Evening star., 1896-10-01
CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS
Party Leaders in Ohio Now Turning Their
Attention to Them.
VIII Not De Over Four Democrats An
the Buckeye State Dele
CATION.
Correspondence OF Tho Evening Star.

COLUMBUS, Ohio, September -, 1896.
The party leaders ia Ohio are just now
turning Their attention to the congressional
election In this state. The delegation from
Ohio in The Fifty-fifth Congress will GER
tainly continue to be strongly republican.
The present system OF districts was made
by republican legislature, and so fixed
that only a revolution in politics in favor
of the democrats could give that party a
ma jority of the delegation. At a glance
over the districts Ii seems likely that the
democrats will lose one of the two districts
they now hold-the third now represented by
Mr.. Sorg-and gain two others-the fifth
and the seventeenth, represented respec-
lively by Mr.. De Witt and Mr.. Mcclure.
The democratic leaders lay some claim to
the twenty-first district, and il is just pos
sible that they may carry IT. 1t includes
part of Cleveland and Cayahoga county,
and the recent strikes there have caused
great trouble among the laboring people.
This cropped out in the republican primary
elections last week, in which Sheriff Leek
candidate for nomination to a second
term, was Overwhelmingly defeated as the
result of his calling out the militia. The
district gave a republican plurality of near
ly 1900 two wears ago, and under ordinary
circumsta tances, would be regarded as per-
1ecuy safe for the republicans.
Watson to BE Probably Returned.
Mr.. Outhwalte SO many times, elected Con-
gresham Watson, a republican. two years
ago ~ plurality of 1881. The local DEM
oorats ere making a hard fight to recover
the district, hut the chances are decidedly
against them. This city is the controlling
element In the district. 1t is the center of
The sound money democratic movement in
the state, and besides Governor Mckinley
Is very popular here. IL is estima ted that
Mckinley viii carry this county by from
3i"o to 5000. 1t generally goes about 500
democratic If Mckinley carries il hy even
3.t1o 1t w:ll mean the election OF Watson.
In the seventeenth district there is a pc
ctiar condition. Both the republican and
the democratic candidates are for free
silver The republican candidate Is the
present Congress sman, Mr.. .Mc' lure. He was
nominated on sound money platform,
but his views on the coinage question were
well known to his constituents. HIS per-
| sistent advocacy Of free silver on the
stump has offended many of the repupli-
cans, and they viii refuse 10 vote for him.
The democrats are united, and VII easily
wipe OUT the republican plYraiily against
thefn " htch was only 1858 two wears ago
Mr.. Sore elected in the th.rd dis
trlct the last time by a plurality of only
W.. He has declined TO Iua. and his
GecilnatioA was counted as the defeat of
his party there, for it was generally agreed
That ne was the only man VINO could he
elected The republicans have nominated
General Boil. Nevin of Dayton. a very able
The fifth district is in strong free silver
quarter, and il used to be a strong demo-
cratic section of the stale. The repub-
lican plurality there was only 1.5I7 two
years ago, and under the present condi-
tions II is believed that Mr.. DE Witt can
not be returned
Fusion Does Not Include Congresxmen
The fusion agreement between the demo-
Gratis and the popUlists in this state does
not Include the congressional elections.
This matter was left TO the local organize-
tions of the two parties. In some districts
II has peen satisfactorily arranged. but
in no district where il il likely to affect
the result. The democrats let slip
opportunity to effect fusion that would
nave given them the thirteenth district
sure. 1t is rural district and has a
large populist vote. bat the democrats
nominated Dr. j. A. Norton. who is lar
tlcularly distasteful to tne poDulists, and
they at once placed in nomination a cam
dicate of their own. Stephen W. Harris
is likely, the result, to Increase the
years ago.
The summary of all this is that even IL
Mr.. Bryan should be elected he would
not find much support in his coinage legis-
lauon IN the delegation from the state of
Ohio Free coinage will hardly receive
more than four votes from the Ohio r"pre-
sertatives in the Fifty-fifth Congress
The aggregate of the republican plurali-
ties In the districts OF the state two years
ego was l36291. While enthusiastic re-
puhlicans are claiming a plurality for Nc
blnley equal TO that still greater, the
polls do not show it. The probability is
republican plurslit were so large ger,er-
ally that great falling off can he suffered
from that vote without any serious result
to the party. For instance, of the nineteen
districts which the republicans carried two
years ago they carried fourteen by plurali-
ties exceeding Goh) votes.