New-York tribune., 1896-10-19
COUNT KENTUCKY FOR GOLD
THE FIGHT FOR CONGRESS IN THE BLUE
GRASS STATE.

INOMlsED-TuE GAM Ass IN lii'
VARIOUS DIsT1ICTs
fFnoM A sTArv CORRESPONDENT or THE TRDuNEl
Louisville Oct 1S.-Irterest lii the more I'M
mediate and absorbing struggle for the posses
sion Of the States electoral vote has somewhat
dwarfed and clouded the Importance OF the heht
this year for the control Of Kcntuckys repre-
sentation in the next Congress. In years past
Kentucky could usually be counted on to re-
turn a solitary Republican Representative
Through all vcissitudes Of State and National
politics the rugged mountain district on the
eastern and southeastern border remained
steadfastly ard Overwhelmingly Republican,
Occasionally party victory was won IN the
neighboring districts along the Big SANDY ana
Upper Ohio rivers. and at long Intervals he-
publican candidate scored chance victory III
the central or western portion OF the state for
twenty or thirty years. however. Repuplcah
representation in Congress has been limited
practically to single seat.
Nothing could emphasize more pointediy the
breakdown Of the old political order In Kentucky
than the extraordinary reversal OF party power
at Washington which next months Congress
elections promise TO show. Only lour years
ago ten Congress districts out of eleven were
carried by Democratic candidates by what
seemed safe and stable pluralites. Yet only
two wears later in 1891 under the operation OF
causes which have already been described In
this correspord dence. Republican nominees for
Congress swept five of the districts and reduced
the adverse pluralities in two others to less thah
500 votes This year not single district in the
State can he put down as safely Democratic
and at least six of Kentuckys eleven seats IN
the next House seem almost certain to be occu-
MED bv Republican Representatives
The failure of the Democratic and Popuhst
wings of the silver party to arrange a fusion on
nominees for Congress has given Repuplicah
candidates In the various districts a uecioeu
advantage owe, the Mckinley and Hobart cleo
toral ticket and however modest may oe 'he
victorious margin of the latter there can be no
doubt that the Republican nominees FOR CON
gress will sweep the State by joint plurahty
from $1,000 to 10000 greater. Last year. with
a net plurality Of s912 over his Democratic op-
moment Governor Bradley carried six OF the
eleven Congress districts. and lost seVenth
nv only 300 votes; so that in the opportuhe
distribution OF voting strength the Republican
candidates seem to have been unusually Ia
vored by fortune
The Ist and lid Congress districts lying IN the
extreme western angle of the State, between
the Ohio. the Mississippi and the Tennessee
border. and popularity known TO kentuckians as
1.-The Purchase are the strongholds Of Populism
and silver sentiment in the State. In the Ist
District c. X. Wheeler. a Democrat: B. c.
Keys. a Populist. and G. p. Thomas. a Repub-
lican. indorsed by the Sound Money Democrats.
are making a triangular fight for the seat The
silver forces pretty evenly divided. and
Thomas has remote change of slipping in be-
tween the rival free-coinage nominees The
combined Democratic-Populist vote in the dis
trict last fall exceeded Governor Bradey's total
irolit For
President will probably touch about the same
figure.
The lid District has normal fusion plurality
OF over 1000 Last fall the Republican vote was
5000 short Of the Democratic POpust total. al
though Bradley carried the district against Har-
din. F.. T. Franks. the Republican nominee Is
making hopeful fight against the present Rep
resentative. DR.. j. d. Clardy. The fusion plu-
ra,ity for President Is expected 20 reach about
300.
REPRESENTATIVE W. Godfrey Hunter is can
didate for reelection in the Hid District. Dr.
Hunter had plurality of 00l in 1894. and last
year Governor Bradley carried the eleven coun-
ties by a little over 1000 John S. Rhea, one
OF the leading silver orators of the state Is
the Doctors opponent. but no thinks seri-
ously that he can win the seat. The fusion
strength in the district is only little short of
the Republican,: but the Republican managers
expect Mckinley to beat Bryan by at least l.0OC
votes John w Lewis is standing for re-elec-
tIon in the WITH District. He was chosen as
Republican two years ago. getting plurality OF
1190 He had Populist support then. and mas
Populist rival in the field now. d. II. Smith,
the Democi attic candidate. has natural mar
gin OF over loo votes TO draw on. but Is con
sdered a very vulnerable candidate The race
for Congress will be close. The normal fusloT
plurality in the district is over 4,oo0 Inc
sound money revolt will probably cut Bryan
preponderarce down to 1000.
The Vth or Louisville. District will re-elec
Walter Evans by n plurality OF from S.OOO u
10000 Ex-Governor John Young Brown is th'
silver nominee ant Souad MONEY TS,s
put down by the Republican managers as saf
for Mckinley by lO0U
In the With. or Newport -Covington District
Representative Albert S. Berry is running 10
re-eectiOn as convert to the cause OF fre
coinage Up TO the day the nominating con
vention met Mr. Berry had been radical gold
standard Democrat. He has normal balanc
Of $500 votes in his favor. but the unpopu
larity Of his sudden recantation and the ope
hostility Of the business interests in Newpor
and Coyington to his candidacy may defea
him r. p Ernst is making a lively contes
against Berry. and seems to be gaining l,l srouh
daily The Presidential vote i'm this dstrit
will no close with the chances favoring sma
plurality for Mckinley.
The fight in the With. or Ashland District
at last fairly opened. Colonel w. G. r Brockir
ridge fs the sound money nominee, and LIS car
didacy has the tacit Endorsement or the Repu'
Iican organization. His only opponent IL EVa
~ Settle a free-silver Democrat. who, with v
D. owens. made the sensational race agan
Colonel Breckenridge two years ago IN whi'
the latter. fresh from the scandals OF mal'
dorous damage suit in Washington was ma
rowly defeated for denomination for Consres
Colonel breckenridge has to ov :rcome rcrIm
Democratic plurality of over 1000 to win. IT
district is likely to go to Bryan by piura
fly Of 800. .
The VIIIth IXth Xth and XIth districts a
all pretty certain TO be carried by Repubnca
candidates Ex-Governor James II. McCrear
formerly Sound Money, but now free-coinae
Democrat represents the With District in Il