Evening star., 1900-10-06
NO MORE APATHY
Campaign Will Be Energetic From
Now to the End.
Wide DIVERGENCE OF OPINION
Business Interests Believed to Be
Solid for Mckinley.
DEMOCRATIC ASSUMPTIONS

Few men familiar with politics have fear
now of the presidential campaign being
apathetic to the end. Up to this time the
characteristic feature OF the campaign has
been the silent, determined effort put forth
by each side to get well organized and in
good position before the furious assault
should begin. Now practically all that can
be done TO perfect organiza ton has been
done. and the lighting is in the open. where
everybody will be made conscious of fierce
ness of the struggle The belief is enter
tained by some that the closing days of
this campaign will be more exciting even
than were those of '96. From the beginning
perhaps the most important question has
been whether the business interests would
stand together in this fight as they did in
that of 90 whether a considerable class
of business men would become Indifferent,
not seeing the danger in Bryan's election
this time that they apprehended four years
ago To ascertain the sentiment of the
business men of the country and 70 excite
the activity of those who appeared 10 be in
different has been the aim of the republican
managers AS long as there could be any
doubt on this important point there was
special occasion for anxiety.
Business Interests Solid for Mckinley.
Now. however. the opinion is expressed
by well-informed republicans that there Is
no reason to doubt that the business in
terests will be about as soldly behind Nc
Kinley in this election as they were in SO.
and that. therefore there is every reason
for confidence in the result 1t is suggested
that Bryan's declaration in his Indianapolis
speech that militariSm means the building
of fort near each large city, so as TO use
the army to suppress discomfort among the
laboring people. will make bad impression
conservative
try and will still further excite the distrust
of the business men, who will interpret 1t
bid for the support of the elements OF
disorder. The prediction is made that
Bryan will, before the campaign is over.
throw aside all stimulation of conservatism,
becoming more and more aggressive and
extreme in expressions and attempts to ex-
cite popular feeling as the campaign ad-
vances and he realizes that ii is impossible
for him to win the confidence of the busi-
ness men by any method he may employ.
The republicans believe that this Indian
apolis speech of Bryan's is going to infiu-
ence many who were still in doubt to sup
port Mckinley.
Much That is Perplexins.
There is much in the general political sit
uation that is perplexing TO the politicians
of both parties. Some republicans of ordi-
nariIy good Judgment express apprehension
about conditions in this locality or that
which might endanger the election, while
and of quite as wide experience declare
without reserve that the situation is much
more satisfactory from q republican point
of view than ii was in SO. Among demo-
Gratis possessing good general information
there is a similar divergence of opinion,
with perhaps little wider extreme Some
are just sailing on clouds of confidence, with
rose colors all around them, while others
who have been carefully studying the cam
vasS say that they do not see how the
great odds against Bryan can be overcome.
This wide divergence of opinion is signif-
cant In that it is among men of good 1udg-
ment and standing and is based on honest
conviction and expressed under conditions
which insure frankness. The unavoidable
inference is that the conditions are unusual
and do not admit of the ordinary methods
or calculation. 1t indicates, moreover, that
there Is enough uncertainty felt to insure
a continuance of the most determined er-
fort on both sides.
Better Feeling Among Republicans
1t is generally admitted that there is a
better feeling among republicans every
where than there was even week ago,
and that the more familiar the republican
managers become with the sentiment of all
localities concerning which they were more
or less uncertain at first the more firm are
their expressions of confidence Several
things which disturbed them somewhat
have been cleared away, it is said and
every day come fresh assurances that
claims of republican disaffection set up by
democrats are without foundatio 1t has
been taken as a postulate that Bryan'S
election could be brought about only by a
tidal wave or some sort of unaccOuntable
upheaval and disturbance of conditions.
The republicans have devoted themselves
with much care to the study of the situa-
ton to determine whether there are any
signs of such unusual disturbance. The
result of their most careful research, 1t is
said. has been that they find normal con-
ditions of public sentiment and absolutely
nothing upon which to predicate the opin-
ion that a landslide, a tidal wave or any
thing Of that sort is threatened. With
normal conditions existing, it is not
how Bryan can hope to carry any one OF
the states whose electoral votes would be
necessary to secure his election. This to
the average republican mind seems con-
elusive, though democrats do not accept II.
Republican confidence is based on the
knowledge of the general attitude of the
great business interests OF the country, the
belief that no great change of sentiment is
indicated in those states whose votes will
decide the election, and that without very
great change amounting to revolution OF
sentiment Bryan cannot hold even as
many electoral votes as he had in SO.
Democratic Assumption.
The democratic calculations are based
upon the assumption that there has been
such revolution in public sentiment that
the great Mckinley majorities of SO cannot
be taken into account in figuring on this
election, and that Bryan can carry. New
York and Indiana and Illinois, and perhaps
Ohio or most any other state whose vote
may be necessary to the election OF the
democratic ticket. The republican response
to this is that If such an overwhelming
anti-adminstration sentiment exists there
ought to be some unmistakable evidence OF
ii.
Movements of Naval Vessels.
The training ship Hartford sailed this
morning from Havre for Lisbon.
The collier Nero has been placed In COM