 20 of the most
prominent workers in the precinct and great
amount Of enthusiasm was manifested in oppo-
| sltlon to the machine in the Republican party
And thus it appears that the great
Evans propaganda was ushered in with
an enthusiastic mass meeting of 20
persons. The Eighth ward is the ban
ner Republican ward of the city. It
gave Gov. Clough in 1894 the sum of
2,2O9 votes, which was five times as
many as his leading opponent received
and nearly three times as many votes
as both the Democratic and Populist
candidates together polled. Of the
2,2OO Republican votes of the Eighth
ward, the Hon. r. G.. Evans, with his
great "F'irst Gun Fired,'' succeeded in
mastering 20. That is to say in his
own ward, according to his own show
ing, the "anti-Clough" strength which
| the Evans patent Naturalization,
| portable, swivel-movement machine
was able to muster less than one Re-
publican vote in 100.
But even in the Seventh precinct
| alone of this ward, where the meeting
took place, Mr.. Clough received 225
votes in 1892, and 1923 votes in 1894.
That is to say, Mr.. Clough grew in po-
lltlcal strength and popular support in
this precinct, in two years time, over
~ per cent, a net gain of almost 100
votes at a single polling place. This
may account for the fact, that the ora
tory, personal magnetism, and organic
ing powers of the Hon. r. G.. Evans
were able to muster only 20 votes, in
Guiding himself, according to the
claims of his own organ.
In 1892 Mr.. Clough's plurality over
his leading opponent in the Seventh
precinct of the Eighth ward was 143
votes, and in 1894 his plurality in this
precinct was 265 votes-a net gain of
122, or nearly 100 per cent. In the
entire Eighth ward in 1892 Mr.. Clough's
plurality was 1923, and in 1894 it was
1885 votes his plurality in the ward at
the last election being double the total
vote Of all three of his opponents.
This is the alleged 'sunpopularity of
Mr.. Clough,' upon which the little
machine politicians of city ward poll
tics are trying to build campaign.
No wonder they are able to command a
following of only 20 in this stronghold
of Republicanism.
Such are the gigantic dimensions of
the Evans propaganda. And how were
these tremendous results achieved?
The explanation is given by the Van
diver organ eulogist: Hon. Robert
Evans was the ruling spirit at the
meeting last evening. Everyone
looked to him to push the movement
and his advice was asked on every
point that came up" The mass meet
ing Of 20 persons SO enthused Organic
or Evans that he had to rush down
town to tell the papers about it. Says
the Vandiver organ again: Follow
ing adjournment Robert Evans came
down town. He was quite enthusiast
tic over the outlook Of the ANTI fore
es. Considering their size, how
would it do to call them penny -ante
forces?'