Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-02
Tammany's Candidate Generally Con-
ceded to Be in the Lead.
Fight is BETWEEN HIM AND Low
General Tracy's Chances Believed
to Be Very Slight.
Il EORGE is NOT IN 1T

NEW YORK, November GOOD luck an.
pears to have remained with Robert A. Van
Wyck. the leader Of the Tammany party,
to the close. and IL he does not win today,
the defeat may be charged directly to
Richard Croker. In all possibility the name
OF the first mayor Of Greater New York
will be known before midnight. The last
call to arms Of the party chiefs has been
sounded. The final words of warning. Of
cheer and of comfort. so far as the various
heads OF the campaign committees are con-
cerned, have gone forth to the world in
the shape Of official statements. The va
rfous candidates have all been interviewed,
and so far as the various leaders are con-
cerned, they one and all seem to be abso-
lutely certain Of victory
AS Tor the sporting men, the betting still
seems to favor Van Wyck I'm a ratio Of 3
to and to against the field. The odds
against Low are about the same as the odds
ir favor Of Van Wyck. Low apparently rep
resenting the field in the minds Of the men
making wagers
Tracy has gradually dropped from a re.
spectacle position among the leaders.
There LIS little or no betting on George. In
fact, when one comes to consider the rela-
tive Importance Of the election, and the
great interest taken owing to the constant
ance OF the interests at stake. very little
betting has been INDUCED In. Perhaps this
Is due to the fact that the odds I'm favor OF
Van Wyck and against the field have been
SO large that many have not cared to take
the risks involved. Considerable money
has been put up, of course. but not nearly
as large an amount has been wagered as
might have been expected
VArA
Since Van Wycks most dangerous rival.
Henry George, has been put away, the
opinion prevails that votes are TODAY
swarming back to Tammany. The ire
pressible conflict in the ranks of the repub-
lican reformers has caused many a voter
to exclaim, "A plague on both Of your
houses, as he hurried Tammanyward.
Even the quarrels between the democratic
alliance and the united democracy alIies
of the Thomas Jefferson democracy have
had the effect of materially helping Tam
many Hall. And now, II to cap the cIi-
max and complete Tammany's good for
tune, the weather is in favor Of the wig.
wan. The day broke dark and cloudy, the
rain at times falling in torrents enough to
prevent the aged and the infirm from yen-
turing out
Stormy weather is always supposed to be
a harbinger of success for the democratic
party in this state. Whether this is the
outgrowth OF the idea expressed by James
@. Blaine on the night of his defeat in New
York state when he aspired for the presi-
dency and when he exclaimed: The storm
did it," is impossible to determine For
many years, however, a severe storm I'm
New York state has been considered as a
synonym Of democratic victory and indica-
tive of republican defeat.
Voters Out EARLY.
The polls opened at o'clock. The storm
did not appear to materially affect the
turning out of voters there was at that
hour quite rppectable line formed and
extended out on the reeking sidewalk
The usual swarms of party workers,
bearing conspicuous badges, were gathered
to watch the proceedings. Under the ex-
listing election laws political workers are
not encouraged in converting polling places
into places Of rendezvous. but they dodge
the law by establishing a guard upon each
CT the four corners of the block where the
booth is located and this guard is supposed
to take care Of "arproachable" persons be-
fore they reach the ballot box.
visit to several other districts disclosed
the same condition of affairs. The vote
was getting out early and 1t did not appear
that the storm would prevent a full vote
being cast. There was more animation dis
played upon the four corners of the block
and in the vicinity of the booths than has
been witnessed in an election for years
past.
Tammany workers labeled conspicuously
with big white badge with the word
worker" were in evidence everywhere As
a rule they were of the usual ''heeler"
type with a bad cigar and a suspicious
breath.
other Parties Represented.
The other parties were not lacking repre-
sentation, but the methods Of the Low peo-
ple were remarked as quiet and watchful
without the offensive character marking
the efforts of many of the Tammanyites.
Everybody was we'll supplied with money.
Both the republican and democratic par
ties are said to have sent $4,000 to be
distributed today, or about $75 to each
district, as a parting present to the ward
workers. 1t is probable. however. that the
democrats have distributed q far larger
amount. The expenses Of Tammany Hall
in this campaign will undoubtedly run up
into the hundreds of thousands Of dollars.
considerable proportion Of this money is
being expended in getting out the vote to-
day.
Each side is keeping nearly 10000 paid
workers in the field. At least two watchers
and three men to drum up votes are at
work for each of the two leading parties In
each polling place in the larger city. The
Citizens Union people are believed to have
made q mistake q week ago In ANNOUNCE
ing that no more money could be expended
leRftimately in the campaign and that no
more was required at the headquarters
of the followers Of Seth Low. This has
had the effect OF causing the Lowites to
be laughed at as amateur politicians by
the more experienced party leaders.
while the opposition newspapers have
shouted about the large mass OF the funds
furnished the Citizens Union by the cor
porations and the banks. In consequence
OF the stopping OF subscriptions the work.
ers for the Citizens' Union. many OF whom
are under pay, have not been ~ well COM
pensated N they had expected. ana this
may account for the quiet manner Ia ret
ting out the vote this morning. The fol-
lowers OF Henry George have no paid
watchers or ward worksEA They are rely