New-York tribune., 1900-08-10

large numbers Of Germans were not for the
Democratic candidates? This is not an en-
trely new dodge in political strategy. It is
curious fact too, that a good many intelligent
people enormously believe that the Germans
everywhere all Republicans. and especially
out West" is this supposed to be the case on
the part Of Eastern people. Eastern news
papers have ignorantly talked about the solid
German vote Of Wisconsin. Therefore. il is easy
to see that when this class is made 10 under
stand that the Germans of Wisconsin. Illinois.
Indiana and Ohio are "shaky,' they imme-
diately conceive that the Republican outlook is
very dark
GERMANS AGAINST FREE SILVER
wisconsin is conceded to be a normally Re
publican State yet on local issues it has several
times been carried by fusions of all the opposing
elements, and in 1892 the Democratic candidate
for the Presidency carried the State by 6544
plurality. the only instance on record since the
rise Of Republicanism. The average Republican
plurality OF. say. 10000 was suddenly kited up
to 102, 600 in 1896. extraordinary gain over the
normal of $4,000 votes. It was the money issue
that did this-the 16 TO plank in the Democratic
platform. It was unquestionable that this re-
markable change was effected almost wholly by
German votes. The returns from Milwaukee
and also from the Democratic counties Of
Dodge, Manitowoc Outagamie. Ozaukee. She
boygan, etc, which are heavy German districts.
were in themselves almost positive proof of this
If anything beyond the emphatic tone Of Ger
man opinion were needed. Dodge County,
almost always heavily Democratic gave Clevc-
land Alb plurality in 1892; In 1896 ii gavN
Mckinley 10 plurality, showing that nearly
$500 Democrats voted the straight Republican
ticket In sheboygan Cleveland had 14S4
plurality. Mckinley 3,317 in Manitowoc Cleve-
land had 2,O73 plurality Mckinley 521: in
Outagamie Cleveland had 1910 plurality Nc
Kinley 1887 These were rernarka bic changes
to occur in old hidebound Democratic counties
Next to Milwaukee these are the strongest Ger
man centres in the State. The changes were no
less remarka BILE in the other German counties
On the other hand in those sections Of the State
where there were few or no Germans. the Demo-
cratic vote was little less than normal So Il
will be seen that the great Republican gain
came almost wholly from German sources
Now IL follows that this positively makes
absurd any assumption that the Germans of
Wisconsin are all Republicans. or that even the
major part Of them are Republicans II is
doubtful II in this great German community Of
Milwaukee majority Of them are Republicans
although it is called Republican CITY. II GER
tatnly oftener goes Republican than Democratic
II then, the Germans OF Wisconsin had pre-
Vlously been steadfastIy and solidly voting the
Republican ticket, how could they swell the
usual Republican plurality Of 10000 or .25OOO
up 10 oVe- 10000 If not from the German
vote in Milwaukee. sheboygan- Manitowoc
Ozaukee, Outagamie, etc where did this enor-
nous Republican gain come from? Echo an
swers. where
AN UNCERTAIN QUANTITY IN POLITICS
AS matter Of ract--as statistical fact
the truth is exactly contrary TO this ASSUMPTION
Previous to 1895 the German vote of tbe wAs+
was fully two-thirds Democratic and always
had been Nor was the other third surely Re-
publican, but more correctly it was an inde
pendent vote. such as you have in Nev-YorL,
City, always uncertain here. but generally Re-
publican. There were of course and SIN ara
many earnest, interchangeable German Repubu-
cans everywhere in the land and proba bIv IN
the cities OF ST. Louis and Cincinnati the ma
Jorfty OF Germans vote for the Republican can
didates for the Presidency a predilection handed
Town from their forefathers. who in the ante
bellum days learned to oppose the slavery ex-
rensionists by voting the Republican ticket; hut
even in St. Louis and Cincinnati thew are an
uncertain political quantity. Last fall John r
Mclean carried Cincinnati over the Renuhltoan
candidate for Governor by l. 200 plurality and
the latter was IN minority in the citv Of over
$1,000 votes. yet he carried the State bv an
enormous plurality. St. Louis is a Republican
city good deal in the same fashion thar Mil
waukee is
Elsewhere in the great German centres Of
population, and especially in rural districts the
German influence is very decidedly on the Demo-
cratic side. II is certainly so in Wisconsin and
appears TO be in Illinois where the same
phenomena prevail that are seen here No
German here asserts that the majority OF Ger
mans in Chicago or New York are Republicans;
on the contrary. IL is easy 10 satisfy ones self
that the common conviction among them Is that
II is exactly oppOstte-that the majority is
Democratic II is understood. however that
there is large intermediate body OF indepen-
dents-so-called "Mugwump"-German voters
which vibrate, between the two parties. II
was the capture Of this element which gave
Mckinley his enormous vote in New York. That