The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-11-02


other year has rolled around ana 'o-oay
,mportant elections will be held IN seVe-
raj states of the Union, in some OF "hich
tho battle OF 1896. IS to some extent De-
inc, fought over again. 1t must not De
forgotten. however. that there is a great
difference between a purely natiohai
election and a purely state election even
,hou,h In the latter national issues may
be involved.
In a purely national contest such as
that Of 1896 when the issue Of free silver
was souarely presented the voters are
more or less free TO express their true
sentiments with reference TO the issue in
volved without the complication Of qucs-
tlons of local interest and Of local can
dldates. IL is Of course, impossible TO
eliminate these local considerations and
tho vote to-day will be no sort OF test
Of popular sentiment as between sound
money and free silver.
The election in Ohio more than that OF
any other State will have national sig
nilcance. ana yet there are so many To-
cal complications IN that contest that IL
Is simply impossible to determine by the
result whether or not the sentiment OF
the people in Ohio on the question oil ma
tional finance has changed since the
election Of 1896. The sound money Demo-
Gratis in Ohio who last year voted Tor
Palmer and Buckner, or for Mckinney
or who did not vote at all arc still op-
posed to Republican policy and quite as
much opposed TO the candidacy Of Mr..
Hanna, and few Of them. if any, WILL
in our opinion, vote the Republican
ticket.
In the State Of Kentucky the sound
money Democrats have a ticket Of their
own and are supporting Mr.. Hindman for
clerk of the Court Of Appeals, whereas
I'm the mayoralty contest in the city OF
Louisville, the sound money Democrats
are supporting Mr.. Weaver, the nomi-
nee Of the regular Democratic organiza-
ton. Kentucky is naturally a Demo-
cratic state, certainly in local elections
and all indications point TO the election
Of the candidate Of the regular organ
ization for the position Of clerk Of the
Court Of Appeals.
The candidate Of the sound money Dem
ocrats has never had the slightest
chance Of being elected, and we doubt not
that many sound money Democrats Will
vote for the nominee of the regular or
ganization. preferring his election to that
of a straight-out Republican, so that the
result in Kentucky will have little or no
significance as TO the attitude Of the
Democrats Of that State toward the ques-
ton of free silver. 1t is a local election
in which no national questions are in
volved and that's all there is about IT.
In virginia the election viii have no
significance whatever, except that the
Democrats Of the State, without regard to
their position on national questions, are
determined that the affairs Of this state
shall remain in control Of the dominant
party in Virginia.
In New York city an effort has been
made to lug in national questions, but
everybody who has watched that con-
test knows very wen that no national
issue is involved. II Is a four cornered
fight. apparently, but there is in fact but
one issue and that is the issue of good
local government with the people against
the politicians. On the one hand we
have Mr.. Van Wyck, representing the
Tammany OF Croker organization, and on
the other hand General Tracy, represent
ing the Republicans or Platt organiza-
ton, both Of which organizations are
fighting for machine rule. On the other
hand is the Henry George ticket, repre-
senting the anti-machino wing Of the
Democratic party, and the Seth Low tick
ct, representing the anti-machine ele-
ment in the Republican party. But there
are in the George organization large
number OF anti-machine men who have
not been affiliated with the Democratic
marty. and IN the Seth Low organization
there are a large number of men who
have not been affiliated with tho he-
publicar party. These two factions as
we have said, are lighting the machine,
and II one thing has been made clear in
this most complicated contest, 1t is that
the Croker and Plat people have been
lighting George and Low more earnestly
than they have been fighting each other
Either would prefer that the other should
win rather than George or Low should be
elected for the election Of George or Low
would be a terrible blow TO the political
machine in New York. 1t Is q revolt
AGAINST machine politics and our sympa-
thies are with those who a.e trying to
shake off the yoke.
OF course we do not approve some Of
| the extreme doctrines which the late
Henry George stood for and It is not
necessary to say that We are opposed TO
the doctrine Of free silver which many
OF his followers advocated. But that
Henry George was an honest man and
that no honestly represented, as he un-
| derstood them, the interests of the peo-
pie, no man who has studied his character
and his conduct can doubt.
| The George mer, as their dead leader
was. are honest and earnest in their OPP
| position 70 the political machine and its
corrupt methods and to that extent our
| sympathy Is with that movement.
The I CIV movement is OF the same char