Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-11-11
A WET ELECTION.
1T WAS GOOD THING FOR THE
DEMOCRATS.
Ohio Goes Republican by "a Small Margin
But Hanna May be Defeated-Nan
Wyck Mayor of Greater New York
Democratic Gains Elsewhere.

Democratic Gains Elsewhere.
Although the '97 fall elections were In an
of year the interest aroused by the
holly contested campaigns made several
local battles of national Importance. Par-
ticularly was this true of the state cleo
tions in Ohio, Maryland and Virginia,
where United States senators were in the
balance, and in the municipal contest In
Greater New York.
The weather on election DAY was raw
and wet all over the country, yet in spite
of the inclemency good vote was poheu'
especially in the cities.
In Greater New York.
The campaign for the mayoralty Oh
Greater New York was the most sensa-
tional in the history of the city 1t open
ed with the promise of a straight fight be-
tween the Republicans and Democrats,
with the chances in favor of the latter,
because of the foreign-born opposition to
the Raines' liquor law, which greatly re-
strlcted the liquor dealers and was a he-
publican measure. However, there soon
developed a feeling which called for a cit
liens ticket to oppose the Republican
ring, led by Senator Thos. Platt. Inc
Citizens Union leaders asserted that the
regular Republican organization and It's
managers were quite as offensive TO gooo
citizens as those of Tammany. The latter,
led by the old chief Richard Croker, die,
tated the Democratic nomination ana
named Robert A. Van Wyck for mayor,
which caused a split in their ranks and
the Thomas Jefferson Democrats chose
Henry George as their standard bearer,
ana he was soon waging night that
amazed all the other political parties.
From the Battery to the Bronx; from
staten Island to Rockaway he preached
the rights of man and denounced the So
called party bosses" with a fierce en-
ergy that electrified the city, and attract
ed following which greatly disturbed the
other parties.
Just four days before the ballots were to
be cast the grim harvester of mankind
snatched Henry George to his eternal rest
and the votes which he would have re-
ceived were free to go to Hon. Benz. f.
Tracy, the Republican nominee; Seth
Low, choice OF the Citizens Union; an
Wyck, Tammany's candidate, or to retain
allegiance to the name of Henry George by
voting for the son whose name replaced
that of the father.
on election day the polling came within
$4,000 of the entire registration, which.
considering the weather conditions under
which the election proceeded, was all that
could be expected. The day was wet, fog
gy, "muggy' to a degree 1t was such a
day as, in the years gone by, when voters
chance to cast their ballots to the judges
inside, was called good Democratic
weather There was general suspension
of business and nearly everybody who
was qualified had the opportunity of vot-
ing. 1t was only in the outlying sections
that the exercise of the right of franchise
was attended with any Inconvenience
Within a few hours after the close of the
polls IL was seen that Tammanys victory
in the first municipal election in Greater
New York was a sweeping one. The only
| question remaining TO be settled at
that time was the one of plurality by
which the entire ticket headed by Robert
A. Van Wyck carried the gigantic munich
PATTY, The hrst reliable estimates placed
ii at about $1,000.
Van Wyck polled a vote which falls pos
sibly 10000 under the combined votes Of
Gen. Tracy and Seth Low. The latter was
successful to the extent of polling an ag-
! gregate vote i'm excess OF the 40, 900 pledges
implied by the signatures Of the petition
| upon which he became the candidate of an
! independent movement.
The total number of votes cast was not
| far either way from half a million. The
! indications are that Van Wyck received
10000; Low, $4,000; Tracy, 100000 and
! George, Il, 600. The aggregate is swelled by
q few thousand votes cast for Gleason
! independent Democrat: Saniel socialist
and Wardwen, Prohib.tionist on the city
! ticket with Judge Van Wyck Bird s. Col
| or is elected comptroller aud Randolph
! Guggenheimer president Of the municipal
| council. The legislative branch of the city
| government is 'fammany- Democratic. and
| the Democrats have won a majority OF the
county and borough offices along with the
municipal places.
The vote of Van wyck in New York
j county is approximately the same as was
| cast for Bryan in 1896. which was 1856 62I
Gen Tracy (Repl polled approximately
! $1,000, against MckinleY's vote OF 1856 359
| IN New York county, while Low Citizens
! Union poIed approximately 1900 and
George def Dem), 1900. In Kings coun-
| ~, which includes the city of BROOKLYN
! the Bryan vote was 1852, while Van
Wycks vote will be almost the same
AGAINST McKinleys vote of l09,l35, Gen.
Tracy polls approximately 5000. while
Lows vote is approximately 60 600 In these
| two counties the straight Republican vote
! shows a falling off of nearly l75 900, or in
excess total Got \
while the Tammany vote equals If Il does
not slightly exceed. that cast for Bryan
! Whatever might have been the result
! had Henry George survived the campaign
| indications from the earliest returns were
| that the substitution of the son for the
| father as the mayoralty candidate Of the
! Thomas Jefferson Democracy had proved
| a failure from any but the sentimental
! point of view. In fact the George can
! didacy made but a beggarly showing less
! than per cent of the votes in New York
! city having been cast for the son OF the
! author or Progress and Poverty" The
| George vote possibly suffered by the fail
! ure of the supervisors of election TO sun
| ply large number of the precincts with
pastors to attach to the voting papers,
FollC wing is the grand total OF the votes
| received by the three leading candidates
for mayor in Greater New York. complete
! returns having been received from all of
| the districts; Van Wyck 235 ISL Low
1888 Tracy. lOl ,S23. Van Wyck's plural
! ity over Low, Sc, eos.
state give Parker Democratic candidate
! for Judge of the Court of Appeals. rs 600
| plurality.
The Contest In Ohio.
Ohio chose her chief magistrate and a
| new set Of lawmakers yet the contest
was based principally upon an effort TO
| turn down Senator Hanna-or to uphold
| him, individual preferences ranIwho
| was avowedly a candidate to fill ex-Sena-
! tor Shermans shoes. Senator Hanna was
| appointed by Gov. Bushnell to fill the va
| cancy caused by the retirement OF Sher-
man. His services as senator terminate
| January 3, 1898, the day the Ohio leglsla-
| ture convenes. Between that time and
| the election OF his successor there will be
| a vacancy in the senate from Ohio 1t
| was Mr.. Hanna's desire not only to com.
| plete Sherman's term which expires
| March 4. 1899. but also TO be returned to
| the senate in 1899 for the six years to fol-
| low, the legislature just elected having
| the privilege OF choosing the senator for
| that term
| Gov. Asa S. Bushnell, Republican. was
| candidate for reelection to the guberna-
! torial chair with Horace L. Chapman
! Democrat, as his principal opponent. ia
| cob ;. Coxey, the famous commonwealer
! occupied the head of the Populist ticket
| The fight in Hamilton county was partic-
ularly interesting, because OF the attempt
/ 20 overthrow the alleged Cox ring.
fa1l