The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-19
NIP and TUCK.
According to Chicago Tribune
Minnesota Is Doubtful.
A Careful Estimate By the Tri-
bune's Correspondent.
CLAIMS ARE REDUCED.
Republican Chairman Takes
$4,000 or His Estimate.
ScandinaVians Are Largely For
Free Silver.
CLAIMS ARE REDUCED.

Chicago. Oct. 19.-The Tribune pub
ishes the following special from St.
Paul MINI.
1t IS stiu far from safe to assume that
Minnesota viii give a large majority in
either direction AS a result of a thor
ough canvass Of the state, from north
to south and east to west, The Tribune
correspondent is unable to discover any
indication of a direct landslide in either
one direction or the other Two years
ago Knute Nelson was elected governor
by q majority about 5000 over the com
blned Democratic and PopuLstic vote.
Ihls year the fusion between the Oppo-
sltIon parties lis absolutely com plete and
lt extends down into the smallest polit-
ical subdivisions, so that it may be
safely assumed that the fusion ticket
VIZ carry pretty nearly the full
strength Of both the old Democratic
and POpulistic factions
Ihe Republicans are claiming the
state by a majority which they various
~ estimate at from 20. 600 to 40, 600 At
a melting of the state central committee
ten days ago each member, behind clos
ed doors. was requested to give his esti-
mate on the result in the state and they
varied about as indicated above Tams
BlNby, the real head of the committee
although Lee Martin is the nominal
chairman, estimated the majority in the
state at 10000. but he puts Clough's ma
j0rity at Is. 600.
The Tribune correspondent learned
from personal Observa ton, the Scandf-
navian vote is shaky in many different
parts q the state In some sections the
Republican managers admit that nine
out Of ten of the Scandinavian farmers
appear to be determined to vote for
Bryan and free silver.
On the whole, however. the free silver
hepuDllcan element appears to be more
among the American farmers than
among the Scandinavians or other for
citizen is conservative and frugal while
the American farmer is rather apt to
be speculative and run in debt without
seeing the way out The silver craze
has IN Minnesota as elsewhere aDDar-
entity touched the more reckless and
the most hopeless debt-ridden of the
American farmers.
Whenever one strikes a German To-
cailty in Minnesota the political situa-
ton is changed Instantly. The Germans
as a rule are for the soundest of mon
ey, and no persuasiOns or arguments
can lead them off. They have been
Democrats as a whole for a considera-
BILE time, but this year they are com
ing back to the Republican party in
large numbers all over the state There
are about as many Germans as either
SWedes or NorWegians alone. and they
therefore cut an important figure ia the
campaign in Minnesota On q rough
estimate 1T would appear to be safe to
say that the detection of the silver Re
publicans in the American and Scandi-
gains from the Germans.
LABOR VOTE WILL CONTROL.
This leaves the state still trembling
in the balance, with the labor vote in
the large cities as the controlling figure.
Every poll which has been taken in
man ufacturing esta blishments. and
every outward indication seems to show
that the labOring men in St Paul Min
neapoGs. Saltwater. Mankato. Winona.
Duluth, Brainerd, Red Wing Rochester
and other centers have made up their
minds to vote for Mckinley on the pro
lection theory entirely.
During the last week there has been
@ general shaking down in the cam
paign estimates Of both parties Two
weeks ago chairman Martin gave the
Tribune an estimate Of $4,000 majority
for Mckinley in Minnesota. The esti-
mate to be presented to the state cen
tral committee next week, based upon
general canvass Of all the counties
is for 20, 600 majority. This is the re-
suit of answers to $500 personal letters
sent out by Secretary Johnson and rep
resents the conservative Republican
claim.
Chairman Rosing of the Popocratic
committee IS putting out an unofficial
estimate of $4,000 for Bryan. but in
talking with the Tribune correspondent
he was even more conservative.
The result of the Tribune correspond
ent's complete tour of the state is to
show that conditions in Minnesota are
as this paper has always claimed-ex-
ceedingly mixed There is cOnsidera BILE
silver sentiment among the Republic
ans all over the state This is partic-
ularly true of the American farmers.
There is no apparent landslide in
Minnesota either way, and conditions
are such that the state could have been
won for Mckinley easily had the state
committee not openly alienated So
many working Republicans through
out the state.
FROM ANOTHER SOURCE
St. Louis, Oct. 19.-The Globe Demo
crat has the following special from St
Paul, Mimi.
The first complete poll of the 81 coun-
ties of Minnesota has been finished. 1t
shows that the vote of the state viii
reach 325 OOO. nearly 10000 more than
was ever cast before. The poll gives
the state to Mckinley by 1880 votes.
Tt gives q little more than 164 600 votes
to Mckinley. nearly 146 600 to Bryan,
and $4,000 to Palmer and Levering. the
largest number to Palmer as the Pro
hibitionists only put two electors in
the field The same poll indicates that
Lind Populst. Democrat and free sill
yer Republican will defeat ClOugh. Re
publican. for governor by about 5000.
1t indicates that the Republicans are
sure of their candidates for congress in
the first, second and fourth districts.
with all the others in doubt The third
and Fifth districts are likely to go Re
publican. the seventh Populist and the
sixth CTownes) is SO mixed that no