New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-27
THREE DOUBTFUL.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

Ties In the discussion, from the close HnlnR-up
Of the different factions in the party and from
the generally high level to which the conduct
of the campaign has been raised in a State
where political rivalres and individual resent
ment have only too often turned contests of this
kind into unseemy and disgracefu squabbes
Their work, too, has been made comparatively
easy by the fortunate coincidence Of the pres
in the White House at this time of a man
whose popularity at home among his friends
and nelghbOrs has rarely been equalled and
never been surpassed. In the present contest
they possess the means for a successful appeal
to State pride. That appeal 1t may be depended
upon will not have been made in vain
DEMOCRATS DIVIDED on SILVER
In the absence Of State issues-a Secretary Of
State only is to be voted for and a place on the
bench of the Supreme Court flled--the Demo-
cratic party managers have been forced 10 ac-
cept the Republican challenge and concentrate
their energies on maintaining their strength in
the six Congress districts they now hold. on
the silver issue the party in the State Is hope
lessly divided It's State Convention ignored IT,
and most Of the candidates now in the field have
been on one side OF the question or the other
except. OF course the right one-neary all their
lives. In only one district. the Xth. has the In
fiuence Of ex-senator Brce been strong enough
to prevent the denomination of the sitting MEM
Der and secure the nomination In his stead OF a
candidate who is said to be sound on the money
question. While in the larger cities and manu-
featuring centres the attempt to revive the III
to-l folly has been practically abandoned by
Democratic speakers. farming communities are
still being appealed TO and their intelligence in
suited by Democratic and Populist orators
whose arguments differ little If any from those
made two years ago. The sound. common
sense farmer. who Is capable as any to
connect cause and effect. knows what is his
condition to-day and what 1t was two years ago
and there is no indication Of a wild laundering
his part for change for changes sake
Democratic spellbinders who haye wasted their
energy in this direction may be made to realize
this in the increased Republican majorites
which the farming districts Of the state will re-
turn this year For similar reasons few spo-
radio efforts to attack the policy Of protection
and the present tariff law have met with signal
failure The farmers of the State know what
that policy has done for them and they have
fault TO find with the Dngey act.
ATTACKS ON THE PRESIDENT FALL. FLAT.
The conduct Of the war. then and the buga-
boo Of expansion" or imperialism" and all
these new-fangled catch phrases which fall
the keynote Of the opposition canvass The
other day Congressman Lentz entertained-en-
tertained is a euphcmism. perhaps but let it
pass-a Columbus audience with his views on
the war and the way he would have conducted
it. had Presiden; Mckinley had the good sense
to call him to his side or place him in command
% the forces Of the United states, for nearly
four long hours. The editor OF the local party
organ undertook 10 print the speech in full.
one issue OF the paper would not contain IL;
II had To be brought out in sections, distributed
over several days. Its publication in serial form
was the literary event of the week. The streets
OF the city fairly strewn with gems from
Mr.. Lentzs talk. The presses were kept work
ing day and night. The Street Cleaning De-
partment threatened to break down under the
burden Of the additional work put on its Shout
ders I.etter-carriers groaned-and we'll they
might-under the weight of this long distance
orators remarks 1t a triumph Of wood
pulp and printing ink over the physical nhrmi-
ties Of mar. 1t seemed TO crush the life out OF
any one bold enough TO tackle the speech. But
was 1t read by anybody? Did anybody under
take t. acquan himself with its contents? II
such person survives. that fact has successfully
been suppressed Such person would indeed be
rara avis Even tho audience which passed
writer is crediby Informed. kept in its
seats not by the hypnotizlng charm Of Mr.
Lcntz's eloquence, but by the compelling force
OF a rainstorm outside and escaped fatal
suits only by seeking refuge in eep. BE that
a. it may, Mr.. Lertzs attempt TO force some
thing on his audience that night TO take home
with them failed utterly His attacks on the
President most. If not all Of them personal in
their nature and grOtesque beyond expression
received no announcement. and are said to
have had the very opposite effect from that in
tended. other Democratic orators who have
sought to initiate Mr. Lentz's example have
Jared no better, though. t. do them justice, none
have attempted 10 rival him In the grOssness Of
his personalities.
SITUATION IN THE CONGRESS DISTRICTS.
Taking up the Congress districts I'm detail. II
may be said that the LIST. Id With, With.
With. Xth. XIth. XIVth. XVIII. XVIII.
XVIIIth. XIXth, XXth and XXIst arc either
absolutely Republican or very nearly So In
most OF them the sitting members have been
renomnatcd. and among lhese such sterling
Republicans as Colonel C. II. Grosvcnor In the
XIth and r. W. Tayler in tie XVIIIth. or
the new men, Major Dick who makes his first
race for Congress in the XIXth District. needs
no introduction to Republican readers. His
services in the canvass of 1896 sufficient
introduction. In the Xth District stephen Nor
gan. a school teacher by profcss.' n. and q man
OF exceptional ability. has been nominated In
the XXth. +. O. Phillips. an ex-Probate Judge
OF Medina County, who is said TO make up in
brains what he lacks In avordur ois-he
is said to tip the scales at eighty-hve pounds
will succeed clifton Il. Beach This Ia the Cleve-
land district which Is sometimes claimed by
Democratic rainbow-chasers. but which CON
sentative estimates place without reserve in the
Re publican column
DOUBTFUL DISTRICTS
The doubtful districts are the IlId. IVth.
VIII IXth XIGth XIIIth and XVIIth The
trouble i'm the IXth Is due entirely To Repub-