Arizona republican., 1900-09-04
DEMOCRATS FLOUNDERING
It Will Take a Convention to Clear
 the Situation.

The democratic political situation has last twenty four hours and is in fact. not nearly so clear as many Smith and Wilson partsans thought it was on the night after the primaries. Wilson men said last night that they were more confident than they had been at any time since the count of the Third ward vote was finished, and could eas- fly figure out a majority of seven in the county. On the other hand, Neri Os born figures a majority for Smith of seven. while other Smith adherents say he will carry the county by from sixteen to thirty.
 It transpires that though the fight in Maricopa county was made wholly upon the delegate question. a large number If delegates who are pledged to certain candidates for county offices are unpledged to either Smith or Will son. That condition is found among the Phoenix precinct delegations and it is plain now that Smith and Wilson did not divide as was supposed. on Cen ter street The Smith men claim to have definite promises of support from both the First and Fourth wards. while the Wilson men are claiming with equal d Influences. at least six votes from the Second and Third wards.
 The delegates from the county are beginning to come in to be in readi- ness for tomorrow'S convention. The first arrivals were James Murphy and H. M. Davenport, from Wickenburg: George E. Saunders. from Vulture. and one of the delegates from Meridian. They were surrounded soon as they appeared on the street last night by local politicians. all of whom said they had received consolation. Smith, how ever, seemed to have made unexpected inroads in the northwest, while Will son swept the precincts below the city from the limits to the Buckeye country.
 Enough is known of the outside cOun- ties to leave no doubt that everything depends upon the result of tOmOrrOW's convention, for neither of the candi- dates can be nominated without Mari copa. Word cams yefsterday hat Wilson had carried Gila and that Graham had been instructed for Smith. This latter information was later modified by d telegram from George H. Kelly of Sol omonville saying that the delegation was uninstructed: that Wilson would receive six votes and Smith eleven. Contrary to the instructions of the Benson convention. Smith will lose two Cochise county delegates. Both sides are claiming Pinal, and Yuma has not been heard from, though the Smith people count upon it with con tidence. But however Pinal and Yuma may go, all other counties being now accounted for. the winner must have Maricopa. otherwise he will not be a winner. It is still the impression of those who are not interested in the contest that Smith will carry the coun- ty. It is suspected that his opponents realize this from the fact that d move ment has been made by the Wilson folks against instructions. They have the advantage of the party orga niza- tion with which they are charged with intending to hold down the Smith ma jority.
 The county candidates are working now to find out where they stand. It is generally agreed that Sanders, can didate for sheriff, will go into the con vention with the greatest number of votes. But the fight for sheriff will be d great deal like poker game in which