The sun., 1896-10-29

The Popocrntic P-etensions Are All Noa-


to DO very sanguine that Bryan will carry Mich
iRan. and the latter has recently "stifrened the
spinal columns OF his lieutenants and followers
In this State by adlinG out rather liberal al
lowanccs of practical campaign arguments for
use In the smaller cities and villages which Bry-
an did not reach, and which as q consequence
were not assessed"
Just why these gentlemen should be so conf
dent was not at first apparent. Careful inquiry
now discloses the fact that Chairman Campau
was not banking so much on Bryan enthusiasm
and support MS he was on the bitter personal
strife now going on between the Republican
leaders and campaign managers on the ono side
and Mayor PinGrec, tho Republican nominee
for Governor. on the other. Prior to the ST.
Louis Convention Mayor Pingree was an
out-and.out silverite. and took not only
decided but extreme ground in that re-
spect Ho had had for years past the
Detroit Tfbune-the leading Republican paper
OF the State-as an earnest champion and de-
fender OF all his "ecccntricites" as Mayor.
His Honor" was a candidate for Governor,
and, by reason of having tho shrewdest politi-
cal manaEers-who made effective combina-
tions with state and local candidates-reccived
the coveted nomination. He was obliged, how
ever. to give in his adhesion to the st. Louis
platform and agree that during tho campaign
he would not only stand on It, but would ndvo-
SeeV ~ VA tho stump llo Hlhue hu hCtiNo
and thorough canvass of the State. but he has
not kept his pledges. He secured the neces-
sary votes to nominate him largely Oh the faith
OF these pledges. and because it was believed
his nomination would strengthen the national
ticket. or. as Albert Pack tho street railway
magnate of this city, his leading manager, ex-
pressed it. would pull Mckinley through"
Mayor Pingree's standing and influence with
the Populists and silverites were counted as an
al-important factor In not only pulling Nc
kinley through" but in saving two or threo
Congressional districts. AS might have been
expected with returning reason the situation is
now radically changed, and to-day 1t is a qucs-
tion whether or not Mckinley and tho Republ-
can State Central Committee will be able to
pull Pingree through"
In his letter Of acceptance. Mayor Pingree an
nounced that he accepted the St Louis plat
form as orthodox and stood upon 1t. He has
not so announced himself. however, during the
campaign. either on the stump or in private
conversation. and the charge is made bv
sponsiole persons that he has been juggling"
with the Bryan managers for their support, In
return for which his influence would be quietly
exerted for Bryan in quarters where 1t could DO
effectively done.
Tho sound money Democrats. under the lead
Of Don ". Dickinson. have made and are now
making most enth usiastic campaign. A special
train is now going over the route taken by
Bryan III Ills "tteepieClase" tour through the
State. The star" speaker il Col Irish of ali
fornia. and good results are confidently expected
from their trip. The sound money Democrats
have nominated n State ticket. their candidate
for Governor Rufus u. SpraGue being strong
man Of high character and ability. He will re-
ce!ve respectable vote, as a ballot cast for him
IS tie only way the sound money Democrats can
damon ~ nj to heir ir,i nd So
bitter, however. is the feeling against Pngree,
not only on the part OF sound money Repub-
llcans but OF sound money Democrats as well.
throughout the entire State that he will be
badly cut" on election day. not only quietly
but openly. This feeling is causing " His Honor"
and managers great anxiety. The Tribune. his
former supporter and defender. is now bitterly
assailing him. and the large Populist and silver
vote lie expected will not materinize. His
secretary is an enthusiastic supporter of Bryan,
as arc some OF his closest friends and assoca ties.
and his environment" is such that the RepCb-
lican leaders and campaign managers do not
trust Mr.. Pingree as they otherwise would
His Honor" is a sturdy fighter. and being
aggressive aud stubborn, he has many enemies
in his own party who are doing their best to
com pass his defeat. This adds TO the uncertain
ties OF the result though all but tho most Gu
thusiastic Bryan supporter, here concede tho
State TO Mckinley by a small majority. Don
NJ. Dickinson claims that 55 per cent Of the
Democratic vote OF 1892 will bolt " Bryan. of
which 40 per cent. will vote FOR Mckinley. 10
per cent. FOR Palmer, and per cent. refrain
from voting. Careful inquiry OF leading politi.
clans OF both parties satisfies me that Dickin-
sons estimate IS 20 per cent. too nigh. while his
estimate OF Republican d detection is also too high
There are e!ghty-fve counties in the state.
OF this number a careful estimate. made after
seeing the figures OF the two campaign commit
tees, satisfies mo that Bryan Will carry twenty
six counties, which VIII give him 10000 major
ity, and that Mckinley will carry ifty-nine
counties with majority OF IS. GOO. thus leaving
u majority OF 22.oOo for Mckinley SO far as
can now be seen, this is the balance sheet struck
by conservative mon of both parties There Is
an unknown quantity" which bothers tho
campaign managers, but II was so in 1890. 500.
and notably in 1894. The silver vote will be
greatest in the purely agricultural counties.
while the bulk OF the labor vote in the larger
cities. in spite OF the opposition OF the labor
leaders. is reasonably certain TO go 10 Mckinley.
There are two classes OF voters who may bo
said TO be almost solid for Mckinley. e.. the
soldiers and railroad employees. From these
two classes alone gain OF fully 5000 votes for
Mckinley is expected. Every indication. so far
as surface appearances concerned. points to
a majority for Mckinley which will not fall
below 10000 Harrison had a plurality Of
90, 900 in 1892. and In 1894 the Republican
plurality rose to 100000. 1t is a question
whether or not the fusion" this year OF all the
opposinG elements against the Republican party
will fuse" II they do. the Republican ma
jority will approximate 20, 900. II they do not
then II will exceed 10000,
The Congressional result hinges on this con-
dtion OF affairs. Anything ike n complete
fusion will lose three districts for the Repub-
lcans who now have n solid delegation. But
two districts, the Sixth and Tenth. are in doubt,
and the Republicans have the best OF the
chances IN both. Betting IL practically at o
standstil save at odds of 3 and to l In favor
of Mckinley. while IA few bets have been made
that Plngree runs $4,000 behind Mckinley. All
along tho line OF the railroads Pingree will be
badly cut, due to his declaration in favor OF
Government ownership Of all steam railways
and OF municipal ownership and control Of
street car lines, while the sound-money Repub-
l!csns will undoubtedly hit him on account of
his financial record and views.