The Opelousas courier., 1896-10-31
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, October 2G, 1896.

WASHINGTON, October 2G, 1896.
No such absurd claims are being
made in Mr.. Bryan's behalf as the Re-
publicans are putting out for Mckinley,
but every man connected with either
the Democratic, Populist or Silver COM
mittees at the Bryan headquarters ex-
presses the utmost confidence in the
election of Mr.. Bryan. They claim that
there are several States in tho latest APP
sley bluff that are certain to elect Bryan
electors 10y majOrties Of not less than
$4,000, and a half dozen more that will
be carried by Bryan. They also dispute
both Apsley's and Babcock's claims as
to the number of gold men who will be
elected to the next House, and say that
the silver men will control the House.
An estimate made by Secretary Edger-
ton, of the Populist National Commit
toe, which is regarded as being conserv-
ative, gives Mr.. Bryan 233 certain cleo
toral votes. This estimate pnts down
as doubtful, but probably for Bryan,
the ciehtytive electoral votes from
Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland,
Michigan and Ohio, and gives Mckinley
129 electoral votes.
Few men in public life had as many
and as warm personal friends as the late
Ex-Speaker Crisp had, and fewer men
had as clean Il public record-none could
be cleaner ; his was absolutely spotless.
His death was Il great shock to his
Washington friends and admirers. al
though it was generally known that his
health was not in good condition. 1t is
as a man and a Iovabe companion that
his friends will miss him, but the Dem
Ocratic party lost in him one Of it's abb
eat leaders. He was a leader in every
<k,,, Il
maintain the principles of the party he
loved SO we'll, either in the council
chamber, on the stump or in the hurly-
burly of a running Congressional de-
bate. The highest ambition Mr.. Crisp
ever entertained was to be elected
Senator, and it would have been at
tained had he lived few months long
er. 1t will be remembered that he de-
clined d gubernatorial appointment to
the Senate.
The figures received at the headquar-
ters of the National Association of Dem
Ocratic Clubs, in reply to u circular let
ter asking that the previous political
atfiliation of members of Bryan and Sill
YER Clubs be given, are the best an
swers to the claims of the McKinleyites
that comparatively few Republicans are
supporting Bryan. Ten clubs in Iowa
report total membership of 3OSO, in
cludins 2lO0 Democrats, 472 Republic
and 81 independents; and six clubs in
Ohio ri port IL total mem berslip of 944,
includitg III DemocNp:. , 140 Republi-
Gang s.hsssPopulists, 10 .-'rohibitionistsand
aa.s'1ahependents. lfi1he ratio of Repub-
Jeans is the same in the hundreds of
Bryan clubs in tktse two States, Iowa
and Ohio will CT their electoral votes
for Brya",
The appearance of Secretary Carlisle
on the stump, nominally for Palmer and
Buckner, but actually for Mckinley, has
recalled the fact that Secretary Carlisle
used all the influence he possessed to
get Democratic members of the Ne
braska Legislature to vote for Senator
Allen, who was a POpulist candidate
for the Senate, and who was elected by
Democratic votes. A copy of tele-
gram signed by Secretary Carlisle and
Senators German aud Brice and ad
dressed to a Democratic member Of the
ed by the Democratic Congressional
Committee. 1t reads: "We hope you
will vote for Judge Allen and thus keep
the Senatorship out Of the hands of the
Republicans" Thus it appears that
Secretary Carlisle and Senator Brice
were not afraid to help elect silver
man to the Senate in February, 1893, al
though they now profess great fears of
what will follow the election of silver
man to the Presidency.
Mr.. j. A. Welch, of Kansas, now in
Washington, says, "The wheat grow
ers understand very we'll that the pres
ent advance is due to manipulation by
spectators, and they are not going to
he deIuded into the idea that the gold
standard is to be given any credit for
the increased value of their product.
The farmers have made up their minds
that the double standard is necessary to
the preservation Of stable prices and
they are going to vote that way. This
is no new idea with them no craze Of
the present campaign. The agricultu-
raj class ia Kansas will give Bryan
almost solid support, and he will car
ry the State 10y at least 0.O00 majority"
Although President Cleveland may
not be "actively miuglins" in the cam
paign, his administration is losing no
to hit silver below the belt.
The latest is a State Department re-
port, purporting to be a summary of
consular reports, attacking silver and
landing gold.