The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-25
GEORGE GAINS.
According to the st. Louis
Globe Democrats Special.
Says George is Making Great
InrOadS in Tammany.
LOW IS ALSO WEAKER.
Lacks 25 Per Cent of Strength
He Had
When He Was Nominated -
German Detection.
Low IS ALSO WEAKER.

st. Louis, Oct 25-The GIobe-Demo-
crat has the following special from New
York:
New York Oct. 25.-The change of the
most Importance during the past week
in the political situation, has been an
increase in the George sentiment, and
those who last week were pooh-poohing
Georges candidacy are now beginning
to concede that he cuts an important
figure in the struggle His candidacy
has had a distinct bearing upon the
chances of the other three candidates,
helpful to Tracy and hurtfuI to Van
Wyck and Low.
No one imagines that George will be
elected, or will outrun the regular Dem
ocratic candidate, Mr.. Van Wyck, but
that he has badly divided the Tammany
forces is beyond question. From Low
he has taken that element who are al
ways from varying motives, opposed to
successful political leaders. They were
willing to support Low upon his plat
form of autocratic government, not be-
cause they believed it autocratic, but
because it was proclaimed to be against
the bosses The bosses Low opposes,
of course, are Croker and Platt.
The new Interpretation of the Chica-
go platform, as eXemplified by Henry
Georges candidacy,is worse than the
understanding of it accepted during the
presidential campaign, when free silver
was its supposed key note. 1t was i'm
agined then that the free coinage of sill
yer was really what Bryan was striving
for, and that the other plankS, those
breathing socialism, were written to at
tract the support of the discOntented
elements in the cities. To judge from
the present aspect, however, the down
with the courts plank was the center
piece of that wonderful bit of political
architecture, While the bait of an ex-
panded currency was tackled on in order
to attract the support of the agricultu-
raj interests.
Mr.. George is of unquestioned per-
sonal honesty and sincerity, and is as
light is to darkness by comparison
with the forces which are supporting
him. but it is with these forces rather
than with their candidate that the an
ti-Bryanites have to contend.
This feeling has continued to grow,
and as it develops Lows Republican
support vanishes. Mr. Low was 25 per
cent stronger the day of his nomination
than he is now. He is constantly los
ing strength, and every vote lost goes
either to George or Tracy. George has
Weaned away great many of Low 5
supporters among the Germans, who
don't regard his views on the excise
question to have been explicitly enough
stated.
Low has unquestioned support in
Brooklyn. 1t will not, of course, elect
him, or come anywhere near it, nor will
it defeat Tracy, though it will cut his
The Tammany campaign is as mac
tive as ever. The Tammany leaders
early in the campaign decided that the
best canvass they could make would be
to keep as quiet as possible and get the
support of those Tammanyites who vo-
ted the ticket as a matter of habit in
connection with the anti-RaineS law
vote. To have made an aggressive can
vass would have led to inquiries as to
how they stood on the Chicago plat
form and their answers to this would
have alienated among these habitual
Tammanyites either those who believ-
ed in or those who were opposed to that
instrument. BY allowing these voters
to guess for themselves on this point,
each to His own liking, they hold in line
the representatives of both divisions of
opinion.
Garter Harrison promises in his
speech to dance to the Chicago tune
throughout and to go out of his way to
say something for free silver. He won't
do it if Croker can possibly prevent it,
and the fear that Croker may be un-
able to check the enthusiastic young
man from Chicago has caused a grave
feeling in Tammany Hall and some re-
sentiment toward Croker for having in
vited him to participate in the cam
paign.