Evening star., 1896-10-16
How the Vote May Be Affected BY the
Philadelphia Split.
ROW over TIE SHERIFFS OFFICE
ASituation That Has Given Demo-
Gratis Encouragement.
SAM DSON'S DISTRICT

| or less important bearing upon the total
| vote of the state in November next. A
noteworthy feature Of the present situation
| Is the fact that the majority Of William
| Mckinley in the strongest republican state
| in the Union is likely TO be cut down in the
republican stronghold of that state. From
| q national republican standpoint 1t may
| seem rather hard that a squabbe over the
! petty Office Of sheriff in Philadelphia should
threaten to lower the record of the great
| state of Pennsylvania in rolling up re.
| publican majority on the presidential elec.
ton.
Several weeks ago there was q republican
| convention in this city to nominate city
| officers, including the sheriff. Alexander
| Crow. jr., was a candidate for the nomi-
nation to the latter Office. Mr.. Crow was
| q politician who had worked hard in the
| ranks of the party without having received
much reward. He belonged to the Quay
faction, and, therefore, was in opposition
| to the section Of the republican party of
this portion Of the state termed the ad-
ministration men. The latter proved to be
| in the majority, however. and they bowled
out Mr.. Crow by a two-thirds vote. He
| and his followers then bolted the conven-
ton.
Shortly afterward an immense town
meeting was held. which was attended by
| vast throng Of people. They included
democrats and the anti-administration re-
pubicans. At this meeting Crow was nomi-
rated for sh eriff. The claim was made
| that this action was taken in a spirit OF
reform. 1t was insisted that 1t was a blow
| at the combine which had run Philadel.
| phia politics for some time and had come
! into disrepute with q great many citizens
| Every possible effort was made to give the
Crow nomination the aspect of being
movement for reform Mr.. Crow accepted
If elected. make change in city polftics
| so lar as would lie in his power TO do SO.
| Democrats Take Courage.
| About this time the democratic city COM
mittee took a hand in the game. The DEM
| ocrats had been very much dispirited and
| downcast. They were supporting the Iegu-
| lar Bryan ticket, but in a very half hearted
| way. They did not see much prospect of
successful sction, and were entirely lacking
| In stimulus thereto. as in this campaign
they were poorer than the proverbia, ,
| church mouse. There were thousands OF
good democratic votes going to waste be-
cause the committee did not have the
money to pay the poll tax. In Philadelphia
no man can vote until his tax has been
| paid. A certain class of people depend up
on the campaign committees to perform
this necessary duty for them, and this year
there was prospect that it would be left
LEperforned.
The nomination Of Crow. however, by the
Town meeting held out a suggestion to the
democratic city leaders. which seemed tc
| some .hurried consultations among Political
leaders. and in a few days announcement
| was made that the Bryan city committee
lad Endorsed Crow for sheriff and had
| placed the name of this republican upon
the regular Bryan ticket. About that time
the republicans charged that The demo.
cratic city committee obtained the money
trom some source to purchase 4O,0OO tax
! receipts, thereby enfranchislns 1000 dem
ocratic voters, who otherwise would have
had no opportunity to cast their votes.
The first result OF this movement was q
noticeable increase in democratic interest
| In the political situation not only in Phila-
delphia. but throughout the entire state
As the despair and gloom, the disorganiza-
uon and disgruntlement, in PHILADELPHIA
had extended to democratic circles In other
portions Of the state, affecting them accord
| ipgiy. SO now did the rising sun of hope
diffuse its kindly beams over the faithful in
| Tany sections. warming them to increased
activity and thawing out the chill which
had threatened to paralyze their efforts.
Claims for Bryan.
In some quarters it was claimed that
Bryan would get $1,000 votes in Phladel-
phia. and that the Mckinley majority would
be cut down at least 5O.OOO by the action
in Crows case. This. however, is denied in
otEer quarters. The republicans have since
| nominated for sheriff Coroner Ashbridge a
man who is exceedingly popular with the
rank and file of the party. He has clean
record, and is going into the campaign with
vigor and earnestness. 1t is claimed by
some that the fight over the sherihf's office
Will not affect the national ticket, for while
it is true that Crow is on the Bryan ticket
1t is also a fact that he is on ticket which
bears the full LIST of the republican can Ii
dates except Ashbridge. In other words, a
reI ublican can vote for either Ashbrilge CT
Crow for sheriff. and, if he desires to- stlll
support the remainder of the republican
ticket. 1t is therefore. held :,y many that
the republican vote in Philadelphia will Only
hxa gTNltf ON nff1n nf ch< rtH
will be solid for Mckinley, the Congress-
men, the state. county and city officers
There is great deal of bitterness uN er the
local situation. The old fight between Quay
and the combine is renewed, and it is
generally supposed that the Quay faction
are supporting Crow. We;l-informei poll
ticians say that it will be useless for the
democrats to expect this faction TO vote for
the rest of the city ticket, however, because
wEile they are willing to split Jp The rarty
over the office Of sheriff, they will take good
care to vote the rest Of the straight repub-
lican ticket. 1t is said that the democrats
are aware Of this fact, and that they do rot
lcok for any material advantage beyond the
satisfaction of taking part in causing a
split in the republican party.
Sam Hudson's Candidacy.
Philadelphia has a red-hot advocate of
free silver running for Congress in one of
the populous districts. This is Mr.. Samuel
Hudson. a well-known he xspaper writer
who has been a Washington correspondent
OF a Philadelphia paper during the sessions
Of Congress for many years. Mr.. Hudson is
running with the support Of the national
silver party, and is making a very active
canvass OF his district
I'VE are going, to make 1t lively for the
opposition here" he said to your Uorres-
pendent. when the votes are counted
many people will be surprised at the extent
Of free silver sentiment among the working
people of Philadelphia. tell you the place
is fairly honeycombed with free silver 1
have been surprised myself at the extent of
it. The gold men have no idea how much
free silver vote there is right under their
very noses. The reason for this is that the
working people are keeping 1t very quiet.
They are not talking much about their in
tentions before election day, but the ballots
will demonstrate their position later on"
Ii is not generally believed that Mr. Hud-
son will pull through in this district Even
the most sanguine democrats are not vet
prepared to admit that Philadelphia Las
reached that stage where she would send
a free silver man to Congress from any d:s-
trict.
Officers Elected.