Evening star., 1898-11-04
The Indications FOreshadow a Con-
siderable Republican Slump.
FAcqlONAL FIGHT + / IN TEE PARTY
Thirteen Republicans and Eight
Democrats the Forecast.
SITUATION BY DISTRICTS
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

SPoNioA correspondence oI Inc Evening Star
COLUMBUS, Ohio, November 2. 1898.
Indications have come to be noted in the
last two weeks of the campaign in this
state that foreshadow a considerable re-
publican slump and throw some doubt
about the result on both +he state and con-
gressional tickets. The Anti-Hanna repub-
licans no longer take pains to conceal their
attitude of hostility toward the republi-
can state and congressional candidates
The candidates on the latter are of course
members of the Hanna faction, and were
nominated by conventions controlled by
that faction. There is little doubt now
that the Anti-Hanna faction members Of
the party will support the democratic cam
didates and attempt to administer crush
ing defeat to the other faction of the party
Ihat they have it in their power was
shown In the legislative elections of last
fall, when though Governor Bushnell was
elected at the head of the republican state
ticket by nearly 10000 Senator Hanna had
a majority on joint ballot in the legislature
of but single vote.
1t is undeniable also that the opposition
to Senator Hanna has received since then
considerable accessions, and many repub-
lcans who have been and still count them
selves good friends of President Mckinley
and eX-Secretary Sherman are now ready
TO operate In opposition to the senator.
Governor Bushnell was elected last fall
by plurality of 2S,650 The total vote for
republican candidates for the legislature
was nearly $4,000 less than this. 1t is plain
that II the vote follows the line it did last
fall the election is going to be very close,
unless there Is some other force working
IN the campaign in the opposite direction.
1nere does not seem to be any such infiu-
ence, unless it be the war enthusiasm for
the administration, and that is naturally
cooling with time.
Changes Congregational Districts.
Such republican detection will, Of
course, throw a number of congressional
districts, now held by the republicans, into
the hands of the democrats. The demo-
Gratis now hold the third, fourth, fifth,
twelfth. thirteenth and seventeenth DIS
tricts-six out of the twenty-one. OF these
they are likely to lose only one. That Is
the thlrd 1t was carried by the democrats
by only fifty-three votes two years ago
Dayton is the only considerable city in it.
At Dayton is located the National Military
Home. In this institution many thousands
OF old soldiers live, who have the right to
vote there. When they can be induced to
vote nearly their full strength the district
goes republican. The republican candidate
for Congress is a colonel in the volunteer
service, and likely to- arouse the enthusiasm
of the old soldiers. 1t is not unlikely that
the republicans will carry the district
OF the districts now represented by the
republicans the seventh, eighth, NINTH
fourteenth and eighteenth uncertain.
The ninth, which includes the city of To-
ledo, is likely to be. carried by the demo-
Gratis. Though normally republican dis
trict by about 1900, 1t gave a democratic
plurality of more than 1000 last fall. 1t is
a stronghold of the anti-Hanna republicans
The eighth district was cut out to be
certain republican one, but last fall 1t gave
republican plurality Of only 500 The
anti-Hanna republicans tried hard to pre-
vent Representative Lybrands nomination.
but failed. He was a radical supporter of
Senator Hanna last winter and SO offended
those republicans who were opposed to the
senator The chances would seem to favor
Lybrands election in the district but he
has no sure thing
The seventh district is the home of Cow
ernor Bushnell, and Representative Walter
l.. Weaver, now the republican representa-
tive of it, headed a delegation of repub-
Hcans who came over to Columbus last
winter when the congressional fight was on
and, marching to Governor Bushnells Of
flee, almost used violence on the governor
to induce him to support the election of
Senator Hanna. For this reason it is not
arms now in that district to prevent
Weaver's reelection. 1t will be a close
fight, with the chances against Weaver's
election.
kerr's Chances Good.
The republican nomination for Congress
in the fourteenth district was made after
a long fight to prevent the denomination of
w. 8. Kerr which failed The district
gave plurality of only 1900 for the repub-
licans last fall. The democrats are claiming
it, but it seers reasonable to expect that
Kerr will be reelected by a reduced plural
ity.
The eighteenth district is the home of
President Mckinley. 1t is composed of
three republican counties, and used to be
regarded as the stanefest republican dis
trict in the state. One of the counties
Stark county-has been jumping over the
political traces frequently lately and re-