The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-22

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reasons that are responsible for this
statement which have appeared only
within the past few days. One Of the
prominent features that contributes to
the shifting of the state from a certain
to doubtful column. is the attitude Of
the German voter. In 1896 about so per
| cent of the voters of this nationality in
| Illinois cast their votes for the Republi-
can ticket. A conservative estimate now
points towards 20 per cent of the vote
going to the Democrats
\ Illinois has approximately $4,000 Ger
man voters and altogether $4,000 nat
uralized citizens. 1t was these German
voters that gave Cleveland and Altgeld
the state in 1892 and Mckinley his ire
mendous majority in 1886. This year
the drift of the German vote is towards
the Democratic ticket. Not the least
factor of this move is the naming by
the Democracy of Samuel Alschuler. a
German Jew, for governor.
While it is easy enough to claim GER
tain changes. a little proof thrown in is
always acceptable
Take as one straw the speeches of
webster Davis on the Boer question.
Monday night he spoke at Freeport. The
Chicago Record, an Independent paper
says of his meeting:
webster Davis, who was recently
connected with the Mckinley admins
tration and who at Kansas City an
nounced his intention to work for
Bryan, never faced a more enthusiastic
audience than he did tonight in this
city. His audience contained a large
number of Germans, and when he re-
ferred to the Boer question and de-
nounced those who questioned his mo-
tives he was cheered to the eeho.''
Tuesday night at Peoria under similar
circumstances again his German audi
ence gave unmistakabIe evidence of dis
pleasure at the policy of the present ad-
ministration towards the Boer Repub-
lies. Again at Belleville was this re-
peated.
Another equally significant pointer is
the letters that are being received at
the German Democratic committee
headquarters now in charge of Henry
Raab.
Mr.. Raab is known as the Carl Schurz
of the northwest and is the man that is
credited with swinging the German vote
for Altgeld when the latter was elected
governor. Mr.. Raab says the changes
are much greater than he could expect
or at first thought possible. This Is
from a Democratic source
Here is the view of prominent Re-
publican on the situation
Thomas H. Mckee. clerk of the house
of representatives, who has been at the
head of the campaign document bureau
of the Republican national committee,
returned this week to Washington from
Chicago, the document distribution of
the national committee having been
completed. except for a few odds and
ends.
The two naturally Republican states
which are in greatest danger are In
diana and Illinois. He said: 1.-The trou-
BILE with Illinois is the extraordinary
labor conditions in Chicago The con-
ditions there are the worst the Republi-
cans have ever had to deal with IN
dustry is almost Frustrated by the diff
Guilty in dealing with labor 1t would
be difficult for people not familiar with
the situation there to comprehend how
terrible it is; and the Republicans will
have to get an extraordinary majority
in the state outside to counteract the
effect of what threatens to be the vote
in Chicago"
But this note of warning from Mr.. Nc
Kee is but a wall from hand organ
compared to the steam piano alarm
sounded by Senator NJ. A. Hanna and
local Illinois Republican leaders at a
meeting in Chicago Monday.
Senator Hanna made no effort to gloss
over what he said were bad situations,
and some of the Republicans left the
luncheon almost believing that Bryan
would be elected president of the United
States, says the Chicago News.
John NJ. Smyth said the fight in ILL
nois was in Cook county, and he de-
clared that as the county went so the
state would 60 Otto Young said he
had noticed that the clerks in his store
apparently were taking little interest in
politics this year, and he feared that
many of them would vote for Bryan.
William Lorfmer drew a sad picture of
the Republican situation in Cook county
Fred H Rowe intimated that the Re
publican state committee realized that
it had hard work ahead of it, and
Graeme Stewart added his pessimistic
note.
In 1896, Cook county, in which is To-
Gated Chicago. gave President Mckinley
221, 1913 votes and w. J. Bryan 152. 146-a
Republican majority of 69,677. In 1898
the same county gave the Republican
candidate for state treasurer las. 55S, and
the Democratic candidate 147. 956-a Re-
publican majority of COZ.
Cook county is the key to the situa-
ton in Illinois this year. 1t casts con-
siderably over one-third of the vote of
Illinois. Hearst's American has taken a
hurried ten day poll of Chicago which
shows a plurality of $4,000 for Bryan
This, of course, is to be taken with a
big grain of salt, but it is a straw that
points to a doubtful condition of affairs
Another pointer along this line is the
slowness of business men to contribute
to the Republican campaign fund. Pot
ter Palmer, when asked by Mr.. Hanna
to aid the committee smiled and replied
that he saw no danger threatening the
country.
These statements go to show pretty
strongly that Illinois today with it's "a