The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-11-01
THE EMPIRE STATE.
Indications Favor Republicans For
Court of Appeals Judgeship.

Albany Nov. l.-TWenty-fou hour
before the practical closing of the cam
paign finds condition as chaotic as
has ever been apparent in the politics
OF New York state. This is due. not %
any lack OF well defined ideas of how the
vote would run II state issues alone and
the election of an assembly were the
prevailing factors, but to the injection
OF some Of the most bitter municipal
contests that have ever prevailed in the
cities of the state.
In greater New York. in Albany and
in Rochester, in Syracuse and in Buffalo,
the five greatest cities OF the state, there
will close campaigns upon local issues
that have been notably bitter and even
virulent. That these local affairs will
have a bearing upon the vote for the
only state Office in controversy, the
chief jpdgeship of the court Of appeals.
must be conceded. and that they Will
have still greater bearing upon the
assembly district contests is also APP
parent.
The indications are that while the con-
test for chief iudgeship will be a spirited
one, the chances are distinctly in favor
OF the election Of the Republican candi-
date. The belief is general that the
Republican vote in central and western
New York, that has, for the past two
or three years. been abnormally large,
will be in some measure reduced. but
there are no Indications that ii will fall
below It's own no.mality, which is 10
bring down to the Harlem river plu-
rality of $1,000 with which TO meet any
plurality which the Democrats below
there can show. In the past two years
the plurality below the Harlem has been
a Republican one, and the best COM
putatious OF Democrats now in that dis
trict of their expected plurality is 35,-
600; so that upon their basis of figures,
unless a landslide occurs. the Republi-
can candidate for appeals judge must
be elected. The Democratic candidate
has some advantages. however, in being
placed twice upon the ticket and in
newspaper endorsement and these
things may prove OF greater aid than has
been anticipated. II Is, however. of
advantage To remember that to elect
Democratic state officer after the tre-
mendous Republican pluralities of the
past three years would be an almost
unprecedented event. In 1894 the Re-
publican plurality in the state was 1861
900: '95 IL was 100000 and in '96. presi-
Dental year. il was 1S7 900 If any of
these tremendous pluralities is cut in
half II will be a partial victory for the
Democrats. a
Within 30 years the Democrats have
controlled the legislature but four times
In its two branches. and in that time
have elected by joint ballot but three
United states senator's, Herman. who
was carried In by the Tilden tidal wave.
and Hill and Murphy. elected by the
Democratic body that succeeded what
was known as the Hill appointment.
Throughout hthe state the Democrats
have made strehuous efforts this fail
10 increase the number OF Democratic
members of the lower house. and il is
evident that success will crown their
efforts. Indeed. the Republican man
ayers have at all times believed that
this was not only possible, but hiphly
probable, being naturally aware that
last years immense majority OF so in
the lower house was due TO the national
campaign.
The next assembly will. however. be
still Republican by very good margin.
hut the Democrats will accomplish one
iHluS lOT WHICH tneN are evidently
striving. tho reduction ofthe Republican
majority TO such an extent that in such
reduction they may see hope Of DEM
ocratic house in 1899. when a successor
to Senator Murphy is 10 be elected.
NO contest in politics Of a purely local
nature has ever created such interest i'm
the upstate counties as has the greater
New York contest for mayor. and the
death Of one of the foremost candidates
has but added 20 that interest. From
carefully gathered opinions Of the lead
ers outside OF the confines OF the mu-
nicipality. where the contest is occur
ring. IL is apparent that the general
expectations are that Tammany will
win and that Mr.. Low and Mr.. Tracy
will have fight for second place. These
prognost'catlons are based upon the
theory that the normal Republican vote
is very much more evenly divided among
the candidates than is the Democratic
vote. and the information comes from
ouch reliable sources that IL is hardly