The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-03
GAINS MADE IN The EAST
BRYAN Rapidly Making New Friends
in the West.
The VIEWS OF A VETERAN REPUBLICAN,
Bryan Stronger Now Than at This Tine in go;
Mckinley Weaker. Indiana Virtually
Won; Illinois Hopeful. Irflu-
anca Of Baltimore Sun.
ence Of Baltimore Sun.

(Special to the News and Observer
washington. October democrats are
in the best of spirits. They see victory
ahead. The signs of the times are in
creasingly propitious. And this fact is
true of nearly every point of the COM
pass. But it is no Alnascar dream in
which they indulge only to be rudely
awakened on the 9th of November. For
they have reasons for their faith and
they likewise show their faith by their
works. The Democratic headquarters
here-the Congressional, I mean. of
course, since the other is in Chcago-ev-
idence the greatest possible amount of
industry and wide-awake zeal. Every
now and then Chairman Jones OF the
National Committee runs in to feel the
pulse of the machine, or Chairman Rich
ardson, of the Congressional Committee,
goes North to do the same for the other
machine.
In New York Mr. Hill and Mr.. Croker
are at work with their sleeves rolled up,
while in the great Western field Mr..
Bryan is rapidly making new friends
while encouraging the old ones with his
magnetic voice and statesmanlike views.
He is considered here, by Republicans as
well as Democrats, to be the most remark
able instance in American politics OF per-
tinacity and endurance. Nothing tires,
nothing discourages, nothing daunts him.
One of his admirers is the correspondent
Of leading Republican paper in the East,
a man of great ability and knowledge OF
public men. He said to me once: "Mr.
Bryan casts a spell over his auditors.
am said to be as cold and undemonstra-
tive rs any man i'll our business. but l
have never been able to resist his fascina-
tions. have heard him a great number
of times and always with supreme inter-
est"
Those who used to rate him as mere
talker now admit that he wears better
than any mere talker could
Taking glance over the national field,
this gentleman remarked to me the other
day:
bryan is stronger than he was at this
time in the 1896 campaign. Mckinley is
weaker. What may take place few days
or few weeks later l cannot forecast.
Here is the opinion of one of the veter-
ans-of one who has sized up situations
for more than two score years, and whose
Republicanism and personal liking of the
President are guarantees of his impair
TALLY in rendering this judgment. | give
it as a fair type of the disinterested opin-
Aon one may find at the present stage OF
the campaign, but may not discover al
all at later day when the field is OBJ
scured and claims On both sides are vocif-
erous in proportion as they are made in
the heat OF doubtful conflict
Bryan is gaining in the East-in New
York, Connecticut New Jersey, Maryland
and West Virginia, and this despite rail-
way operatives vote in Maryland and
West Virginia. Another source of Repub-
lican hope in the former State is in the
old organization of the gold Democrats in
Baltimore. 1t is true the men who led in
the revolt there against the party in 1896
being publicly committed to Mckinley
have not changed their position, but thou
sands of those who were their followers
have gone back to the party. The return
to the party fold of the Baltimore Sun
will be worth seven or eight thousand