Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-08
Political Conditions in Alabama Have
Undergone a Change.
SOUND MONEY MOVEMENT RESPONSIBLE
Probable Deal Between Gold DEM
ocrats and Republicans.
SILVER LEADERS ALARMED
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

PAST ten days. Prior to that time the Bryan
and Sewall ticket had, in the language of
the street, 10 all appearances a lead pipe
cinch" on the electoral vote of this state,
but such Is not the case now. In the light
of events which have developed during that
time. and which are still developing, 1t does
not take very keen observer Of political
affairs TO tell that Alabama il today
doubtful state. This statement may appear
somewhat extravagant in the light of the
democratic majority of something like $4,000
as the result OF the state election held Au-
gust 3. but brief analysis of the situation
as 1t presents itself now will easily convince
the most skeptical that no man can tell
with any degree of accuracy at this stage
just where Alabama's electoral vote will be
found in November. The cause of this con-
dition can be summed up briefly by saying
that the sound money democratic move
ment is responsible for it.
An Analysis of Votes.
At the August state election there were
cast 12S.3G5 democratic votes for Capt.
Joseph F. Johnston for governor. At the
democratic primaries last April Congress-
nan r. H. Clarke. democratic candidate
for the gubernatorial nomination, received
something like 5000 votes, all of whom
voted for Johnston at the state election.
voted for him. so that it can be safely said
thai nearly half of the democrats in Fla
bama last April were advocates of sound
money There was no republican candidate
for governor at the August election, prac-
ttcaly all of the members of that party I'M
der fusion plan casting their ballots for
Congressman Goodwin, the popu,ist can
oidate The republican vote for Harrison
In this state, however, in 1892. was 9,197,
which did not near represent the full repub-
ncan strength, as there was agreement
between the populists and republicans
whereby Viewers electors, III elected, We're
TO be delivered to Harrison in case they
were needed to elect the latter, consequently
many republicans that year voted for
Weaver with this end in view, the repub
lican electoral ticket having been put out
more to keep up the party organization
than for any other purpose In fact,
large majority of republicans in Alabama
cast their ballots for the populist candidate
four years ago in furtherance of this ar
rangement. The republican vote in Ala
bana in 1883 was 56,19I. 1t is a conserva-
tive estimate to say that today there are at
least 10000 republican voters In this state
who vote The number of votes received by
the populist candidate for governor at the
August election of this year was S.iOI, but
these not all populiStS, fully half of
them being republicans, so that the popuist
strength on this estimate is not over forty
or fifty thousand, the balance being repub-
icans who voted the populist ticket in car
rying out the plan of fusion of the two
parties in state offices.
sound Money Combine Likely.
This fusion of populists and republicans
no longer exists in Alabama, so far as the
presidential contest is concerned Efforts
at fusion between democrats and popullsts,
If any have been made. have also failed,
and the populists at their state committee
meeting here last Thursday put out a
full Bryan and Watson electoral ticket.
There also three other electoral tickets
x.zr.
ct. Palmer and Buckner ticket. and Nc
Kirley and Hobart ticket If all four
of these tickets remain in the field Bryan
and Sewall will probably win. despite the
slump of a large slice of. the sound money
vote to Palmer and Buokner. But move
nlent is now on foot looking to union
cratic vote. 1t looks at this time If
the combine Will be effected. too. If it
Is and If the sound money democrats only
poll three-fourths of the strength they
republicans show a strength of but 10000
which must be regarded as a low esti-
mate. the combine will be able to beat the
regular democratic ticket.
What Silver Leaders Contend.
Silver democratic leaders contend, how
ever, that the sound money democratic
ticket instead of controlling 5000 votes
will not have a strength of over twenty
thousand Well-posted politicians think,
however. that the silver men are too much
disposed to underestimate the strength of
the Indianapolis movement in this state
1t Is pointed out that the force of the
new move Is we'll indicated, when 1t is con-
sidered that when it was but two weeks
old in this state 1t held state conyen-
ton. at which forty-one OF the sixty-six
counties We're represented. and that, too
by some of the Oldest, most representative
and aDlest democrats in Alabama and tina.
the movement has been gathering strength
very rapidly. especially since the action
at Indianapolis, the nominations of Palmer
and Buckner being regarded by democrats
of all shades of opinion in this state as
beng unusually strong. Besides, the Mont
gonery Advertiser, the most powerful po-
nt1cal paper In the state. aided by a dozen
or more of the leading weekly journals, are
backing the Indianapolis ticket. Sound
money leaders, while confessing the in
ability of their ticket to control the full
sound money strength of the state he
iieve that it can poll fully three-fourths of
The Probable Deal.
1t is not yet known wha, shape the pro-
posed co-operati ton between the sound mon
ey democrats and republicans will take.
Republican leaders seem very anxious to
effect some sort of an ARRANGEMENT with
the ntw party, not so much with a view of
carrying Alabama for Mckinley as for the
purpose of preventing Bryan from getting
the state At their meeting here on Thurs.
uay iast the republican state executive
TINS matter, and 1t is said that the commit
Tee was practically unanimous on the prop
ositlon that it v ould be better for them TO
make some sort of en- arrangement with
the Indianapolis democrats, even to the
extent of pulling down their own ticket and
voting for Palmer and Buckner, If neces-
sary, than to risk an opportunity which, IL
rot properly awaited of. will result in Bry-
an getting the state sure. With this end in
view, the committee empowered the chair
man to appoint campaign committee who
in turn will name an advisory committee
that is given plenary power to confer with
the sound money democrats and do what
ever they deem best
Just what proposition the republicans
VIII advance cannot yet be said. 1t is
stated that first. they will offer to take
the negroes of the republican electoral
ticket and to lend aid to sound money DEM
ocratic Congressman in certain districts II
the lndiar apolfs democrats will agree to
vote for Mckinley. This proposition is not
likely to be accepted, for several reasons
so sound money men say. One is that they
are opposed on general principles to voting
the republican ticket. and still another Is
that they are determined to keep up their
party organization. claiming, as they do, to
he ne RI h ful bod