The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-03
VOTERS READY TO
MARCH TO POLLS
Democrats Close Campaign
Confident of an Overwhelm-
ing Victory.

gives the people an opportunity to
select their servants, will be held to-
day, and the elective franchise put in
the hands of nearly 10000 men will de-
eide the personnel of the administra-
ton which for two years will shape the
policies of municipal government for
St. Paul.
Both the Democrats and the Repub-
licans have made the best campaign
that they are capable of, but it is con-
ceded that the Democrats have had
by far the better organization, and
they have not only met and success
fully controverted every argument adj
vanced against them, but their speak
ers have carried the war into Africa
and by exploding the claims made for
Col. Wright and his associates on the
Republican ticket, they have solidified
their own following and it is believed
will draw largely from the opposition's
strength. The personal following of
Mayor Smith, aside from all party con-
siderations, is expected to largely aug
ment his ordinary party strength, and
the Democrats claim for the head of
their ticket a majority greater than
ever given a Democratic candidate for
mayor in St. Paul.
Mayor Smiths fight for reelection
has been bravely handled, and if any
mistakes have been made, they have
not been discovered. He is practically
certain of a reelection by an over.
whelming majority, and while he mod
estly refuses to even guess at the fig
ures himself, his party's leaders ex-
press the utmost confidence in the re-
suit of today'S election.
The Republicans, demoralized by
party discord and a lack of cohesion
have been further disorganized by the
peculiarly unfortunate death of Col A.
city comptroller, and their leaders adj
nit privately that the chances for the
election of any of the candidates for
offices above as<SFnblyman on the tick
ct can be consfuN red as anything but
fiattering. They shave some hopes of
winning a few! p.aces on the assembly
and aldermanic tickets, but further
than this they can hope to do nothing.
Committees Hold Final Meetings.
Final meetings were held last night
of both the Democratic and Republican
organizations at their respective head
quarters. At Democratic headquarters
there was a feeling of optimism that
augured we'll for success on the NOR
row. Reports from the various ward
chairmen were all of an encouraging
tone, and one Of the most hopeful re-
ports received came from the Eighth
ward, where a desperate fight has been
waged on Aid. Matthias Bantz by a
faction which has Joined hands with
the Republican managers. The ward
chairman reported the gallant Eighth
lined up solidly for the Democratic
ticket, and said that the ticket would
receive a majority all the way from
1000 to 1900. Democrats had refused
to be led away by men who cared
nothing for the party's future, and
were standing like the proverbial stone
wall against the assaults of the party's
enemies.
What was true of the Eighth was
equally true of other wards, and the
organizations reports were entirely
satisfactory. Challengers were desig-
mated and supplied with poll lists of
their, respective precincts, and the
ward workers were specially instructed
to get out the voters early in the day.
1t was predicted that a large per cent
of the Democratic vote would be cast
during the early hours of the voting.
Pike Gives Estimates.
The leaders of the rival parties were
not inclined to revise their estimates.
Said Vice Chairman F. A. Pike, of the
Democratic city executive committee:
My estimates of the result of Tuesday s
election do not differ materially from the
estimate given out Saturday by Secre-
tary Battley. Mayor Smith will certainly
have plurality over Col Wright of $500,
and l should not be surprised if there was
a landslide and he was reelected by 5000
to $500.
1 estimate that had Col. Kiefer lived
Louis Betz's majority over him would
have been from 500 to 1,400 His untimely
death has naturally put w. A. Gerber,
| Col. Biefers successor on the ticket, at a
disadvantage, and Betz's majority will be
| from 1000 to 2, 400
| AS to Otto Bremen, Democratic candi.
| date for city treasurer, think he will win
from John Hedman by possibly 1000 more
| votes than BetZ will receive. Hedman has
| been out of the city part of the time
since receiving the Republican nomina-
| ton and he is opposed by perhaps the
most popular vote-getting Democrat in
| st. Paul look to see Bremen, under the
! circumstances. lead Mr.. Betz by close to
| 1000.
| AS to the assembly and beard of alder
men, we claim we will have~a majority
| Of ten on joint ballot, There is no need
| to specify but the Democrats will have
| the largest working majority in the COM
/ mon council in recent years.
At Republican headquarters, follow
| ing a meeting of the city organiza
/ ton, the workers scattered to attend
| to final details for the election on the
!
be -committal as to prophecies OF
/ the result of the election, but severa
/ of the most prominent said that they
! would stand by the estimate made BY
| DIR. E. H Haas, vice chairman of the
city committee, Saturday night, and
which give Wright the election by {
| plurality of $50 over Robert A. Smith
| and the Prohibition and Socialist-La-
Dor and Socialist candidates. The Re-
| publicans declared that they woulS
make sufficient gains in the common
! council, where they now have sever
| votes, to give them a majority on join
| ballot, but they declined to indicate
| where they expected to profit by {
change Little faith was placed in tn,
genuineness of their claims, and i
was practically admitted that the pre-
| election estimates were made for pc
| litical effect, and should properly b.
| classified as hot air."
Republicans Discouraged.
At 10 o'clock the Republican head.
quarters were deserted and late callers
found the doors of the rooms secured.
| locked.
During the day an extraordinary eff
fort was made by the Republican
workers to interest the public in tn
candidacy of William A. Gerber, bu
as a big majority of the taxpayers an,
! voters had already made up thei
minds to vote for Louis Betz, little wa
| accomplished in that direction.
At the meeting of the Democrats
/ organization, a resolution was unani
mously adopted expressing regret a
the death of Col. Kiefer and makini
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of his worth as