Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-27
Republicans Expect Landslide Sim
liar to 1894.
RICH'S PLURALITY WAS 100000
The Democrats Are Practically
Without Any Organization.
MR.. D1CKIN SONS NOTE

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, October 25, 1900.
Unless all the signs fail and some Of the
most astute politicians in the state are
at fault. the coming election will be almost
| as much Of a landslide as that Of six years
| ago, when Governor Rich received a plu-
rality Of 100000. The republican managers
| are not giving out estimates as yet. but
they modestly say that the Mckinley ma
| 5ority will be better than $1,000. and let
| it go at that. 1t is known, however, that
the reports from canvasses and polls are
Of the most dattering character and por-
tend majority much larger than they tell
the public Is coming. These reports are
uniformly to the effect that nobody can be
found who voted for Mckinley four years
ago that is going back him now,
while the Mckinley ranks are receiving
| many accessions from the silver republic
cans of four years ago, from the populists
and from the democracy itself. These ac-
cessions are particularly numerous in the
rural districts, but in the cities not so
much is heard, as there is well-developed
disposition on the part of the Bryanite
rank and file to keep their views to them
selves
The republicans are now more concerned
in getting out the vote than in active cam
paigning. From the state headquarters let
tiers have been sent to leading and active
party men in every voting precinct In the
state urging that special attention be paid
to get every voter to the polls. Numerous
replies are being received to these letters,
and it is believed. regardless of weather,
the republican vote will be the largest on
record.
Democrats Without Organization.
The democrats, under the leadership of
Dan ]. Campau. are making the best cam
paign that is possible under the circum-
stances The party, however, is without
| organization without funds and totally
without enthusiasm. Mr.. Campau issues
| numerous bulletins and addresses. painting
the prospects in the most glowing colors,
but when it comes down to facts ana
| figures 1t cannot be aScertained that he has
any other basis for his claims than that
hope which springs eternal. The party has
| made no canVaSses, and whatever claim
may be put out is pure guess work. In sew
eral of the counties not even a county
committee exists and in some no nominal
tons have been made for county ohlcers.
| In all but three or four of the congress
sional districts the campaign has collapsed
completely, and in the possibl y doubtful
districts the state organization has not the
funds available for a vigorous fight The
state committee has received very little
assistance from the national committee,
and has been dependent for oratorical tai
ent upon the home product, which with the
sound money element eliminated is not very
high grade. The only out of the state
speakers, except Bryan, have been Senator
Wellington, Gen. Jas. B. Weaver, Webster
Davis and one speech from Bourke Cock
ran. Such talent as this. except Cochran,
is not very well designed to arouse the en-
thusiasm of the old-time democrats and
bring them back into the fold.
| The most interesting political event of the
| past week was the statement of Don NJ.
| Dickinson Mr.. Dickinson has not the
widespread influence in Michigan that his
name carries in some other parts Of the
country, but his address will undoubtedly
confirm many a sound money democrat in
| his determination to vote once more against
Organism.
DR.. JOhnsOn's Statement.
Another significant public statement was
that which DR.. G. X. Johnson Of this city
made a day or two later. DR.. Johnson has
been a practicing physician in this city for
a half century and has always been a dem
ocrat whose influence has been counted Of
much weight. Four years ago he was a
sound money democrat. Early in the pres
ent campaign he made a public statement
to the effect that he considered imperial
! ism the paramount issue, and utterly disa-
| greeting with the Mckinley policy, he would
cast his ballot for Bryan. This week DR..
johnson comes out with another public
| statement, in which he says that, while
| Imperialism is still most serious menace
to the safety Of the republic, yet domestic
| issues have developed which completely
| overshadow it. He considers Organism a
much greater menace than Imperialism, and
| one that demands immediate action, and
| two weeks before election he has decided
| that public duty demands that his vote
shall 60 to Mckinley; Dr. Johnsons sec
| ond statement Is highly significant, as
| showing the process of reasoning which
| many sound money democrats of four years
| ago are following.
| The election of a legislature Is Of unusual
| Importance this year. inasmuch as the new
| legislature will elect successor to Senator
| James Mcmillan, and will also reapportton
the state into congressional, legislative and
| senatorial districts. The old legislature
| stands on joint ballot 119 republicans and
| thirteen democrats.
| The democrats are limiting darkly of the
great gains they will make in the legisla-
| ture, and the republicans, especially, the
more conservative, are rather inclined to
| nope that they are right. The republicans
| however, see their way clear to eighty
| votes on joint ballot beyond question and
| are confident that the republicans will have
| considerable moro than that. The party
| managers do not want the legislature all
| one way, however, as a good live and fairly
strong minority is better for all Concerned
| II the legislature is republican, as it no
| doubt will be, Senator Mcmillan will be re-
| elected without opposition.
| The Congregational Canyass
The congressional nominations have now
all been made. the republicans completing
| their list with the nomination of John B.
Corliss and the democrats naming Rufus
| ]. Jacklin to make the run against him.
Corliss will probably be reelected, with a
plurality OF 1000 or more. Henry C.
| Smiths district-the second-which was
looked upon as doubtful. is now placed in
| the sure column. The Rev Washington
| Gardner Of the third, candidate for re-elec-
| ton, is said to be having trouble This Is
a prohibition stronghold, and the prohibit
! tlonists have candidate of their own in
| the field, and are making an aggressive
campaign. His opponent also is member
| OF the Maccabees, an order that is very
strong in the district, and he is paying par
| ticular attention to the Maccabee vote The
| district is the one Senator Burrows repre-
sented for so many years, and used to be
accounted one Of the most reliably republi-
| can districts in the state. The other dis
| tricts are counted certain for the republf-
cans by ma1orities ranging all the way from
1,5OO to $4,000. the latter being the upper
peninsular district.
| Sweet Fish.
! rom he nfo