The Washington weekly post., 1900-10-09
CAMPAIGN FOUR YEARS AGO
Democrats We're Then Elated Over
Political Prospects.
Indiana Was Mach in Doubt, with Both
Parties Claiming It-Ohis, WSseoasiu,
West yirsinia, Illinois, and
Maryland Predictions.

AT this stage Of the campaign four years
ago. there was much rejoicing among the
Democrats. They were on TOP OF a wave
of JubiiatiOn. On Thursday. October =
lss, Georgia gave Gov. Atkinson ma
Jority OF SS.90. which sent Chairman
Jones into ecstasies Of delight This con-
dition of the Democratic chairman WAS
accentuated by reports brought him from
Indiana that the Gold Democrats were
confounded and he launched a claim %
Cook County, H., without mining any
ngures. il was rumOred that Repre- So. q
tives Mcsiillin and Richardson, OF Tennes-
see. already had Speakership bees baEzRg
in their bonnets in anticipation OF n
Democratic House.
Notwithstanding this the Republicans
were working like grim death. Gen. Hsr-
r1son, four years ago yesterday, arrived
at Indianapolis from sOjourn East, and
he made some brief speeches on the way
between Cincinnati and Indianapolis. lie
spoke for the gold standard. On the same
day Senator Elkins was in Washington.
where he conferred with Chairman Bah
cock. OF the Congressional committee. as
TO the effect of a visit Bryan had Just
made In West Virginia. He believed thai
wavering Democrats had been strength
converted. The Senator had also just
been in New York City. where he found
the political situation so confusing that
he could draw no conclusions
The special correspondents of The Post
whose letters appeared on Friday. October
3, conceded that Nebraska would go Dem
ocratic by l500O majority, because Of the
Generalization of the Republican party
there and the incompetent management.
The outlook in Indiana was much clouded.
the conclusion being that the Repub-
licans had the advantage because OF their
majority of 5000 votes I'm 1894 and that
the Democrats were optimistic as TO the
detection of farmers from Republicans
and as to the weakness of the Gold DEM
ecrats. Republicans were claiming the
HoOsier State by from $500 TO 5000 It
was generally believed that Wisconsin
would give the Republican ticket 5000
majority and that there would be only
one Democratic representative from the
State-from the Madison district. which
went Republican. but which the Demo-
Gratis are trying to reclaim this year. The
Republicans were doggedly claiming Illi-
nois. Indiana. Ohio Michigan. West Vir-
ginia, and Maryland.
Four years ago yesterday Mr. Bryan
spoke at burlington, Iowa, and At other
cities In that State. devoting himself TO
free silver. Republicans in BIS audiences
frequently eheered for Mckinley. Speaker
Reed was out in the campaign. talking
against free silver, and made two speech
es that day In Connecticut. one of them
AT Bridgeport. Mai. Mckinley had regis
tered that day in Canton, which town
was gay with uniformed clubs. one OF
them an Italian club from PittsbuIg
which the Republican candidate adj
dressed
An interesting phase OF local politics
was a prospective debate or silver be-
tween Mr.. Henry T.. Davis and Mr. Still
son Hutchins. What were supposed to be
the preliminaries to the meeting were at
that date being warmly discussed.