Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-21
POLITICS IN MICHIGAN
Plans of the Various Parties for the Coming
Campaign.
In the General Mix-Up Governor Pin
gree Seems to Be Gaining Strength
With Voters.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star
GRAND RAPIDS. Mich, August 10. 1897
The silver democratic campaign in Michi-
gan has assumed the form of farmers pic
MICS. These picnics will be held in every
county In the state and have already be-
gun, with ex-Gov. John p ST. John of KAN
sas and Rev. DR.. Nugent of Des Moines as
the principal speakers, St. John covering
the entire state while Nugent makes only
few addresses in chosen localities. Other
speakers will be brought into the state
later in the season, as the campaigns in
other states permit, and the oratorical eff
forts will be supplemented by the distribu-
ton Of free silver literature, both in
pamphlet and newspaper form.
The silver cause is seriously handicapped
not only by lack of funds. but also by the
rise In wheat and the unmistakable revival
in Industrial and business activity about the
state. The silver campaign is based as
firmly as ever on calamity, and it will be
extremely difficult to switch it off on any
thing else.
Sound Money Democrats.
The sound money democrats have main
tanned headquarters in this city through
the summer in charge of Lucius E. Torrey.
assisted by several young lady clerks and
much literature and many letters have been
sent out. In addition to this Mr.. Torrey
has made several long bicycle tours about
the state, taking in all the territory south
of a line from here to Saginaw, and some
north of it, and on these tours he has hunt
ed up the sound money democrats. to be-
come personally acquainted with them and
to learn the local sentiment in different
parts of the state. With cool weather the
work will be pushed with still greater ac-
tvity, ard it Is proposed to have clubs and
organizations in every county and In most
Of the cities in the state. The sound money
democrats are maintaining stiff upper lip
when the silver wing is mentioned. and con-
scious that they in a manner control the
situation, will not yield a point on the
financial question. They would cheerfully
combine with the silver brethren on the
tariff If the silver crowd would eliminate
silver and Bryan from its platform, but the
silverites are not yet ready to eliminate
anything.
Plans of the Populists.
The populists will begin operations early
in September. and it is their plan to organ
ize clubs In every county, town and voting
precinct. The party, reorganized since the
spring campaign, will be unalterably op-
pc sed to anything like fusion, and will fight
their recent allies with even greater bitter
ness than they used in the campaign
against the republicans last fall. They will
nominate tickets of their own in the local
elections next spring and will put straight
tickets into the field for everything from
governor to coroner year hence. They do
rot expect to elect anything, but the lead
ers count on having lots of fun next sea-
son, and will at least have a force that
will afford capital for trading purposes.
Republicans on a Still Hunt.
The republicans have not ceased their
activity since the polls closed last fall. but
it has been mainly on still hunt and
boiler-plate lines. Supplements have been
prepared for distribution through the coun-
try papers, and in these supplements the
coming prosperity has been glowingly de-
scribed. These supplements have done
much to keep the farmers in line, and
S0-cent wheat with 81 wheat in prospect,
will do the rest. The republican campaign
whole party, but when it comes down to
business a few months hence, it will be
different. The party will be divided as it
never has been before, with Senator Nc
Of the opposing forces. and Senator Bur-
rows attached to the tail of the Mcmillan
kite seeking reelection.
that the but eb hardly pr probable
against the denomination of Pingree
for second term, because. with the
natural reaction that follows sweep
ing victory like that of last year and the
certain loss of the big sound money demo-
cratic vote which went almost solidly for
the republican ticket the Mcmillan leaders
realize that to slaughter Pingree, if they
could, would result in the probable loss Of
the state. But. letting Pingree have sec
ond nomination, they will go in for a legis-
lature that will prevent any great amount
Of Pingreesque lawmaking.
Pingrce's Strength Growing.
AS governor, Pingree is steadily setting
up the pegs for future use, and there is
little question that he is stronger today by
a good deal than he was a year or six
months ago, and he is growing in strength
with a great deal Of regularity Last
week he made himself very solid with
the state troops in camp at Island lake
and this means that he will have $500
young men plugging for him when the next
election comes around. He laid a founda-
ton for his popularity in military circles
by appointing to his staff and to the mill
tary department men froIl the ranks, those
who had long served in the militia, and to
whom the appointments came as promo
lions. The militia had long asked for this,
but no former governor has done anything
else than to distribute the honorS in pay
ment of political debts Then when the
boys were settled in camp Governor Pin
gree, as commander-in-chief, came sailing
in on a black charger, which he rode with
perfect control, and set up in front of his
tent the old flint-lock carried by his grand
father in the revolution, the back-number
musket carried by his father in the war of
1872. and the gun carried by himself in the
rebellion. 1t was an unique display of
weapons, but a great card, and Governor
Pingree did credit to his own record as a
soldier and to his ancestors by mixing up
with the boys in true soldier style, taking
pot luck with them in camp. telling stories
and being a good fellow generally.