Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-14
General Boynton Finds Them Almost
Solid for Mckinley.
THE GERMANS FOR SOUND MONEY
Results Of His Participation in Re-
unions in Several States.
RAILROAD MEMS POSITION

tons wide acquaintance with prominent
men of all parties. and his keen insight into
political matters, which long ago placed
him in the front rank Of American journal
ists always give great weight to his op:n-
IONS He went away from this city regard
ing the political situation as doubtful, bu:
returns firmly convinced that the cause of
sound money" will triumph in November.
while recognize that my observations
were over limited field. and that two
weeks is a very limited time in which to
form an opinion" said General Boynton to
a Star reporter today, yet the result of
these observations was to entirely change
the impressions that l had received from
the constant talk Of those at the democratic
headquarters here, to the effect that there
was strong sweep toward Mr.. Bryan both
IN Ohio and in the northwest.
Impressisns Mt Soldiers Reunions.
During my trip in the west I was not en-
gagged in newspaper work and did not go
upon any political mission, but went chiefly
to attend a number of soldiers reunions,
partially for the purpose Of gathering IN
formation in connection with the historical
work of the national parks. l attended six
soldiers reunions. two in Ohio and four in
Illinois. One Of the latter was the annual
meeting of the Society Of the Army OF the
Cumberland, at which were gathered both
central and southwestern states. My own
regiment at the first reunion l attended was
raised in Butler county, which, as the COIN
try knows, was the headquarters of the
most pronounced Ohio democracy. In three
days spent in that and adjoining counties
among old comrades did not meet single
one who declared his purpose of voting for
Mr.. Bryan, although there were a few who
were for free silver. These latter however
comprising both democrats and republicans,
were almost unanimous In the statement
that. although favoring free silver. they
would not vote for 1t in connection with
the other planks Of the Chicago platform.
Germans in Cincinnati.
1.-The second reunion was that of the Ger
man Turner Regiment of Cincinnati, and
composed exclusively of Germans, being
still a notable military organization in
numbers, as it was one of the most dis
tinguished Ohio regiments in the field. AT
this reunion there was not a single man
present who did not make known his pur-
pose of supporting the cause of sound
money and opposition to Mr. Bryan. This
organization has recently sent a communi-
cation to Major Mckinley certified by the
seal of the associat ton, containing dsclara-
ton that every member of the association
intends to support him.
In Illinois.
-Four reunions were in progress during
the same week at Rockford, ILL.,. and upon
the third day the veterans united in union
exercises. There were probably thou
sand present. and all seemed to take quite
as much interest in the political situation
as In the usual features of a soldiers re-
union. and while there was universally an
enthusiastic support Of Mckinley by the
majority. no Bryan talk whatever was
heard among them, and so far as those
with whom / talked We're concerned, and
they cam" from all the surrounding cities,
their testimony was universally that the
soldiers in their localities were solid for
Mckinley. Those attending the reunion of
the Society of the Army Of the CUmher-
land were generally officers of note in that
army and came from the states of Ohio
Indiana. Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Min
neso,a and Nebraska. Every enc of them
spoke in most positive terms of the uI.a-
| nimity of the soldier element in Its support
of Mckinley.
AT Chicago it was my good fortune to
meet German lawyer of nigh standn &
who an officer in the Army of the
Cumberland, a man of wealth, who takes
part in all the republican CAMPAIGNS at
his own expense. and without the least de-
sire for political office as a reward. His
opportunities for ascer:aining the drift of
German sentiment in the northwest are
not exceeded by those of any other man
In that quarter His statement was that
the German vote of the entire northwest
would be practically solid for the repub-
lican candidates.: that while there might be
a few who would support Mr.. Bryan, SO
were none. He estimated the percentage
of the German vote that under any cir
unstanceS might support Mr.. Bryan as
too small a matter for consideration.
German Feeling in Wfxconsin.
AT Milwaukee the same opportunity for
ascertaining German sentiment through
German soldiers presented Itself Very es-
pecial inquiries were made IN regard to the
statement that had been ,elegraphed TO
| the eastern democratic headquarters that
the Germans of Wisconsin and particularly
those of Milwaukee would prove a very
| uncertain element for the republicans. Not
| only was there found to be no basis what
ever in fact for such statement, bat the
same condition of affairs was relorted
| there as has already been indicated for
| Chicago and Cincinnati These soldiers
were from widely different POINTS, ard it
is matter of significance to state that
they embraced in their membership a large
| farming element, and labor element as
well. The city of Hamilton, In Butler
| county. as Is well-known, is a large and
| nour1shlng manufacturing city and some
or the best known establishments in the
lard are situated there. A democrat and
4 intimate friend of mine at the head of enc
| OF those establishments said privately that
! ne had never, as l knew, voted anything
but the democratic ticket. but now he in
| tended to vote for Mckinley, and that he
was personally acquainted with thirty dem
| ocrats. who, like himself had never before
! voted republican ticket, end who were
! connected as leading men in those manu-
| featuring establishments. who would vote
| for Mckinley. He further said that the
iaborers in those establishments we're. as
! he believed, honestly and earnestly sup
porting the republican ticket. -
Railroad Men for Mckfaley.
| Another class of voters, to observe which
excellent opportunities we're given, were
the railroad men, Perhaps the best illus
| tration of the sentiment found to exist
among them during my two weeks of travel
was the statement made by an old con-
ductor upon one of the trunk lines, who.
| in long conversation. set forth the
unanimity with which the railroad class
were opposing free silver He ns.sted they
would all vote for Mckinley. not SO much
! because of politics, but because they had
| come to believe that free silver would
| practically reduce their wages one-nalf,
| He put Il this way:
| 1--WE have finally made up our minds
in this matter and are going to vote the
| republican ticket to a man. There is no
coercion about it, and If coercion had been
I attempted with this class of men 1t would
| have utterly failed of it's object. We know
| that our present dollar is good dollar