The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-11-01
THE SECOND DISTRICT
Everybody Claiming II and Everybody In
I the Final Wind Up of the Campaign.
THE SEVERAL DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS
Col. Lamb Refuses TO TaIk-Chair.
man Mccormick Claims Victory
For whaIey But Don't Say why
-fonng's Friends Arc CONFIDENT
He Will Go Through Easily.

i Ahc 10 KnEOuRn Easily.
| Now that the election Is at hand. the
country is filled with political prophets
| who predict results largely in accord
| with their personal predilectIons and
with magnificent disregard of actual
| conditions and probabilities. AS q mat
| Ter OF fact, however well informed he
may be. 1t Is impossible for any man
not a wizard, to sit in his office I'm one
small corner of the Union, and predict
| with cerainty the outcome of'an elec-
ton participated In by some fourteen or
nfteen million men, with as many differ
ent minds.
At the same time careful and unpre-
| JUDGED observer may, with the proper
Information and knowledge OF conditions
form reasonably correct estimate of the
result in so small portion OF the earth
as that embraced within the limits of
the Second Congressional District.
The District Chairmen of all the. par
ties i'm the field are claiming the victory
for their respective candidates, and to
believe them all you would perforce have
to believe that the Second Is going TO
send three men to Congress next year.
AT Republican headquarters Wise's
election is confidently predicted and It
| Is said that he will and ought to carry
| every county in the district; that the
| Republicans have clear majority, and
that there Is no doubt but that enough
| pailots Will De cast by his friends to in
sure his election.
Mr.. Wises friends are depending
| upon the negro vote, numbering they
| claim, 24,500, in this district, and do not
| regard Mr.. Whaley as formidable can
didate, saying he will receive a very
| small vote and draw very little strength
! from Wise. Colonel William Lamb,
State chairman of the Republican party.
reached he city yesterday. and was ask
ed for his opinion. which he positively
| refused to give, saying he did not care
l 10 talk for publication. 1t Is known,
however, that he expects DR.. Wise's
election, and It is likewise certain that
| that he does not put much confidence in
| the Whaley movement. In fact he has
| stated in signed card. that Mr. VIVA
| ley would not get 500 votes in the Dis
| trlct.
How differently men calculate! Around
| at National Democratic headquarters
MI. Whaley's election is considered prob
able, and 1t Is asserted that there Is no
doubt that he will poll q larger vote
than DIR. Wise. 1t is further claimed
that he will beat Mr.. Young in Norfolk
city and Portsmouth. Upon what
grounds these predictions are based is a
question that has not been answered
Mr.. d. Mccormick, National Democratic
District Chairman, when seen yesterday
was asked If he thought Mr. Whaley
would be elected. Yes" certainly" he
replied. Upon what grounds do you
| paSt SSul siSSeIllOu L 40 hot tU
state" replied Mr.. Mccormick, nor did
he desire to say which counties his man
would carry, or what would be his p: OBJ
able vote or majority. Intercepted as
TO whether Mr.. Whaley's candidacy had
| injured Mr.. Young more than DIR. Wise
he again refused to express an opinion
but said 1t had hurt Mr.. Young, by rea-
son of the fact that many of the Demo-
Gratis of Norfolk desired a true repre-
sentative of their interests"
ia DtG nr.a a lN,,t Il,
ing no rash predictions. They consid-
er that the opposition Is hopelessly d.
vided, and that with two candidates
against him Mr.. Young's chances for
carrying every county in the district are
good. Ii ia said by high authority that
he will carry Norfolk county by 1000
and the district by 1000. If no more
Nansemond, Isle of Wight, Southamp-
ton and Princess Anne, are considered
sure for him, while over on the penlns,i-
is certain, James City probable. Charles
City. though badly divided. is as liable to
be Democratic as otherwise. Both the
large parties are confident in Warwick
and ii Is considered that Young Will eX-
perience no difficulty In Surry.
In Elizabeth ely county the issue Is
doubtful. and 1t Is claimed by both par
ties.
Mr.. Young expects to carry the city
OF Norfolk by from $500 to 5000 ma jority
l
careful investigation.
Looking at the situation through I'M
colored glassed, it would seem that Mr..
Whaley's candidacy has helped Mr..
Young. for while 1t was possible to
beat him with the gold standard men.
Republicans, and Democrats, rallied
around one leader and giving him
unanimous support, cut this force in
half. or take a third from 1t. and Mr..
YounE's victory Is positively assured.
In 1892. Cleveland polled 17.472 votes in
the Second district, and Harrison 1898
giving the former a majority of 4.l49.
Now, even the National Democrats do
, not expect to draw more votes
from the Democratic nominee
than from the Republican. In
deed they have been depending, largely
on the great anti-Wise vote. every one
of which, given to Mr.. Whaley increases
Mr.. Young's chances for election.
Robert j. Daniel interviewed.