The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-08-04
SWEEP ALABAMA.
Democrats Recover Their Foothold in
the State-Majority 10000

Johnston and MS enIlre Democratic
ticket wins by a majority of about 4O,
OOO The lowest estimate is $4,000 and
| the highest is 10000. The legislature
is safely Democratic by at least two
thirds. The Democratic gains were
made in white counties of north Ala
bama. In this portion, Goodwin, Pop
ulist ran behind KOlb's vote in 1894
The Populist leaders in Birmingham
are beginning to cry fraud, claiming
that thousands of fictitious votes were
cast in the black belt and they threat
| en- that if Goodwin is not elected they
| will organize the POpulists of the state
| against Bryan and carry Alabama for
| Mckinley in November. Nothing like
| official returns can be had from the
| counties until Saturday when the Off
| cial count will be made by the return
| ing board of the various counties, but
| there is no doubt that this is the great
| est Democratic victory in state politics
| since 1890.
Both candidates were resting on a
| demand for free silver, but the real is
sue has been the question of honest
| elections. Captain Johnston, the Dem
Ocratic nominee for governor was a
candidate before the convention of
1894 He was defeated but supported
the Democratic ticket. This year
Johnston captured the party machine,
secured the nomination for governor
and had the party pledged to the free
coinage of silver
Many of JohnstOn'S supporters inside
the party are opposed to the free coin
age of silver but supported Johnston
in order to destroy the old machine.
Goodwin, the nominee of the fusion
ticket left the latter party in 1892 and
was active in the campaign Of 1894
against the Democratic ticket
The Populist convention nominated
Goodwin for governor on platform
declaring for honest elections, free sill
yer and a tariff on a revenue basis.
The main issue has been the demand
for honest elections and on this issue
the Republicans have supported the
Populist ticket. Many administration
Democrats would not support John
stOn but others have supported the
state ticket declaring that they desire
to retain the state government with
the Democracy but will not support
Bryan.
Montgomery, Ala, Aug. 4.-The size
of the Democratic majority seems to be
all that remains in doubt with regard
to the result of the state election be-
cause of the slow process of counting
the voters under the new ballot law,
returns are necessarily slow in coming
in, but there is no doubt of a complete
Democratic victory.
Incomplete returns from about half
the counties so far received indicate
Democratic gains in all but Mobile and
Macon. In the former the Democrats
appear to have lost some 500 votes by
stay at homes, but the county is still in
the Democratic column by 500 majOri-
ty. In Macon county,, which gave Oates
majority of 500 IN 1894, the result is
close and doubtful. The Popullists on
the other hand have carried Tuscaloosa
county by 1000 majority. It gave Kolb
200 majority two years ago. Marshall
county, which went for KOlb by 600 is
close and probably Democratic. Lee
county which had a POpulist majority
of 500 is like Marshall. Chambers coun-
ty with 400 majority for KOlb in '94, is
in the Democratic column. Ta1apOOsa
county with 500 majority for Kolb at
the last election is close and may be
Democratic. Fayette another POpulist
county is in doubtful column as are al
so CoOsa and De Kalb.
In the counties which Governor Oates
carried two years ago, there have been
increased majorities in all so far heard
from except two. In the Black belt
every county will roll up it's usual large
Democratic majority ranging from 5000
to 5000 each jefferson which gave
Oates less than 100 majority will give
Johnston probably 500 majority. Green
county increases its Democratic ma
jority. The same is true in nearly eve
ry north Alabama county. In this sec
ton where the POpulists are stronger
than elsewhere in the state the party
lost heavily The Negroes in North
Alabama generally voted for Goodwin
but the number of POpulists who voted
for Johnston was larger than the Ne
gro vote cast for Goodwin.
State Democratic Chairman J. b
Knox said: "JOhnstOn's majority is
probably larger than that of Governor
Oates two years ago which was 27. .OOO
I think we have the legislature on an
increased majority.
At Populist state headquarters the
chairman was not on hand, being alb
sent from the city. The secretary,
Frank Valtase1I said: I'VE have re-
ceived no returns whatever from the
state. We feel that if we have had
fair count, Goodwin has won. The size
of his majority would be governed by
the number of votes the Democrats
stole in the black belt. We expect the
Il IN
election.
Incomplete returns from about half
the counties show that Johnston GER
tainly carried five counties that were
POpulist two years ago, while six others
of the same class are so close as to re-
quire the official count to decide. The
Democrats have not lost a county, so
far as heard from, but the fight in this
county is close. The count is incOTn-
pIete. Twenty seven boxes in this cOun-
ty outside of Birmingham give Good
win a majority of 2SS. This, it is said,
will be overcome by the vote of Bir-
mingham, Bessemer and Pratt City.
Two years ago the Democratic major
ity in this county was so.
Captain Reuben F. KOlb claims Good
wins election by $4,000 majority, which
is regarded as a weak claim He
charges fraud in the black belt
Birmingham, Aug. 4-Wm. Vaughan.
chairman of the Republican state cen
tral committee, made the following
statement:
The news of the election in this state
is meager, and nothing like an accurate
estimate can be made. But it is evil
dent that the returns will give Joseph
F. Johnston, Democratic candidate for
governor, a majority of some 90, 900.
The usual count out has evidently been
resOrted to in order to defeat Congress
man A T. Goodwin, the candidate of
the Populists and Republicans for gov
ernor BY this means the Democrats
will probably secure the state legisla-
tlIrp The Goodwin state ticket has
doubtless carried a considerable major
ity of the counties where the whites are
in the majority and the Democrats a
majority of the black counties.