Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-29
THE ONLY STATE WHERE
DOUBT AS 70 COMING ELEc-
,TIoN EXISTS.
SECTIONAL P0LITIC S
Though the Lines Between Democrat
ic and Republican Districts Have Be.
come So Plainly Marked MaryIand's
Situation is Still Questionable.

Washington, d. c.. Sept. 25.--It is
an extraordinary fact that in all the
states in the union which have elections
this autumn there is apparently only
one in which the result is at all in
doubt and that is Maryland. Every
body seems to know which party will
be successful in Ohio. in Massachu-
sets, in Iowa and in Kentucky; they
would know just about as well as if the
states We're voting in November instead
of few. In other words, politics
have reached condition of equilibri-
UNI. Republican states are going re-
publican and democratic states are 60
ing democratic as never before.
MaryIand's Situation.
The disturbed region along the
border between north and south has
taken on alignments. Kentucky has
gone over to the democrats; it had but
solitary republican in it's congression-
al delegation and he died few days
ago. West Virginia has almost entire
ly gone over to the republicans, max
ing it's alliance with Pennsylvania and
the manufacturing states Of the north.
Tennessee, Virginia and North Caro-
lima, which ten years ago gave evidence
of political upheaval are now as Sc
curely democratic as Texas. Della
ware has responded to new local con-
ditions and is republican. Maryland
alone remains unclassifled. Its pres
ent governor is democrat. as was its
last legislature by majority of fifteen
on joint ballot. Its latest elected sen.
ator, Mr.. German, is a democrat OF
its six congressional districts, howev
er, four are republican while on the
presidential ballot; last time Mckinley
electors had 51.49 per cent of the
total vote. This represents mixed
condition which entities the state te
be called close.
Sectional Lines Marked.
In spite of the current illusions of
close districts and doubtful states, it
is extraordinary how few there are of
them in proportion to the total in any
election, and especially has this been
SO far the9las four years. In munich
pal elections, where people vote more
independently, there is a better chance
for the pendulum to swing, but, our
other elections are moving with few
sensational changes.
| One thing which doubtless contrib.
utes to this result is the sectional
character of the present day party di
visions. Since the south is democrat
ic on sectional issues, the country, il
1t is to be republican, must have the
support of an almost solid north. The
democratic membership of the incom
ing congress consists Of the delega
tons of the southern states, with
practical solidity, representatives from
| the larger cities, and an occasional
product of peculiar local conditions
1t is much to be regretted that party
issues have assumed geographical
Hines, but the cause which makes the
smaller section solid on one side can
not fail to have a great influence II
keeping the opposite section solid or
the other. A divided south would
soon be followed by much more di
vided north. This is something which
the agitators of the white supremacy
issue seem to lose sight of.