Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-21

who are ambitious for party preferment,
and who find that the republican ranks are
pretty well crowded. are ready to support
Bryan They are accustomed to getting
their names in the newspapers. and their
repentance and return to the Bryan sheep
fold is noiSier than the announced determl-
nation of the business element OF gold dem
ocrats which intends to support Mckinley.
The ratio between the two classes Is yet
undetermined. Most of the politicians whom
l have asked give their opinion that they
will split about evenly.
The German Vote.
Another factor on which the democrats
count is the German vote, on the issue-so-
called-of imperialism. Some Of the repub-
lican local leaders who are of conservative
judgment have told me that they do not
expect the German vote will be with them
as solidly as it was four years ago, but
they say they have not yet seen the evil
dences of landslide or wholesale defec-
ton. The antipathy of the Germans to
Bryan because Of his money vagaries Is
intense in this section and 1t is the opinion
of politicians in both parties that this Is
helping to keep the majority of the Ger
man voters in Cleveland and vicinity in
line with the republicans, though they are
admittedly dissatisfied with the national ad-
ministration on other points, and are say
ing so quite loudly.
Northern Ohio has some influential Ger
mans who are like Carl Schurz In that they
find it difficult to support the same party
in two consecutive national elections. Some
of these have come out against Mckinney
on the alleged ground of Imperialism.
though they have not pronounced in favor
of Bryan. Most of them whose names
have been given me are not what Is known
as straight-out German republicans In
fact they were converts who came four
wears ago from the democracy because OF
its capture as an organization by the Bry-
antics AS to the final alignment OF the
Germans. nobody is able TO guess Win GER
tainty at this time
The republican factions in Ohio are dwell
ing in a passable state of unity and GOOD
will toward the national ticket. while Keep
ing their own QuarrelS in the background
This is usually the case in presidential
years. They bury the Ratchet with the
handles above ground, so that these tools
of political warfare are dug up easily IN me
off years. but in the national campaign
there is no desire to use them. Little irri-
tation Is now shown against Senator Han
mas methods. This is in striking contrast
to the ill-feeling which was rampant
year ago, and which threatened to impair
his power and weaken the party. One cause
of the better feeling which now prevails Is
said to be the senator's course In Fronting
tuting Cancellation for bulldozing. Any
how whatever the cause. the Ohio repub-
licans are harmonious and aggressive
No change in party strength In Congress
is likely to be brought about in the Cleve-
land districts. The two city districts will
surely elect republicans. Representative
Thomas E. Burton. the chairman OF the
river and harbor committee, apparently mas
got in touch with the national administra-
ton on the Nicaragua canal question. and
the disputes of patronage which were pre-
dicted between Senator Hanna and him
have not occurred. In the twentieth dis
trict, part of which adjofns Cleveland the
effort was made to have an Independent re-
publican candidate for Congress. because
Judge Phillips the sitting member. was
iockeyed out of the nomina ton for second
term. This is the district from which the
son of President Garfield wants to go to
Congress. though he will have to wait for
the fulfillment of his ambition. In the pres
emit circumstances an independent republic
can would not be able to defeat the regular
candidate and there is no reason to look
for democratic gain.
CHARLES NJ PEPPER.