Evening star., 1900-10-11
MAY LOSE ELEVENTH
Republicans Uneasy in This Pennsyl-
vania District.
AFFECTED BY STRIKE SITUATION
Mr.. ConneII, the Candidate, is a
Mine 0 operator.
WILL NOT AFFECT M'KINLEY
Special From a staff Correspondent.

Special From a staff Correspondent.
SCRANTON. Pa. October 11.-While the
managers of the republican congressional
campaign have been laying their plans to
capture several congressional districts in
PENNSYLVANIA this fall. it develops that
there are chances of their losing one.
The eleventh district. which has been rep
resented for four years in the House by Mr.
ConneI republican, appears to be in dan
ger Conservative republicans in this city
say that unless a favorable turn In the
strike situation is taken before next week
II will be impossible to save the district. If
industrial conditions resume their normal
status there is possibility of winning out
in the congressional fight.
The democratic managers assert that the
damage has already been done and that
nothing will save Mr. Connel now. They
are confident that the district will 60
democratic on the congressional ticket. al
though they are not betting large sums on
Bryan carrying Schuylkill county.
There are two reasons why Mr.. Connel
is having hard shedding this fall The first
q, is that he is mine operator himself, an
employer of labor on a large scale. The
second is that there Is a bitter factional
fight on in the republican party and an In
dependent republican congressional ticket
is in the field.
Four wears ago Mr. Connell was elected
10 Congress by a plurality of nearly 5000
That was a presidential year. OF course
and the republican ticket went through
with a boom. Two years later Mr. Con-
nelrs plurality was cut down 10 15i3 with
6Oi socialist and labor votes against him
to boot
Mr.. Connel1 is Confident.
Mr. Connell himself is very confident of
reelection and tells his friends TO have no
fears OF the result. But some of his asso-
ciates say there is wide disaffection among
the republican laboring men. This is said
, to exist In the very stronghold of republ-
canism in the district. among the Welsh
mining classes The Welshmen have been
the backbone of the party for years, stand
ing out almost soldly against the Irish and
Germans who are democrats in large meas
ure.
1t is claimed that the miners are bitterly
incensed against Mr.. Connell, because he,
as an operator and mine owner, made no
attempt TO settle the strike and gave no
heed to the grievances of the men 1t is
asserted that they are determined TO re-
buke him If they can
At no place in the anthracite region has
the strike been more complete than in LAX
aWanna county, which comprises this con-
gressonal district. There are many large
collierles in the section. employing many
thousand men. and the mines are shut
down entirely. The men entered into the
strike with zest which indicated q wide
spread belief In their grievances. although
tne older heads advised against 1t, having
little confidence in redressing their wrongs
b. that means.
The success Of the strike. however. has
vindicated the radicals and emboldened
others TO take sides more vigorously with
the projectors OF the movement.
The result has been to bring into disfavor
all who were opposing the strikers and call
down the opprobrium of the men upon the
leaders among the operators and mine own
ers. 1t is not in evidence that the demo-
cratic politicians have taken hand in the
fomenting the agitation against the mine
owners, but the trouble seems to have origi-
mated among the men.
Politicians Shy of the Strike.
Here as elsewhere. the politicians have
fought shy of the strike, up to this time,
although II is perfectly apparent that each
party stands ready TO take whatever ad-
vantage OF the strike 1t may be able as
soon as the situation renders 1t safe to
do so.
The first indication of this that / have
seen since l came into this region cropped
out In a republican newspaper this morn
ing. In Luzerne county. In an interview
with the famous Father Phillips, who fig
ured prominently in efforts TO prevent
strike, this question was asked:
do you believe that the mediation of
Mark Hanna the chairman of the republi-
can committee was In very large sense
responsible for the conciliatory attitude OF
the OperatOrs?'
The answer quoted is as follows:
Eyes, beyond doubt. | regard this as
very fortunate for the public at large, for
II gives such statesmen as Mark Hanna an
opportunity to exercise heir patriotism in
practical politics in way that will promote
the general good
This pretty nearly threw some OF the re-
publican managers into fit. If there is
anything they don't want II is to connect
q the republican party with the strike al this
critical stage of the game.
1t is a little difficult to ascertain what
effect the split in the republican ranks and
the nomination of an independent candi-
date Mr.. F. NJ. Spencer will have upon
Mr.. COnnelHs prospects. The feud has eX-
listed for long time, but this open rup-
ture with another candidate in the field,
may lose the party ticket some votes.
The Democratic Candidate.
The democratic candidate, Mr. NJ. F.
Conry. is popular young Irishman. He
is a good talker bright. and is president
OF the Ancient Order of Hibernians. This
means 81 good deal In this neck of woods.
The democrats have left off their tradi-
tional custom Of fighting one another and
are joining hearts and hands in a good old
time scrimmage with the republicans. The
gold democrats, many there are Of
them, are in the van of the fighting.
1t Is explained by conservative repub-
of losing the district on the congressional
ticket the same situation does not apply
to the national ticket. 1t Is said that the
WelShmen who are embtttered against Mr.
Connell will have none of Bryan and that
the county will go for Mckinley, as 1t did
four years ago. N O. NJ