The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-05
FUSIONIST
VIEW OF 1T.
Leaders Feel Confident of Carry
ing the State
By a Majority ApprOximating
$4,000.
Figures Given to the State
Journal Correspondent
BY PARTY MANAGERS.
Entire Vote Will Be About 10
Per Cent Short.
A Total Vote of 100000 Ex-
pected to Be Cast.

IBy the State Journal Correspondent
who Accompanied Gov. Leedy in the
Campaign.l
Among the fusionists there is every
feeling of confidence an the outcome of
next Tuesdays election. The campaign
of apathy and alleged "frosts' is ending
with enthusiasm and large meetings,
and it is claimed that the state will go
from ten to twelve thousand for the
entire state ticket.
Chairman Riddle says: "I have no
reason to change my assertion of be-
tween ten and twelve thousand which
made few days ago. You can just
figure it out this way said Mr.. Rid
die, pulling out his pencil and figuring
on a blOtter, 1--WE will cOncede the First
district to the Republicans by two
thousand votes. 'MaSe' Peters will car
ry the Second by twelve hundred. They
tell me that the cOlored men that have
worked for BOwersOcN are knitting him
right and left and that it viii be hard
for him to carry Douglas county. Now,
then, in regard to the Third said the
chairman, shutting his eyes and think
ing for a minute. "Ridgely'S majority is
liable to be anything. You can hardly
put it too large. That whole section of
the state is on fire, but for the sake Of
figuring we will put it down at five
thousand and that is only three hum
dred and fifty more than two years ago.
Vincent will beat Ca1derhead twelve
hundred, and we will give Mccormick
Jerry and Long,-well, from my infOr-
nation, the Seventh will be our way by
three thousand Oh, yes, I forgot the
Fourth. Martin will carry that sure
by eleven hundred votes. He is sure of
carrying six counties and the advices
from others are that the Republican
majorities will be cut lower than they
ever have BEEN know about Marion,
my own county, personally. We will
make more gains there than we ever
have before. Well. now you see this
AT-s- Tfe4E
jority, and with the two thousand off
in the First district will leave US eleven
thousand for the state. The state ticket
will run ahead of the congressional tick
ct in some places, and behind them in
others but or the whole there will not be
much difference"
The above interview of Chairman
Riddle is about the substance of the
Populist claims in this state. The
campaign has ended for the PopulistS
in more satisfactory manner than it
promised to three weeks ago. While
Governor Leedy himself was handicap
ped by illness during the first six weeks
weeks of the campaign, his health was
such as to enable him to take the stump
the last three weeks, and he was enthu-
SiaStically received everywhere he went,
and assured by local committeeman and
men prominent in his party that there
had been no material change in senti-
ment of the silver vote of two years
ago. and that in the agricultural dis
tricts he could count on about the same
percentage of majOrities to the total
vote cast that he received in 1896. If
this be true there can be little doubt
that the fusion state ticket will have as
large, or an increased majority over the
last election. The ticket may receive
a larger percent of the whole vote cast
and at the same time not have a, larger
ma jority, owing to the fact that there
will not be so large q. vote pOlled. This
is generally conceded by political lead
ers of all parties. and the consensus of
opinion seems to be that it will be about
ten per cent short, a little less than
three hundred thousand votes will be
cast. The portions of the state which
are most encouraging to fusion success
are perhaps the larger towns and cit
les. AtchiSOn, LeavenWOrth Kansas
City, Kas., are reasonably sure to give
large gains for the Leedy state ticket
The Germans in these towns are sup
porting him. Two years ago they sup
ported the Republican ticket. The col
Ored vote in each of these places is
large. and while the fuSiOniStS do not
by any means claim this vote yet they
confidently expect to make large gains
in it. Before they have practically had
none of it.
The central committees at Wichita
claims that they will be able to carry
SedgwicS county by five hundred for
Leedy and the ticket. This is really
more than the state committee expected
to do at the beginning of the cauDaign
and while it will be a loss from the
vote of two years ago, it will in reality
be gain over what the committee fig
three weeks the county central commit
tees have made strenuous efforts to get
every known fusion voter to pledge
himself to go to the polls on Tuesday.
They have been reasonably successful
in their efforts, and in nearly every
county in the state where the subject of
election is mentioned to the committee
they answer: Nothing but a blizzard
that will prevent US from polling our
vote can defeat US in this state"
As usual, there arc some boilers in the
POpulist party this year: there alwavs
have been. there are this year and al
ways will be boilers in that party as long
as there is a POpulst party. Last wear
it was the middle-Of-the-rOade who We're
tOmahawlxing the ticket. This year it is
disappointed would-be officeholders who
is not very large, however, and probably
where there is one of these there are two
or three Republican business men who
will vote for the state ticket on account
of Webb McNalFs administration of the
insurance department. two or three
Republican stock-growers, who, on ac-
count OF Boyle'S S success in the stockyards
cases. will vote the fusion ticket These
last two mentioned elements are some
figured on as they have been undemOn-
strative. though nearly every speaker has
met them in numbers and received priva ts
assurances which they requested them To
treat as confidential
The Silver Republicans and Democra IS
who supported the state ticket two wears
ago are standing by it this year almost
to man. Governor Leedy was asked
on the train yesterday what he Thought
Er oh N&