Evening star., 1896-10-28


people If anything should happen to
shake this faith between now and Tues
day, he said the result might be changed.
He did not think any such thing would
happen.
The Bryan man said that he did not see
how he and all the leaders In the commu-
mites ne had visited could be deceived as
to the sentiment of the people, or how their
canvassers could all be wrong. He had
mingled, he said, especially with the re-
publicans who were for silver, and had
found them numerous and earnest. More
than that, he had found them increasing in
numbers.
lone thing" he said, you can depend on
as surely true-Bryan Is growing steadily
in strength. If he should be defeated 1t
will not he because he has lost any of the
support he had at the start. If he Is de-
feated on the Sd of November he would
have been very much more badly defeated
if the election had occurred at any time
earlier.
Il never saw he said, "a situation more
calculated to inscire confidence. 1 believe
Bryan will be elected by a strong ma
jority."
The BRYAN Storm.
The republicans here are in their cyclone
cellars for few days until the Bryan
storm which now has Its center here has
passed. Bryan's presence means that the
democrats are trying to stampede the city,
as Bryan stampeded the democratic con-
vention, and thus save the state of Illi-
nois, which they fear is now against them.
The republicans feel that unless this
stampede can be accomplished the state is
sure for Mckinley. Having expected the
move, and done all they can, they are
awaiting the result. If their structure
withstands the shock. they believe that
they will have the state sure, and the cleo
tion.
The Bryan demonstration is somewhat
startling The democrats anticipated a
great tumult, but it is more than they
pected. 1t takes pretty steady nerve and
cool head not to be alarmed at such a
demonstration. but both the nerve and the
head are to be found at the republican
headquarters. They are not to be frighten-
cd by noise and they express confidence
that the stampede will fail and that the
majority they have been counting on will
be found still with them when Bryan has
departed.
1t IS calculated that the vote Cbeing less
than the registrationJ will be about 2.D.UU
in this city. If there are a hundred thous-
eLiu VI THESE voters Tor Bryan, tldt is
sufficient number to make a big demonstra-
ton. especially where there is added to it
the many thousand who always like to
make up crowd.
This sort of a calculation takes the alarm
out of it for the republicans. The only
thing about it that may make them look
little sraver is that closer view of
BRYAN enthusiasm gives some sort of an
- r~ft
paisn tour. and it is uncertain what in
nuence IL has had upon some communities.
General Confidence.
When the campaign confidence" of both
committees is put under a glass and ex-
amined critically very large part of it is
found to be genuine. The reason for his
is that the agents of both parties in vari-
Gus localities want to make as good a show
ing as possible, and their reports are there
fore highly colored. A considerable pro-
portion of the democratic workers, too, are
inexperienced and are liable to deceive
themselves.
On the other hand republican leaders.
though they may have much greater ex-
perience, are just as likely to magnify their
own Importance by making great claims of
results they have accomplished 1t does
whether the two committees are genuinely
confident or not
One thing that does seem to give the re-
publicans an advantage that has not gem
orally been taken into account, or at least
has not been fully anayzed, IS the number
of voters who will accept the brand of "re-
spectabllity." The republicans have made
''respectability'' their trademark, and are
claiming a copyright on 1t. The democrats
have treated this claim with more or less
Indifference. and have not disputed it very
vigorously
The class issue that has got into the
fight is like writing this trademark in red
letters 1t may be easily calculated that
if all the plain people are on one side and
all the people of high standing are on the
other the plain people will be in ma jorfty.
Class Issue u boomerang.
But this calculation is deceptive. If
all the people who want to be regarded as
being of the better class are on one side
and all those who are willing to be classcd
plain are on the other a very diff
ferent result Is found This is rot idle
fancy 1t Is suggested by observation.
1t is impossible for any observant person
to fail to see that the class issue has driven
many people into the Mckinley camp who
otherwise would not be there. The desire
to wear the livery of "respectability" is
practice lily universal and those least en-
titled to wear it are often most anxious
for 1t. 1t is an acknowledged fact that the
preponderance of the wealthy business men
are for Mckinley. 1t is just plain to be
seen that men of less standing in business
feel that they get an advantage from clas-
styling themselves with the great busi-
ness interests of the country.
The more the Mckinley people are de-
nounced as plutocrats the more anxious Is
the man whose credit is a little shaky to be
classed of them.
The same thing is true to great extent
in regard to the unorganized labor vote
When the cry of labor against capital or
capital against labor is raised, when labor
is thus classified as a distinct and less pros
porous class of citizenship, thousands of
clerks and men variously employed on sal
airy who wear collars and ties, no matter
how small their pay, revolt at being classed
as laborers. along with the men who work
in the street.
This is particularly noticeable in Chi
caSo where clerks in the stores, getting
much less money. perhaps. than men who
work for day wages. feel that they are