The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-11-05
DEMOCRATS HOPEFUL OF VICTORY.

| DEMOCRATS HOPEFUL OF VICTORY.
Claims Made That They Will Con-
tro! House and Elect Governor
of New York.
Washington, Nov 3.-Judge Gr1ggs
saws the democrats are bound to WIN.
that Coier will be elected Governor OF
New York by %, coo majority and that
the democrats will have majority
OF 1e5 members in the House. Mr..
|Griggs has Just returned from New
York and believes he left everything
there ripe for victory. That the Presl-
dent is exceedingly anxious is evidence
| BY his somewhat unprecedented utter
ance issued from she White House
lust before he left the city. He in
structed Secretary Cortelyou to say,
aThe President is watching with
keenest interest and most earnest
desire for. Republican success the
various Congress canyasses and those
State canvasses in States like New
YORK and Pennsylvania where Cover
nors are to be elected" Such state
ment from the President Of the Unit
ed Safes is so unusual that it can only
be Interpreted as meaning that he is
extremely anxious over the result ana
desires to inject into the campaign
all of his personal popularity and spirit
possible. There is no question out
that the republicans are thoroughly
demoralized in many sections and 1t
will not be surprising If they fail to
Doll anything like the vote they an
ticipate.
Chairman Griggs talked recently of
the results to be obtained by a thor
oueh revision of the tariff. He pointed
out that Americans pay just double
what other people pay for their a:
lead pencils because Of the high tariff
on them. The price Of American
graphite pencils, to the trade, is s.. 70
per gross while they are sold to the
foreign trade for s2.25. The pencil
trade of the United States is supplied
by lust four firms which are so protect
ed By the present tariff that competition
is impossible and they are charging
American consumers nearly double
what they charge the foreigner.
There have been many remarkable
features about the campaign just closed.
The President and members OF the
Cabinet have been. most positive IN
their promises Of reforms which tie
real leaders of the party oppose and
oppose vigorously. Mr.. Moody has,
on several occasions, promised the
Immediate repeal Of the duty on an
thracite coal, while Hanna, Aldrich,
Allison, ct al, have protested that
there must be no change in the sacred
tariff schedules. Attorney General
Knox has been promising the people
that there would be additional legis-
lation looking to the control OF the
trusts. The real leaders have ssaid,
half heartedly, that there would be
change in present statutes If 1t was
demonstrated that such change was
necessary, but Mr.. Knox says un-.
aualihedly that such change is neces-
sary and points out the instances
where he has been unable to prosecute
trusts because of the inadequacy Of
the law. The President has caused it
to be made known that he intends
to recommend bipartisan board to
consider tariff revision while Senator
Hanna has assured the people they
must stand pat'' and not permit any
schedule to be revised. The Minnesota
republicans have promised sweeping
tariff reform and the eastern repuo-
licans have urged the reelection OF the
party because such reelection would
prevent tariff reofrm.
The democrats, however, have gdher-
ed to one issue and that is tariff reyl-
sion. They believe that the infant IN
dustries have been, nursed into trusts
by the tariff and they are anxious to
reduce that tariff in the interest Of the
consumers. Mr.. Bryan and Mr..
Cleveland and Nh. Hill, all the ablest
men in the party In fact, have stated
the issue to be the same and have
emphasized the necessity Of tariff re-
duction for the welfare of the country.
That the people have not heard the
last ef the tariff or of the trusts is evi-
dent on all sides and that they demand
soms steps towards their relief is equal
" evident. That many persons Will
vote for the republican candidates
with the belief that they will effect
the desired ends is doubtless the case,
but those voters will have an oppor-
tunity to see that no republican vote
is ever cast against the interests OF the
trusts and the capitalists.
The grave apprehension is felt in
administration circles over the state
ment which President Baer made to
the Anthracite Coal Strike Commls-
sion, that there were numerous opera
tors in the anthracite field who were
not committed to the arbitration pro-
ceedings and who were not even con-
suited in the negotiations preliminary
thereto. We're it not for the fact that
the election is so close and that SO
much hinged on the belief that the
coal strike was settled for three years,
it is more than probable that the
President would have communicated
with Mr.. Baer and asked him what