Evening star., 1898-10-31
Difficult to Predict the Outcome in
Pennsylvania Election.
QUAY'S STRENGTH IN THE MACHINE
The Opposition Now Centered on
Gaming the Legislature.
LITTLE HOPE FOR SWALLOW
pccial From STAFF Correspondent.

For the governorship, a contest mainly
between the democratic and republican
candidates.
For control Of the legislature and United
States senatorship, a contest in which the
prohibition candidates may poll large per
eentage of republican votes, holding the
balance of power between the democrats
and the republicans.
For representatives In Congress, straight
hight between democrats and republicans
with prospects of democratic gains.
In this summary it will be observed that
there is a difference in the estimate of the
vote tor prohibition governor and prohibi-
uon legislators. This comes about from the
TACT that the political leaders claim the
sentiment for DR.. Swallow for governor is
waning, but that tn, fight On Quay keeps
up the interest in the legislative candidates
of the Swallow party.
Republicans argue that when it comes to
the alternative on election day of voting
for a republican governor or a dem
ocratic gOvernor-that alternative be
ing presented by the fear that Swallow
may not wn-even the disgruntled repub-
licans Will vote the gubernatorial ticket of
the old party, although they may scratch
the legislators. This statement represents
the maximum of republican hope
throughout the state the candidates for
the legislature Will include men of all fac
tons In some districts there win be reg
uIar republicans, partisanS of Senator
quay. There Will be 'independent' repub-
licans, anti-Quay. There will be prohibi-
uonists. who VIII receive the vote of re-
pubncans. democrats and prohibtionists
rms political miX-up, of course results
from the fight on the existing republican
organization, and makes 1t next to impos-
slble to give a satisfactory forecast of the
outcome.
Senator Quay's Attitude
Senator oray's attitude in this campaign
Is a peculiae ore. He supports the .'rerub-
lican ticket" although that ticket contains
the names of many candidates whose avow-
ed mission is to defeat him for the Senate
and overtura the political machine which
ne mas set up. He must lend to their can
dldacy his support, however, and the state
committee. which is of his making, must
Cohuuct ther campaign. In the canvass
% 'i''or quay Is keeping his own political
I so1'"i'lS III the background. The burden
VI MS song is. Support the republican
party and uphold the administra,tt,, =, 11!i
nrst object is to elect repubIicaI Io,,itia ~"
ERE; whether that body contains a1an,nn|
hostile to him or not elehehtS
ba h,n nsht for reelection to the Senate will
w Lidae afterward. He has ioined ba,,ar
HIth ms old enemies Martin In ~ a
anu , haeee IN the west to elect tba ie,fsia
~ win the express UNDERSTANDING ~.
500, as - h%gee 1eud will be reopened as
c, % l'ie IL legislature is chosen "
senator Quay is contfdent of bis .,,;,;.-
~ 1osI,,ls ms oid-time power and 'contrrI:,
eStStatufe II it shows a repuhlican NJ
nan,iia no|ener strong the sentiment of the
rS.i at large may he against him ~
@Lti- '9tay republicans fear this nono, ne u.
Contf2'' and are taking stems to over1
come 1t in advance Of the election ~,
49, IN rhe city of Reading the repuh-
r.
cldates for the legisIa ttlre to prhlicIv nIe5 az,
tor. ' i'i seha-
This action was taken becauea t,,,,ir,,
ueVeioped the fact that the selection OF the
oStensihle anti-Cuay republican candidates
C uiG be traced to Quay Influences Manv
pol'lc1ans profess to believe that If a re-
toi's eunncan legislature be chosen 1t will be
Iouhl that some of the men who before the
election We're anti-Quay will have discover
td that they were in error and will array
themselves in The Quay column This is
thc nightmare which haunts the anti-Quay-
ties continually.
The apparently limitless resources of SEN
ator QUAY, acquired in years of absolute
control Of republican politics in Pennsvl-
vanIa. not to be overlooked or dis
counted. Mr.. Quay Is drawing upon his
resources now to the utmost extent of his
possessions.
HeeIers Are for Quay.
There IS one feature of this senatorial
fight which must be borne in mind; the
self-interest of the rank and file of the
political heelers. These men have In SEN
ator Quay known quantity to be counted
uTon. He Will help them long as they
remain his retainers. From him they can
get patronage and whatever is being DIS
tributed. Now, the heelers are called upon
to kill the goose which lays the golden
egg, and there is no prospective goose in
sight to succeed It, They are asked to
throw down Quay, but they don't know
who will rise in his place and whether the
new man will be friendly to them or not.
1t is true that the man who reason after
this fashion not of the class of re-
formers who are filling the air with de-
nunciation of Quay and the machine, and
who apparently compose a large propor-
tion of the better element of the republican
party. They are the ward and precinct
leaders. however, who have at their COM
mand hordes of voters to follow their nod
and beck unQuestioning and unthinkng.
The compensation which the situation
holds for Senator Quay is the compact or
gariZation of his own forces and the un-
certain, unorganized and unstable condi-
ticns under which his opponents are as
sembled.
On the one side Is masterful man, cool,
determined and skillful, directing one of
the most admirable political machines ex-
istng today. On the other a sentiment,
the sentiment of an unknown quantity of
voters who can only win by the crushing
weight of overwhelmingly superior num-
bers.
Yet. the country has more than once seen
the success of revolts like this. Witness
the case of South Carolina, where po-
ntical system of a century's standing was
upset by the arousing of a slumbering peo-
pie, who until that moment knew not of
their strength. The difference between that
case and the present situation is that, In
the one, the movement was united, and
now it is divided
The democratic leaders have reached a
stage now where they are placing their
main hope upon an old-time democratic
landslide to elect their governor. The nor
NAL republican majority Is something ap-
palling. 1t is difficult for even the demo-
Gratis to figure out enough votes to over
come ii.
There is the possibility that DR.. Swallow
the proh;bitionfst may draw enough from
the dissatisfied republican element to give
thu democrats the majority, but in this
contingency there is also the prospect that
If the Swallow movement is strong enough
for that 1t may be strong enough to give