Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-09-23
HOT FIGHT AT HAND.
in VARIOUS STATES
TAKING DEFINITE SHAPE.
Republican Leaders Are Confident OF
Sweeping Success-ToO CONFIDENT AZ
Is Suggested by Those Watching
Events.
The Political situation.


Interest is beginning to center IN tie
campaigns in the various states where
elections are to be held this fall. Par
ties arriving here from New YORK.
Nebraska. Kentucky, Iowa and ONO,
report extreme activity and interest III
the fight which is to be made IN those
states. Remarkable as it is that the
silver cause should still have any lie
left in it, it is fact. 1t is to be mace
the basis Of the battle in every state
where there are important electlonS
this fall. One year ago one ounce OF
silver would buy one bushel or wheat
in New York; now it takes two ounces
and silver is still falling and wheat
still rising. It would scarcely seem
possible that anybody could success
fully argue in favor of currency made
from a metal whose value has fallen
over % per cent in eighteen months.
Yet that is a fact as to silver. On
March 7th of last year it was worth ~
cents an ounce in New York, now 1t
is worth 50 cents.
How is it that any party can now
assume to win a battle with silver as
the chief issue in states where they
could not win on that issue year ago,
is hard to understand. On last presi-
Dental election day silver was worth
65.7. To-day it is worth 81 cents,
fall of over 20 per cent. II the Demo
Gratis could not carry Ohio, Kentucky,
Iowa, Maryland or New York on the
silver issue in November, 1896, with
their proposed dollar worth 81 cents,
how can they expect to win this fall
with dollar worth only 40 cents. Yet
they are going into the fight for it
everywhere, though there are s1ans OF
weakening in spots.
Situation in Ohio.
The Democrats it seems, from re-
ports received, are trying to run away
from their platform made but short
two months since. This action how
ever, is not to be wondered at in view
of the fact that silver has fallen 15
per cent in value even in that short
space of time. July 10 an ounce of sill
yer was worth in the New York mar
kets COG cents and it is now worth but
81 cents and still going down. Small
wonder then, that the Democrats are
ashamed of their platform and are try
ing to get away from it when, within
two months after it's adoption, the
metal which it advocates as money de-
clines Is per cent. 1t goes without say
ing, however, that the Republicans of
the state will not let their opponents
get away from the issue which they
have made. 1t also goes with
out saying that the Republi-
cans will sweep the State now
that they have the enemy on the
run, providing they are not over-con-
ident.
Situation in New York.
New York city is the coign of vantage
in state contest. The fight in New
York this fall relates to the mayoralty,
but it is for first mayor of the larg
est city in the United States and sec
ond largest in the world, and will de-
eide whether or not Tammany hall
shall control Greater New York. II
Tammany gets control it will greatly
endanger Republican prospects in the
state, Indefinitely. Those opposed to
Tammany and free silver must there
fore combine on one good man. Ry
refusing to do so they give Greater
New York and probably the state over
to the Tammany silver Democracy, in
definitely.
Situation in Maryland.
There is good reason to hope that the
party in Maryland will fall into line,
now that the fractional fight in Repub-
lican ranks is over, and with the aid
of the gold Democrats and the anti
German men win in the fight for the
legislature. Owing to Germans free
silver leanings and the generally con-
coded opinion that he would vote for
free silver in the Senate, the sound
money Democrats throughout the
state are ready to again cooperate
with the Republicans as are also Of
cure his defeat.
Generally speaking the drift all
seems to be in the direction of Repub-
licanism. The people see that Bryan
and the silverites made a deliberate
effort to deceive them last year and
many of those who voted for him will
have nothing further to do with silver.
But the Democratic leaders are not
asleep. They are conducting an active
and vigilant campaign and are out on
a ''still hunt for votes whose result
may surprise the Republicans unless
they are wide-awake and working to
arouse every man and push him enthu-
siastically into the fight. The tide is
now all running in the right direction,
but this very evidence of prospective
victory is liable to lead to over-confi
dence on the part of some of the Re
publicans and to allow dissensions to