Evening star., 1898-11-07
NO FEARS FOR IOWA
Republicans Confident They Will
Win in That State.
DOUBT as TO LACEY'S ELECTION
His Opponent is General Weaver
of Gree noack Fame.
V ERY QUIET CAMPAIGN
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

| Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
! DES MONIES. Iowa. November 1. 1898
Republicans in Iowa are confident of de-
feating the fusionists by a 10000 majority
| at the election Tuesday. They hope to send
a solid republican delegation back to Wash
| ington, but are scared over Representative
| Lacey's prospects in the sixth district
General James B. Weaver who represented
! the district for two terms and ran as the
populist candidate for President, is Mr.
| Lacey's opponent.
Besides the congressional offices, nine
| state offices are to be filled this year. They
are: Secretary of state, treasurer, auditor
| judge, clerk and reporter for the supreme
court. attorney general and two railway
| commissioners, one of them to fill a va
! cancy.
There is but little interest in the state
campaign, as the governor and state leg
| islature are not elected this year
| The campaign has been made on national
| issues. The result will be the crystilization
| OF Iowa opinion on national questions
| When the campaign opened, the issue was
| distinctly drawn on the financial question
| In many of the republican congressional
| conventions. the gold standard declarations
| were so strong as to demand the perpetual
| '-oit Vi Tic cAiStlIiS Soiu SldiludTu Dy COl1-
prehensive and enlightened national leg
| islaton. At the republican state conven-
| ton, Notwithstanding the restraining eff
| forts OF Senator Allison, the republicans
| took this advance stand on the money ques-
tion The democrats, populists and free sill
yer republicans met for the fusion conven-
| tions within a week. There was an effort
| on the part of some democrats to indorse
! the Chicago platform, but to do it so mildly
that they could win back the gold standard
| democrats. The populists and strong free
| silverte democrats would not have this,
| and the democratic platform is a remark
| ably strong declaration for the free and
unlimited coinage of silver at the ratio of
| 16 to 1. This was the issue, although the
| question of sustaining the administration
| was made prominent by the republicans
and the democrats adopted the plank on
| sick soldiers and administrative negligence.
! McCIeary Dill an Issue.
But the issues have been changed. the
| financial discussion has changed from
! general discussion of the free silver prop
osition. Gen. Weaver some time ago took
up the so-caled McCleary or Walker bill.
| He said that Representative Lacey and all
| the republican representatives who are can
| didates for elction had in caucus agreed
| to support this measure. He declared Il
was the ''comDrehensive and enlightened
| legislation" which the republicans had de-
| clared for Then he argued that the bill
| was rernicioIs. that 1t would give the finan-
| cial system of the government over to the
| bankers. of the country. and that soon the
| days of wild cat' banking would return.
| Il is said that it was at the suggestion of
| Weaver can raigners in other states they
took up this lire. The democratic state cen
| hal committee of Iowa has issued many
circulars covering the points made by Wea-
yer.
| This discussion has caused republican
lcampaignars considerable trouble. Most of
them have +prepared their sneeches without
| knowledge Of the Mc(,1aar nil nd
have been compelled to admit they know
nothing of it. Now they are devoting con-
siderable attention to it, State Treasurer
Herrlott. an authority on finances is maxi
ing special efforts in this line. He tells that
the bill is the embodyment of the ideas of
the financial students in the indianapolis
monetary convention, and that 1t would
work great heEefitS to all classes.
The campaign has been one of the sIowest
ever waged in Iowa. Apathy has been
chief characteristic of the political feeling
held until September 1. and the fusiopists
not till q week later. new state chair
man, c. T. Hancock of DUBUQUE took
charge of the republican campaign. and 1t
was impossible to get things organized for
two weeks. He has carried on an aggressive
state campaign keeping about thirty-five
speakers in the field. The most prominent
have been Gov. Shaw Senator Allison 4
c. Rankin. A. B. Cummins and Sidney E.
Foster. The congressional candidates have
spent most of their time in their own dis
trictS.
Democrats Do Little Work
The democrats have maintained state
headquarters. but aside from the sending
out of a little litera ture have done practi-
cally no work. The few speakers who have
worked under them have been sent 10 the
congressional candidates for assignments
The fusionists always have hard time get
ting funds iE Iowa. The republican COM
mittee has raised only a small fund this
year. The committee has been seriously
handicapped because of the action of the
state board OF control, issuing a prociaIna-
ton that under the new law creating the
board 1t was provided all employees of the
state institutions or of the board would lcse
their positions by contributing to any cleo
ton funds.
The republican chairman has made a poll
OF the state, though it is incomplete Mr.
Hancock says: IF we get the vote out
and 1 think can. the republican state
ticket will be elected by 10000 majority
The congressional candidates will fall a lit
tie behind, but will all be elected"
Chairman Townsend, for the democrats
says: I'VE are conceding nothing and max
ing no claims" But the democrats expect
to win in the sixth and to run close in the
eighth.
Getting the vote out is the principal work
of the republican campaigners. They have
made redoubled efforts to that end this
week. and local committeeman have been
exhorted to have teams and plans for thor
ough work in that line Tuesday.
In the sixth district Representative Lacey
has had thousands of little stickers. say
ing, Republicans, get out and vote,'' print
ed, and the men are wearing them in their
hats. He admits his district is close, but
expects to win by small margin. Weaver
has canvassed the district thoroughly. The
national committee is interested in his fight.
because he is a national character, and he
expects to win by 500 majority.
Hepburn Has IA Hard Fight.
Representative Hepburn has been fought
hard in the eighth by George L. Finn. Finn
Is free silver republican fusion candidate
having been formerly prohibition leader in
Iowa. He is shrewd and rich. Hepburn has
been sick in bed for two weeks. But his
frineds have organized thoroughly and have
arranged to have two wagons to collect
voters in every school district. They are
sure of 1000 majority. The democrats count
On post Office disaffection to defeat him.
Gold standard democrats in Iowa will vote
the republican congressional tickets and the
state ticket as we'll The democratic lead
ers admit this. Col Martin, Iowa member
of the national gold standard democratic
committee has issued a letter to all Iowa