Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-09-23
THE POLITICAL ARENA.
The Strength Of the Republican
Cause is Growing Every Day.
Most Cheering News Brought from All Paris
Of South and West.

produce some important ucNei'PiiiN
in the Presidential campaign, particu-
larly as showing with more certainty
than il has been possible to show tha'
mckinley and Hobart will carry In
diana Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, MIL
nesota and Kentucky. A great deal Oh
information about these states W.! oe
brought Eastward by Chairman Han
ma. who is due in New YORK: heA'
Wednesday. Senator Quay, VINO was
busy, Monday, at headquarters us
posing of a vast amount OF correspond
ence. including confidential reports
from several Southern states, Went "
PHILADELPHIA, last night, TO a,teiiu
some personal business. he VIII We
back at headquarters by Wednesday III
time 10 attend the meeting OF the eN-
ecutive committeeman, Whlch MI
uanpn will call as soon as he arrives.
At This conference, which is expected
IN he one of the most important OF the
campaign. there will be present Char
man Hanna. Mr.. Hobart. Senator Quay.
cen Powell Clayton. Mr.. Manley, Mr..
Scott. Secretary Osborne, Treasurer
Bliss and perhaps few other ieaolhs
Ran,,bljcans not members of the COM
mittee, who will attend by speclai IN
yitation. All the information when
has been gathered as to doubtful states
in the West and South will be gone
over and analyZed with great care.
Some of the most important strategic
movements of the closing weeks OF the
campaign will then probably be
manned out. 1t is not likely that the
details of this council of war Will be
made public for the information OF the
Popocratic enemy, but some signlfi-
cant announcements may be maze.
Such reports as Mr.. Hanna has SfVen
to the public. chiefly through the Mall
and Express, of the results of his latest
visit to the Chicago headquarters, have
been read with great interest by those
in charge of the Eastern branch of the
campaign
Information which Chairman Hanna
has sent privately to his associates at
the New York headquarters has also
been most encouraging and gratifying.
This is also true of reports which
Chairman Babcock of the Republican
congressional campaign committee has
sent up here from Washington. MI
Babcock and his associates are bend
ing every effort to assure SOUND
money majority in the next House
which will thus be able to lend legls-
lative support to the financial policy OF
President Mckinley and his secretary
of the treasury. Mr.. Babcock has re-
ceived encouraging reports from many
congressional nominees, especially II
Ohio, Indiana. Michigan, Nebraska
Iowa and Illinois Not all the nomina-
lions have yet been made, but as sooi
as they are complete general sum
mary of the probable composition OF
the next House will be possible.
Members of the national executive com
mittee attach "A good deal of significance
to the returns from Arkansas. which are
now officially complete. In 1882 the Dem
ocratic plurality in Arkansas was oo,4I
and the returns show a reduction TINS
year to 55.73S. This is not. as Chairman
Jones has been claiming. an answer to
the Republican pluralities in Vermont,
where the 1892 figure of 1902 rose this
year to 1903, and in Maine, where the
figures of 1892 were increased in 1896 from
1881 to As. 4G1. This result in Arkansas,
moreover, is despite the fact that in the
counties where the negro voters are most
numerous the Republican poll lost. In
one county, Crittenden, where the last
census shows 3o16 adult negroes and only
7S7 white voters, the Democratic election
judges returned only f25 Republican and
6l9 Democratic and Populist votes,
This artificial result in Crittenden
county indicates that the Republican ne
gro vote there entirely ignored by
the Democrats in charge of the polling
booths. In the face of methods like these
in a state purely agricultural, and where
because Of the poor cotton crop, the
farmers have had great reason for dis
content. the total Democratic plurality
has suffered an actual reduction from
the last Presidential year. The only log
zeal conclusion is that if the vote against
free silver in such state as Arkansas
and under such conditions has increased
it must increase in other agricultural
states. such as Iowa. Kansas. Nebraska
and the Northwest. where the Popocratie
managers are making such great claims
In short. now that the Arkansas returns
are all in and they are compared with the
state elections in Vermont and Maine
their significance is most encouraging, st
far rs they show that the farmers have
not been deluded by free silver sophis
tries.
Further good news from the South was
brought to headquarters by George T.
Won kolnitz, Jr.. of Charleston. S. G. II,
said: II was born Democrat have al
ways been Il Democrat. am Democra
now and expect to remain Democrat.
was elected to serve in the Legislature
and in the state constitutional convention
as "A Democrat. My action is taken this
fall simply because ] am convinced tina
organism Is positive menace to on
country. My personal ambitions coul,
hence. on Aug. 6. in Il pNhic letter ! de
clincd reelection on that ground. TIL,
sentiment of nine-tenths of the business
men of Charleston and other cities l an
sure is for sound money. but the countr,
Is largely for free coinage. There is n
nope of carrying the state with Tilmal
IN control. There is n better chance il
North Carolina. where, especially in tn
western part. there has always been
strong Republican sentiment"
Committeeman Scott has received Il let
ter from n Republican at Boydtown. Va
Tor many years a member of the stat
committee, who writes I'VE shall certain
~ carry this county by 1000 ma jority, an,
l believe by several hundred more Nj,
information is that similar condition
exist in adjoining counties"
Frederick William Hollis of this city
mas been speaking in the West befor
Republican meetings. He rcported n
headquarters yesterday: Il can reDor
the very best news from the sections
visited. My own special work was i
northern Michigan. but ! had opportunit
to learn the condition of things in othe
states. notably Illinois and Wisconsin
They are sure to be solidly in line mi
fall. The outlook in Michigan is very fa
Norable. Our people there are splendidI
organized and working hard They wi
not relax their efforts, Illinois will civ
big majority. l went West expectin
TO near unpleasant news. but | came bac
happily disappointed Beyond the rem
nant OF the old Greenback element. I d
not believe there is any very strong siIye
sentiment that will show itself AT tb
slight 80 vel