Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-02
Claimed by Managers Of Both the
Great Parties.
INDICATIONS FAVOR REPUBLICANS
Review ofo the, Situation in the
Congressional Districts.
7 H E I-BCENT ELECTION S


probabilities before election day have in
variably placed Maryland In the demo-
cratic column without the slightest doubt
or hesitation. This year the situation is
changed. and the fact that the eight cleo
toral votes of the state adjoining the Dis
trict OF Columbia might. under certain
circumstances settle the question Of wheth-
er Mr.. Mckinley or Mr.. Bryan is to be
President Of the United States makes the
situation In the state Of much more than
ordinary interest. The state is confidently
claimed by both parties, and both chairmen
give figures to back up their assertions.
Senator-elect Wellington has stated time
and again in the most positive way that
the sta would give $500 plurality for
.sei me- up to day or SO ago Chair
although claiming the state for Bryan. has
not stated By what plurality he expected to
carry 1t. Yesterday, however, he issued
an official statement, in which he claimed
Maryland's electoral vote for the demo-
cratic ticket by 10000 plurality.
No state officers are elected in Maryland
this year, and in the counties the voting
will simply be for presidential electors and
for congressman. In Baltimore city a new
board Of common council will also lie
elected.
The Campaign.
The campaign which is just closed In the
state has been one of the most exciting
and hard-fought ever seen in this region.
The republicans have built up an organiza
ton throughout the state, and especially
in Baltimore city, which Is almost perfect
in its workings. They have been plentiful
ly supplied with money, mainly contributed
by the business men of Baltimore, and Il
they lose II will not be for lack Of means
or want or organization. The old organiza
ton Of the democratic party in the state
1f
MT German and his candidate for governor
last year. and in the early part of the
campaign the democracy appeared TO be
all at sea in this state. Later on, however
Senator German took practical charge Of
the campaign himself, and his lieutenants
scattered throughout the state got down
10 hard political work Money also was
obtained from various sources, and the
democratic campaign in the last three
weeks has taken on some tinge of the old
spirit usually manifested in the party in
Maryland While, as has been stated, both
parties lay claim to the state, all surface
Indications point to the success of the re-
publican ticket. In private conversation
the conservative free silver men acknowl-
edge that the indications are that Mckinney
VIII nave a small plurality, hut they base
their confidence that Bryan will win the
state on the frequently made assertion that
the sileEt labor vote in Baltimore city will
be cast almost unanimously for BRYAN
when election day comes. They say that
these laboring men, while they are either
saying nothing at the present or are even
wearing MCKINLEY buttons, will. when they
get inside Of the secret polling places
alone with God and rubber stamp,
surely put their mark opposite the demo-
cratic emblem. On the other hand Mr.
Wellington asserts that the most careful
poll has been made of the entire city of
Baltimore, and that 1t is an insult to the
Workmen there to say that they are talk
Ing one way with the intention of voting
the other He says that Baltimore city
a C5t-n 10y {nln
rality.
The Tickets and the Chances.
There are six presidential electoral tick
cts in the field in Maryland-the republi-
can. the democratic, the national prohibi-
ton. the socialist-labor, the sound money
national democratic and the national ticket
The vote received by any of these tickets
except the first two, will be of SO little i'm
portahee as to be scarcely worth consid-
ering. Politicians in casting I'D the prob
able results in the state have used various
methods, and according to different views
both sides have drawn encouragement from
the past vote of the state. The principal
figures compared are those of 1892 and 1Sa,
In 1892 President Cleveland received in the
state a majority of u, 100 votes In 1895
MIR. Lowndes. republican, was elected gov
ernor by majority of IS, 1G5 This indi-
Gated a change of about 10000 votes and
consequently makes the situation this year
a very remarkable one, the question aris-
ing as to how the 210 voters who cast
their ballots for Cleveland In 49, and for
Lowndes in 30 will vote this year. It is
apparent that old party ties in the state of
Maryland haxe been ruthlessly severed
In Baltimore city a Democratic element
estimated anywhere from 10000 to 10000
Will certainly break away from their old
party and vote for Mckinley. In the coun-
ties it is as equally certain that a consid-
cradle element of the republican partv will
ha ole
passed by the republicans at the last legis-
lature, is also expected to be an important
factor in the campaign. That law provided
FOR new registration all over the state
and for bipartisan election board at each
polling place. The latter will without
question, prevent any attempts at fraud
at the coming election. while the former
undoubtedly served to remove from, the
registration lists a considerable army of
voters who had no business on those lists
1T Is conceded even by democrats that this
VIII mean considerable gain to the re-
publican party, especially in the CITY OF
Baltimore. Outside of the names stricken
from the old registration lists, Republicans
point to the fact that the white vote of the
state py the registration has fallen off q
per cent while the colored vote has in
creased nearly per cent. This. they saw
means a large increase for the republican
ticket. The claim Is also put forth that
, Inc repuohcan tlcket will secure a very
large proportion of the floating vote in the
state on account of the fact that the state
administration, with it's immense n.trone
age, is in the hands of the rannh1ior
party. Taking all these facts into conSid-
GRAFTON, the republican managers are ahso
lutely confident Of carrying the state Viii
the democratic committee it is thonsht &c
only hopeful. en'' Is
The Congregational Situation.
The congressional situation in tho state
differs somewhat from the national situ.-
ton. The state is divided into six copgro,
sional districts, and the republicans ,a,,
claim to four Of these certainly and s,,..
probably. The democrats, on the Other
hand. profess absolute confidence in carry
ing four districts They say that in tu,o ~
the congressional districts, which McK;n,.'
will carry, their congressional cand;dat ~
will run SO far ahead of the ticket % - -
certain of election.
In the first district; where J. w M,,.s t.
the democratic, candidate and DR.
Barber the republican, the success Of Mr.
Miles is generally conceded This distr;at
comprises the counties on the eastern shore
which section, besides being democrat
stronghold, is permeated with a silver So
timent which extends even into the rennh-
lican ranks. -,
The second district comprises wards .,
Baltimore city, and the candidates are W
B. Baker, rep, and S. NJ Jewett dow,
Both sides claim the district, althoueh tho
probabilities are very strong in favor of
Baker the present Represents tive