Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-11-02
EVE OF ELECTION.
Every Gun Double Shotted
for Battle Of Today.
Forecast Of Results in Various Munic-
ipaI and State Contests.
Interest Centers in Greater New York City
Ohio and Massachusetts.

New York, Nov. 1.-Tomorrow will
witness a battle royal for the local
control of the second largest munich
pality in the world. The potent can
didates for the office of mayor are four
in number, though there are two ad
ditional candidates for the peoples SUI
frages. Benjamin f. Tracy, secretary
of the navy in the cabinet of President
Harrison is the Republican nominee:
Robert A. Wan Wyck, chief judge of
the city court, the Tammany Demo-
cratic candidate; Seth Low, president
of Columbian University and twice
mayor Of Brooklyn, the candidate of
the Citizens Union, and Henry George,
son of the late advocate of the single
tax theory. the independent or Thomas
Jefferson Democratic nominee.
Three of the parties indicated oppose
in their platforms or in the letters of
their mayoral nominees the present
excise law: the Republican platform
defends that statute as the best that
could be devised"
Besides the mayor, comptroller AMI
president of the council, the officers Of
the municipality are to be chosen,
there are to be elected members of the
State Assembly. county officials, Dor
ough officers and members Of the judi
ciary. The municipal consists of a
council or 80 members and board of al
dermen, consisting of one member for
each Assembly district. In addition
there is to be elected a successor TO
Francis Fl. Wilson, who resigned his
seat, representative in Congress of the
third district, to become postmaster of
brooklyn. The nominees are William
A. Pendersast, Republican; Edmund
II. briggs, Democrat: and Horatio c.
King, Independent Democrat.
In the state there will be an election
for chief judge of the court of appeals
the leading candidate being William ].
Wallace, Republican, and Alton b.
Parker, Democrat.
In every municipality if the state.
vigorous. bitter campaigns are being
prosecuted for municipal control. and
the blanket ballot. instead of proving
a deterrent to the Independent nominal
ton. as it was evidently intended to.
has led seemingly to the creation of
more parties than have ever before had
a place in the elections of the cities.
These things. enough in themselves to
claim all the attention of the voters, are
further multiplied by the addition of a
campaign for judge of the court of APP
peals that has stirred the two great par
ties to very active efforts in the endeavOr,
not so much to gain the place for the
candidate as to demonstrate in this off
year of state politics that the party of
one or the other is dominant The Demo-
Gratis hope to demonstrate that they are
getting back to a normal state and recov-
ering from the landslide of the past few
years. and the Republicans hope to DEM
onstrate that such is not the case.
The Assembly contest adds some more
flavor to the canvass, although there are
no expressions from the. Democrats that
would lead to the belief that they expect
to control that branch of the Legislature,
but only to reduce the Overwhelming ma
jority that for two years has given the
Republicans SO much power.
The contest for the chief judgeship of
the court of appeals is a very close one
in the estimation of those who ought to
be posted. The Republican candidate,
Judge Wallace. has the prestige of the
enormous Republican majorities of the
past two years. which it would seem al
most impossible to overcome, but on the
the Democrats claim that they
will show that their party is regaining
its strength in the state and from that
source alone. their candidate, Judge Par
ker. will poll a large vote.
In addition to this, the Democratic cam
didate has the advantage of being at the
head of two columns upon the blanket
ballot and having the support of several
of the great New York city dailies that
do not support the regular municipal can
didates. The Republicans concede many |
of these advantages. but insist that their
party strength has not materially failed !
during the past year and that success for |
the Democrats is not to be thought Of
The contest for the control of the AS |
sembly is Influenced in a great measure |
by the bitterness of the local campo igns |
and forecasts of some months ago giving |
great gains for the Democrats are not III |
effect now. Particularly is this so in the |
Greater New York district where the |
splitting up of the various party votes |
has led to complication that in many |
Democratic districts will lead to the elect |
ton of Republicans and in the Repub;- |
can districts will give the Democrats a |
chance.
To attempt to forecast the result with |
any degree Of certainty would be impOs-
sible, but it is claimed that in the entire |
state the Democrats will gain about 50 |
members over the number last year. This
would give the 65 votes in the next ses
sion, as compared with So last. and would |
cave the Republicans with a vote of So
rs compared with lis, last year.