Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-04
TREND OF SENTIMENT
How It Will Be Indicated in
the Elections.
QUESTIONS INVOLVED
ISSUES OF 1904 WILL BE DETER
MINED.
Mr.. George A. Benham Sums Up His
look Throughout the Country.


Mr.. George A. Benham of Cortland, New
York, well-known writer on political and
economic questions, sums up his obserVa-
tons on the election today as follows:
I'm many respects the election will be the
most important and far reaching in the his
tory of the country. 1t will follow great
educa tional campaign covering six or seven
years, In which the great questions of tariff
and currency have been most thoroughly
and intelligently discussed through the press
and on the stump. Again, the country has
just passed important phase in respect
to the policy of expansion. and the next
election will indicate the trend of public
sentiment on the questions of tariff and
finance, as well as on the subject of eXpan-
sion. The tariff question naturally includes
that of sound money, for a revision of the
tariff by either party, Will vitality affect the
question of finance-and power given to the
democrats to revise the tariff will also be
employed to effect the free coinage of silver
at 16 to l.
Therefore, the result of this election will
determine in a large measure the issues or
1904 A democratic victory this year will let
down the bars for tariff reform, and incl
dentally of currency legislation, and the
tariff will be the great issue from now until
1904 A republican victory, on the other
hand, will probably eliminate the tariff ques-
ton from politics and compel the democrats
to seek new issue in 1904. The question of
expansion will remain open one, at least
until the. Philippines government is perma-
nently esta bished.
AS to Governmental Policies.
This election Will indicate the trend of
public sentiment in reference to the policies
of the government toward industrial and
commercial development, and such senti-
ments will reflect the normal mental growth
of the people. For several years past the
country has enjoyed a great degree of pros
perty, so that the people are. as general
thing, in a happy and cOntented state of
mind and there are no conditions which
produce feverish unrest and disturb the nor
NAL state of the mind and incline 1t toward
hasty or unwise ction. The people Will not
be swayed toward one party or the other,
or led to vote for some project that prom
Uses better times they would III time or
industrial depression or under unusual po-
litical excitement The national pulse is
strong, yet perfectly normal and all the eff
forts of political parties seem futile to dis
turb that condition. Therefore. We may ex-
pect to read in the verdict of the people the
normal and true sentiments of the people in
relation to the political issues of the tine.
In that verdict we can determine pretty
closely whether the people have acquired
settled views upon the great economic cues
tons of the time. or whether they are liable
to vacillate between one line of policy and
another.
Many Local Fights.
''In view of the great number of local is
suies in the campaign, it would seem almost
impossible for the people to vote with
single purpose upon the great questions of
national policy, for the side fights in many
states tend to divert the minds of the peo-
pie from national to state issues. In Cali
for i,,rt }h1rr hoy "a o
tional row incident to the turning down of
Governor Gage for reelection. The noun
tain states seem to be threshing over the
silver question. Kansas and Nebraska seem
to be agitated more over the merits OF men
than of things. Iowa Is agitated over the
question of how to reform the tariff and
yet maintain it. Minnesota seems to be hold
ing pretty closely to the national issues.
Wisconsin is torn out over the old fight De
tween La Toilette and Spooner. and state
issues are pitted against national issues in
the republican ring Illinois has a regular
mena gerie with Senator Mason as the white
elephant. in a state of active war against
the mana gers of the show. Michigan has
fight of some interest over local issues, and
is holly in favor of the election of Gen.
Alger to the Senate. Ohio has a code bi!i
national issues. West Virginia Is having
clean fight on national issues, and the same
might be said of Maryland. But Indiana
seems to have the most clean-cut fight
sauarely on national issues and centering
about the merits of Senator Fairbanks, OF
any other state.
New York the Great Battlefield.
But the great battle ground of the
Union, and the most important one from a
national standpoint, is New York. The cleo
ton in that state will be the most impor
tant of all: 1t will turn the scale in favor of
President Roosevelt, as it did when he was
candidate for governor in 1889. AS New
York goes so goes the Union This maxim
will retain it's force in the election of 1894,
provided the silver question is eliminated as
a national issue New York has always
been considered a doubtful state, and
as pivotal one in a presidential year with
a tendency toward the democratic party.
But the money question has turned the tide
in favor of the republican party. Under the
| leadership of Senator Plat, the empire
| state republicans have always stood as a
| rock of Gibraltar for sound money, while
| western republicans were wavering, or ready
| to do something for silver in order to
| gain votes. The firm attitude of the New
| York republicans has held the party of the
nation to its firm moorngS the money
| question. A victory for the republican par
| ty in New York tomorrow will be regis
| tered in favor of sound money, not for the
| tariff: for such victory will be won by the
| aid of the great financial interests of the
state, regardless of the tariff issue. And if
| New York stands firm for sound money
| now, that matter viii be largely eliminated
| from politics, leaving the tariff still open
| to discussion.
| Optimism on the part of the masses may
| block the way to republican success. The
| weather will cut an important figure in the
| election. Look up the forecast for New
| York tomorrow, then add ten thousand to
either side of the political ledger-for the
| republicans if fair weather prevails. to the
| democrats if the weather is cold or buster
| ing. We have bad climate in the western
| and northern sections of the state, owing
to the influence Of the great lakes, and, as
| we are dependent largely upon the farmer
| vote, usually rock-ribbed for the republican
| party. it is very difficult to get. out this
F! vote on nasty, rainy or snowy day. But
| there is no doubt of the election of Gov.
| OdelI, of legislature that will return
| Senator Platt to Washington, and of all Of
| the republican congressman. Gov. Odell,
| strong. solid and invincible with the people
| and the financial and Industrial interests,
| will pull the whole ticket through by a
| safe margin, but the interesting question
| will be as to the size of the majority.
Il