The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-24
SPLIT IN WISCONSIN
DEMOCRATS HAVE OPPORTUNITY
 TO CARRY THE STATE.
Serious Fractional Warfare Rnges Tn the Republican Party-Cleveiand
 Carried the State In 1892
 by $500 Majority.

Washington. May 23.-(Special. )-- For fen years until now it has looked as though the Democratic party hao entirely disappeared from the great Middle Northern State of Wisconsin Even if there were no, serious ractloh- al war raging between hepupicahs' the Democrats of the State have Tor Inc mast twelve months and more been making ready to do aggressive battle. The outlook now, unless most extra ordinary and improbable things occur among Wisconsin Democrats assures them a decided victory next Novem- Der.
 The Republicans are split wider apart, according to all accounts, than has ever happened to their party Tn any State, and the factions are so near ly equal in strength that Democratic success ought to be easy. It Is true Mc- Kinley carried the State by over l0O,- oOO votes. both in 1896 and 1900. but that wGs when the Democrats were virtually divided on the money ques- tion. Cleveland carried the State in 1892 bv A plurality of 6.544, after hav- ing lost 1t in 1888 by 21,321. Condi- tions in both elections were fairly nor nal with both parties as to unity ana harmony.
 With the election of Cleveland in 1892. the Democrats elected to the Fifty-third Congress five out of eleven representatives, and Wisconsin was represented in the United States Sem ate by two Democrats, William F. Vt- las and John L. Mitchell. The Demo- cratic members of the House who were elected to that Congress were George II. Brickner, Charles Barwig, Thomas Lynch. Peter J. Somers and owen A. Wells. In the Ffty-sccond Congress. xuh State was then entitled the Democrats had eight-Clinton Babbitt A. B. Bush nell George H. Brickner. Frank F. Co., burn, Thomas Lynch, Charles Barwig, John L. Mitchell and Lucas M. Miller In 1894 the Democrats throughout the country became badly divided on | the silver question. That year not g. Democrat was elected to the Fifty | fourth Congress from Wisconsin. Wis., consin always had a large percentage of foreign-bor citizenship, who could never be brought to consider any oth- CT than the single gold standard for money It was therefore out of the question to hope to carry the State on sixteen-to-one free silver platform. Democrats in Wisconsin. following such leaders as Villas and Mitchell, and those who had represented the State in the House either for the most part stayed aL nome m Jo anu AoVV UT NOt~ ed in swarms for Mckinley. Now that there is hope among them that the party will be united at St. Louis and platform adopted which will ignore the old declarations which defeated the party in the last two presidential elec- tIons Wisconsin Democrats have ral- lied as they have not done in more than a decade. The chances are excel lent for sweeping the State, electtng majority of the eleven congressman and carrying on the tide the electoral ticket.
 The singular situation Is presented in the Republican dissensions in the State of the Governors faction having ar- rayed against it both the senators and all of the Republican congressman, ono of whom, Samuel A. Cook, Is the can didate of the anti-La Toilette faction. It is more than likely that this condi- tion pfesages the defeat of most of these representatives and of one of the senators, William V. Quarles, whose term expires March 8, 1905.
 Arthur L. Morsell, a prominent law yer of Milwaukee, who is just now vis- itlng Washington. said about the sit- uation in his State to-day:
 "The split in the Republican party in Wisconsin Is far more serious than people outside of the State can appre- ciate. It is a fight to the finish and. as a Democrat, opposed to both the haIf-breeds and stalwart us the Re- publican factions are termed, am here to tell you that Governor La Fol- lette will vanquish his bolting antag onists. Even the prestige of so strong allies as Senators Spooner and Quarles will not save the stalwarts from igno- | minious defeat. The Republican mass | es are with La Toilette and will fol- | low him implicitly.
 "There is every reason for a great Democratic opportunity to elect State officers. Our esteemed and genial friend. George w. Peck, who made us a model governor some years ago. is very much alive, as good a Democrat as ever and. if nominated, will likely be elected Governor again. And, speaking of Democrats of national noteS>suitable for the nomination for ytee President. I would remind you