The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-17
IS ILLINOIS FOR BRYAN?
Editorial Correspondence


chicago, ILL.,, Oct. 15.-If Bryan fails
to carry Illinois, there is nothing il
political signs. Everything points IL
his receiving the greatest majority
ever given to candidate in Cook coun.
ty. In 1896 McKinley's majority in
Cook county was 1867. This yeal
the Republicans do not expect to carry
it at all. The most they hope to do is
to break even" The Democrats on
the other hand talk about a majority
for Bryan of from 10000 to 10000. All
surface indications point to sweeping
Democratic victory in this county,
enough to overcome any reasonable
majority the counties outside of COOK
might give to Mckinley. In 1896 there
were $4,000 gold Democrats in tins
State. and every one voted for Mckin-
lev except $3.50 who voted for Palmer
and Buckner. Nearly all of these gold
Democrats are back now in party lines
and are supporting Bryan. That vote
a =
The tremendous Republican ma ior-
ity here four years ago was not hon
est. At that time there was a Repub-
lican mayor of this city and there
were dishonest election officers. This
year there is a fearless Democratic
mayor and the election officers have
been chosen with reference to their
honesty and their reliability. These
two facts alone are believed to be
worth $4,000 votes in Chicago. There
are many other sources of strength
this year that the Democrats did not
have in 1896 Then there was a scare
among small business men that his
election might injure them. This year
they see that their danger is in Icing
driven out of business by the trusts
and the large combinations. So far
as the ''scare racket" works with them,
it helps Bryan.
Then the Germans nearly all vot-
ed for Mckinley because they believe
in the gold standard Today many
how many nobody knows-are strong
er against Mckinley on Imperialism
than they were against Bryan in 1896
on free silver. Last night there was
great meeting of Germans held here IN
the interest of Bryan. 1t was one OF
the most significant meetings yet held
in this campaign. There was not
word of English used in the meeting
The presiding officer and all the
speakers used the German language
and all except one had been strong
Republicans up to the time when the
question of Imperialism became the
paramount issue. They are now
among Bryan's most earnest support
ers. They say that the number OF
German Republicans who will vote Tor
Bryan will surprise the political lead
er. Certainly if this meeting is any
index of the German sentiment here.
the Republicans may prepare to lose
Illinois. The irish as rule
are Democrats. but since Blaine's
campaign there has been large con-
tingent of Republican lrishmen
in all the great cities. In 1876
there were $4,000 who voted for
Mckinley. This year of that $4,000, at
least 10000 are expected to vote for
Bryan. 1t may embrace even more for
the hostility of the Irish as Il race to
the Republican party is greater than
ever since the subservience of the Nc
Kinley administration to Mckinley.
There are something like 5000 Hol-
landers here. No people have been so
solidly Republicans as the HOllanders.
They are now in open antagonism to
the Republicans because of their at
titude in the Boer war and will vote
almost solidly for Bryan. There are
over $4,000 Hebrew voters here. Near
ly all of them voted for Mckinley. but
this year it is believed most of them
will vote for Bryan. 1t is certain that
most of them will vote for Samuel
Auschuler, the Democratic candidate
for Governor. who is a German Jew. a
singularly clean and able man. He has
been a member of the Legislature sew
eral times and was the leader in oppo-
sition to the steals and jobs that
brought down the wrath of the people
upon the Illinois Legislature.
But-and upon their vote rests the
question of success-the labor vote is
the vote the Democrats chiefly RELY
upon to carry this county and State.
That is the largest vote. the most COM
pact vote and therefore it will be large
ly decisive. In 1896 at least seventy-five
per cent of the organized labor vote
went to Mckinley. The Democrats
honestly believe this year that of this
vote they will get not less than 90 per
cent. This sounds like an unreason-
able gain but local conditions have
been such that the Democrats say
they will get this vote practically
solid. If so, the big figures they talk
about will be realities on the night
after the election. Can they hold this
vote? When Bryan and Roosevelt
spoke here on Labor Day, Roosevelt
hardly got a cheer at all, and none
from members of the labor unions.
Bryan had 95 per cent. of the crowd
and the realization that the labor vote
was lost to them gave the Republicans
the ''shivers." There is no doubt Bryan
spoke the truth when he said in his
speech at Salem:
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