The Washington weekly post., 1900-09-25
CAMPAIGN IN MICHIGAN.
Republicans BesiH ts Admit that n stiff
Fight Il Necessary

special % The Washington Pest
Detroit. Mich, Sept zi.-Tke political
campaign In Michigan for both parties
has oEened up In earnest, although the
itepdotlcsns are showing an apathy
which bodes iil for success unless more
active measures are taken 20 check the
growing Democratic sentiment. The cam
Iaigh Is being fought out principally on
State issues.
Gov Ptngree cannot be considered n
factor In politics this year. principally
on account or ill-bealth. His personality
VII not be In evidence TO draw votes
I rom the Democratic party. 1t is estimat-
81 mat this floating vote represents =. DO
people. and that the normal ReDubllcan
majority In the State is only 40as. The
special issues Of the eampaign. which are
1 being featured by the Democrats, may
cut this down TO 2a.o1N. and even more, so
that conservative Republican leaders are
beginning to admit that a stiff fight viii
have 10 be put pp tn order to keep Michi-
gan In the Republican column for the na-
tlGnal administration.
The legislature may go Democratic.
/ United States Senator James Mcmillan.
| Who is candidate for reelection, Will
come home next week TO look after 1is
interests. The Senator viii hold consul
tations in various parts % the State with
Republican leaders
Candidate William C. Maybury, Of De-
troit, is vigorously pushing his interests
throughout the State. addressing large
Democratic meetings daily. His opponent
for gubernatorial honors on the ReDubi'-
( can ticket, Col. Aaron T. Bliss. Of Sagi-
I nav, Is apparently making but little ef-
/ fort, depending largely upon the normal
Republican vote 10 pull the State ticket
through
Michigan at present has twelve Repub-
lican Congressman at Washington. Three
districts are seriously threatened. viz. the
Second, Seventh. and Eighth In the Sec
ond Congressman Henry c Smith. of
Adrian, is opposed by Mayor LOennecker.
OF Jackson, a vigorous campaigner. Mr..
smith Is handicapped by a radical Repub-
ilcan split In Washtenaw County, an by
the fact that he voted against the admin
istration and its Porto Rican tariff policy
The vote In the Second will undoubtedly
be close. In the Seventh Congressman
Edgar Weeks will be opposed by ex-Con-
gresham Justin r. Whiting. OF ST. Clair,
ana once candidate for governor on the
/ Democratic ticket Mr. Weeks has lost
many friends through his vacillating pol
/ Icy regarding pOst-Oiiice appointments
ana narrowly escaped being turned down
at the nominating convention In the
| Eighth Congressman Joseph w. Fordney,
OF Saginaw, is opposed by Hon. Welling-
Ton r. Burt, president of the Ann Arbor
Railway. and Democratic candidate for
governor in 1855. Mr.. Fordney made but
little noise in Washington, and opponents
say that his chief merit is that he can tell
| a corking good story.
The other Republican Congressman have
comparatively easy sailing. The only
member of the present delegation 10 be
turned down for a denomination was Con-
| gresham William 5. Mesick. of the Elev-
enth district. His successor will be A. B.
DaIfdsh, or Ithaca, If the usual majority
| of 5000 is east for the Republican ticket
Carlos ID. Sheldon, OF the Twelfth, is safe