Kansas City daily journal., 1896-10-28
DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE IS HOPE
LEssLY DEMORALIzED.
ALTGELD HAS DESERTED HIM.
THE ILLINOIS GOVERNOR HAS TROU.
BILE OF HIS OWN.
Sacrificing Bryan Everywhere for
Votes for Himself-Republican
Organization Perfect-Rc-
suit Now Only n Cues
tiOn OF Majority.
Sacrificing Br

Hanna and Engineer Jones have both TAX
en- firm grasp upon the lever and have
prepared to hit 'em up for the final run.
Engineer Hanna's machine. manned by a
trained crew and carrying with it the con-
fidence of the public, responds in most
satisfactory manner to his commands,
while Engineer Jones machine, lacking the
fuel of confidence and the headlight of
reason. and manned by an inefficient and
disorganized crew, is as a wild engine in
the mountains of public dstrust, with Alt
geld at the derailing switch
With the election but a week from to-
day. the most striking and apparent fact
in Chicago is the absolute confidence which
exists at Republican headquarters and the
hopeless desperation which is SO apparent
at Popocratic headquarters. Chairman
Hanna and his committee are in splendid
condition and are working in harmony
with the different committees of the differ
ent states, and never in the history of the
Republican party has a national committee
been better prepared for an election than
the present committee. Hanna is perfectly
familiar with existing conditions, not only
in every state but in every county in every
state, and the organization is superb. All
the reports coming to the committee at the
present time ara not given to the public,
for they are SO universally of an optimistic
nature that they are withheld for fear of
creating over-confidence. 1t long ago
ceased to be a question of election. and re-
solved itself into a question of majorities
And SO it is that Chairman Hanna is con-
cluding the work of the campaign by send
ing out words of hope and encouragement,
in order that the victory may be so great
that the honor of the nation may never
more be imperiled.
Over at the Popocratic headquarters a
different condition of affairs exists. All is
confusion, and the bitterness existing be-
tween the different factions of the party
is no longer a secret. Bryan's dissatisfac-
ton with Jones' management is common
talk around headquarters, and the breach
is daily widening.
As far as the national committee is con-
cerned. Bryan is running wild, the COM
mittee having privately renounced all re-
sponsibility for his actions during the ball
ance of the campaign. Watson's dogSed
determination to hold on until the polls
close, regardless of all the threats and en-
treaties, is the nightmare of the commit
tee; and his refusal to say another word
for Bryan in the campaign is severe dis
appointment to those who favored two
tails to the ticket. But the crowning blow
to the committee is being given by Altgeld.
Be it remembered how Altgeld held the
key to the Chicago convention and how he
made Bryan the nominee by throwing the
Illinois delegation from Bland to Bryan.
To-day Altgeld has abandoned Bryan just
as suddenly, has left him to his fate, and
is engaged in a desperate effort to save
inns ha Can n
which the unpopular governor sees to be
inevitable. He and his managers are sac
rificing Bryan in every conceivable way.
and the cause of silver and all that Bryan
stands for have been abandoned and lost
sight of in the desperate attempt to re-
elect Altgeld, which will be taken as a
vindication of his course in the Chicago
strike Repeated protests against such a
course were made over a week ago by
Chairman Jones. but they all proved of no
avail. and in Illinois 1t has settled down to
a contest with every man for himself.
Hence 1t is that Bryan and Altgeld are
found in Chicago this week. While 1t is
true that they are found together. at the
same halls, yet this is the arrangement Of
the county committee and not the choice
of either of the Popocratic statesmen. It
is an actual fact that Jones spends more
time in watching the movements of Altgeld
and his followers than he does watching
Hanna's men. The Chicago people no long
er antagoniZe the Popocratic leaders, but
look upon their efforts with amusement
born of the repeated and glaring blunders
with which they have been regaled
AS to estimates on Illinois, the politicians
differ somewhat as to the size of McKin-
ley's ma aiority, the range being from 1Oo, 900
to 175Ooo. Chairman Smyth. of the Cook
county committee. puts the majority in
Cook county alone at 10000 based upon a
most careful poll. Chairman Jamison, Of
the state committee, agrees with Smyth
and puts the state down for sound money
by 10000. AS goes Illinois. so goes the
nation was the cry of Altseld and his fol-
lowers early in the campaign. and the Re-
puhlicans of the state do not take issue
with him in the least. Bryan's and Alt
seld's work here this week will have abso-
lutely no effect. for Chicago's mind is made
up. and she will be heard in no uncertain
taiaas In hahalf af