The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-10-08
AN INTERVIEW WITH GOVERNOR NORTHEN.
THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE
NORTHWESTERN STATES.
lie Boiicvcs that Bryan Will Carry
Iowa and lllinois-Intcres Fca-
lures OF the Campaign.
Atlanta Journal,

from Western tour OF thrco months,
curing which time he went through
eleven States andstoppcd at 100 or more
towns and cities. He made the trip on
immigration business, but took advan-
tage OF the opportunity to study the
poiltlcal situation. In order that he
might get at the facts better, no went
about the political headquarters and
mixed with the crowds incOynito, heard
their street discussions, sounded men
OF every class and every shade Of 30
htlcal opinion, and took note Of every
straw that showed which way tho
wind blew. Hc has had some interest,"
ing experiences and comes back prob
ably the best posted Georgian who has
been West. Ho tells what he found
and relates some of his experiences in
the following interview:
''Thc West is not solid by any manner
Of MEANS" said he. 81 have never
seen such political conditions. Party
lines arc oblitcrated. II you address ii
man as a Republican he says:
''Don't speak to INC rs Il Republican
wo are not known as Republicans or
Democrats any more, but as advocates
Of tho gold standard or the silver stan
dard.'
"Old landmarks are gone. You have
to seek new means OF measuring forces,
and when you do 1t is SO mixed that
you can't tell anything about it, Moth
lug short OF Il count Of heads will &c.
yea tho result. They arc constantly
polling the trains and the people who
travel are usually gold standard advo-
Gates The best result ] saw was four
votes for Bryan out Of % on u sleeper.
~ laboring man said, That's pretty
good for sleeper, but wait till the
work train comes
| - | COulUn' get SatiS Sfantnru IN.
formation from the party headquarters
en- either side. There il was all gold or
all silver. The polling OF trains show
cd nothing. The best method ! could
find was to take up each class or occu-
patton separately and question tho
most intelligent men in that pursuit as
to the sentiment Of his associates In
this way tried to get at the sentiment
lo1 business men, farmers, mechanics
and all the classes could think Of
When | got through the evidence
had collected WAS SO conflicting that
could not form amy conclusion"
When Iowa was mentioned as Il
State which some Democrats and Pop
ulists conceded to the Republicans, the
Governor said
, "On the contrary, can give you
just rs strong evidence on tho Other
side. AZ Cedar Rapids talked will
: the clerk OF the court, a very intclli
+ gent man. / know this State will q,
: Tor Bryan, said he, and | will SHOW
, you why think so. There is Clarence
= a town Of GIT population, with IL votin!
strength Of about l25. OF this mum
, ber | personally know thirty-eigh
Republicans who will vote for Bryan
, Besides him sat a dealer in hats.
am Republican, said he, 'and | shall
, vote for Bryan. My partner is /. Re.
Dubliran and no will yota for I2runn
The Clerk Of the Court continued: In
the last election the POpulsts cast 30
600 votes in Iowa and the Republican
majority was 10000. The Populiats
will vote for Bryan, and if the Acfcc-
tion OF Republicans is in the propor-
tion indicated by the facts within my
personal knowledge, Bryan will easily
get the 5000 or 5000 Republicans nee
essary to change the result.
One Of the most interesting facts
brought out by Governor Northcn's
study Of the situation is that Illinois is
likely to go Democratic. He did not
reach this conclusion until he had
studied the situation for several weeks.
canvasscd Illinois thoroughly"
said he, land was in different parts OF
the State. Tho first thing that made
II deep impression on nc was the Pop
ulist convention at Springfield. saw
iO @hu ~ " ttS ttIl lnuOrSC-
mont Of Bryan. The Mckinley paper
ut Springfield said that this meant Il
victory for Bryan in Illinois, and re-
marked that IL was strange the Ncpub-
licans had overlooked such an imp0r-
tant factor as this convention. Still I
was not convinced, for ! knew there
was an immense population Of working
men, and that the Republicans were
canvassng this element with trcmcnd-
GUS energy. | thought the labor vote
would give Mckinley u majority in
Illinois. This opinion was changed on
Labor Day. There was IN immense
demonstration and 10000 people went
out. The Republican national com.
mlttoc adjourned out of respect for the
occasion and started out to attend the
exercises. Then it occurred to somo
of them that they had received no jim
vitation to be present. Some one went
to tho master OF ceremonies and sug-
gestcd to him that he had overlooked
Mr.. HaL mas committee. No. said he,
Mr. Hanna has not been invited, nor
is any Indication OF the sentiment
Of the workingmcn Of illinois, it
is important, for if they 20 against
Mckinley he loses the State. 1t is
my opinion after what [ saw that
Bryan will carry Illinois"
In regard to fusion, Governor North
en- said " Until recently Kansas and
Nebraska were regarded as safe for
Bryan, but complications connected
with fusion have disturbed matters
; very much and the result is not GER
tain"
!, The Governor gavo picturesque
desert ptiOn OF the street debates which
constitute an interesting feature OF
the Western campaign. "Thc discus
, sions arc continuous and unintcrrupt-
l cd" said he with smile. "Thcy
know no Sundays and night is robbed
Of sleep. Two ncighbors will meet on
: the street and talk about gold and sill.
D vcr. They get animated and talk
. louder. One or two others come up.
? People sec disputants shaking their
. fingers or their fists at each other and
8 come to see what's the matter. Pretty
y soon the group grows to 100, and keeps
+ growing ill IL blocks the street. IN
q hundreds OF N.accs the police forbade
Q those discussions because thew Dhstrurt.