Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1898-11-02


vious reasons, that can scarcely fail
to procure reasonably heavy vote
in the rural districts. It must be re-
membered that 20 per cent of the
Populist voters live in country pre-
cincts.
SILVER coNGREssMEN SURE WINNERS.
While the republicans are making
absurd claims that Jerry Simpson
Ridgley, Peters. Vincent and McCor.
mick will be defeated, the fact is gen.
orally recognized that only two of the
congressional districts-the second
and the fourth-will witness anything
like a close finish.
In the first district the republican
nominee, on the face of the returns
for 1896, should have 1900 plurality.
This district, as recognized by the
legislature Of 1897, includes almost
every republican stronghold in the
state. Charles Curtis. present con-
grcssmah from the old fourth district.
but gerrymandered into the first,
took the nomination away from Con-
gresham Case Broderick after a long
and bitter fight in the convention.
Curtis is regarded by the older politi-
clans in the district as carpet bag
ger, and this hostile sentiment will
cost him many votes.
In the second district Mason S.
Peters Qusionists) was elected over
Jack Harris ublican) in 1896 by
majority of 3SS. This year Congress
man Peters is opposed by ]. d. Bow
ersock, a millionaire of Lawrence,
who is probably the weakest man the
republicans could have nominated.
He has no qualifications except an
ample barrel. He will run behind
the rest of the ticket in his own
county. Otherwise the alignments
in this district are about as they were
two years ago. The influence of the
stock yards and packing houses OF
Wyandotte county are much of fac
tor in second district politics. The
personal acquaintance and popularity
of Mr.. Peters among men EMPLOYED
in both of the great industries are re-
lied upon, as in 1896, to give him the
victory. While the second is re-
garded as a CLOSE district by poll
ticians, it will hardly be as close as
it was two years ago.
In the third district E. R. Ridgely,
the present populist congressman,
will be ce-elected by not less than
$500 majority. He is regarded as
the safest" man on the ticket.
BRILLIANT CAMPAIGN IN THE FOURTH.
In the fourth district, Henderson
Martin, a bright and eloquent young
democrat indorsed by the populists,
is opposed by Miller of Morris county.
Two years ago Miller sought repub-
lican nomination for the legislature
in his home district and was defeated
at the primaries by a comparatively
obscure doctor. If this is a fair in
dex to his running ability, Mr. Martin
ought to be 'as safe as Ridgely."
Martin is making phenomenal cam
paign, and unbiased observers say the
odds are greatly in his favor.
Congressman Vincent will be select
ed in the fifth district by not less than
1,2OO. His course in the last CO o1gress
meets with the entire approval of his
constituents. His opponent is w. A.
Calderhead, whom he defeated two
years ago by 700 votes. 1t will be
easier this time.
Congressman Mccormick will poll
800 to 1000 more votes than W. A.
Reeder, his Republican opponent. in
the sixth district Bill Hoffer, editor
of the Lincoln Sentinel, is having
some fun and hurting nobody by
running as an Independent Democrat.
| hO VIII pun iOSS sifdu Vuo SOtccs
All talk of turning Jerry Simpson
down in the big seventh" is the
shcerest nonsense. 1t is the contest of
1896 repeated. Then Jerry defeated
Chester 1. Long by $500 majority
and he can do it again, and not run
very fast either. Long is . much
less formidable candidate than he
was two years ago, having made not
less than twenty influential enemies
in every town of any size in the dis
trict by meddling in contests for
postmaster.
In this conservative estimate by con-
Igressional districts it should be borne
in mind that in almost every country
the fusion state ticket will run ahead
of the fusion nominee for congress.
The Republican slogan "Send men
to congress who will be in harmony
with President Mckinley" viii
doubtless have some effect among
people who do not think far enough
to see that the congress elec ed this
fall will not hold a sitting until one
year from next December, by which
Il