Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-28
VOTERS INDIFFERENT
Gold and Silver Democrats in
Missouri Lukewarm.
FIGHT FOR GOVERNOR
STATE ISSUES KEPT DISTINCT
FROM NATIONAL.
Bryan Men Sullen-Strong Liking for
the President-No Enthusiasm
for Parker.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

be considered democratic territorJ, and l
have made inquiries chiefly with view to
getting at the sentiment in democratic ter
ritory.
The contest for governor is well under
stood. Circuit Attorney Folk in his Doodle
fight has become a national figure. His
record and his policy well known
that it is not necessary to go into the con-
ditons under which the democratic state
convention nominated him for governor,
and then put on the ticket with him some
candidates who are identified with the ring
which he has been fighting.
With reference to the national campaign
Ii Is of more Importance to determine what
effect this state issue has on the presiden-
tial tickets. if 1t have any effect The re
publiCans have nominated against Mr. r DIX
Mr.. Cyrus p Walbridge, a reputable ana
aggressive citizen. He is making his can
vass on the theory that no reason exists
why republicans should support Ills aetuo-
cratic opponent. - t-
National Issues Not Affected.
While this state contest is very earnest
apparently it is having no influence on the
national issues AS a burning question 1
thought it might have a tendency to over
shadow the presidential campaign. This
does not seem to be the case. The state
fight is one thing and the national canvass
another and the distinction seems TO De
very carefully observed by the mass OF tne
people as we'll as by the political managers
In view of the utterly disrupted conoitloh
of the democratic state organization II Is
impossible for the democrauc hall9Ilai
ticket not to suffer somewhat Ohlteu
states Senator w. ]. Stone has not pc
come reconciled with the Folk wing OF the
party. He represents interests SO entlrels
antagOnistic that he never can become re-
conciled to Mr.. Folk securing power as
nOIitical leader What has been done IN
bridging over their difficulties is OF the
71sual perfunctOry campaign sort
Senator Cockrell has more influence. ne
has the respect of all factions ana IL my
he said of all parties. his cohStlluetitS
are very fond of him and thelr con l.ssl,n
for his future may persuade them to more
activity than ordinarily they would snow
Governor Dockery is the head OF an ou.
going state administration. ne Is Iiot ~
baar1v sympathy with the Folk element
and he is very antagonistic to the soiu
democrats, whose leader is Ex-Governor
Francis. -, :. @.
J,ouis and the Parker telegram was sent
the gold democrats had a spasm OF en-
thusiasm. They were going TO reorganlAe
and take an active part in the cam
paign But their energies seem 10 nave
been spent in this first spasm / nave
not found that they arelvery stctlVe an: .:iis
canvass. Ex-Governor Francis is occupied
with his work, as the head OF the ex-
position. and while he may be giving a, a
little attention to, national politics ~ IS
not of the sort that is shown by actiVe
campaigning. 1t is no reflection on Ju ,iis
souri, democrats which either opposed
Bryan or supported him under protest are
not sitting up nights to make sure that
Missouri gives Parker a larger maJoiltS
than il gave Bryan.
Mass of Democrats Indifferent.
OF more significance than this lukewarm
interest is the absolute Indifference of the
mass of democratic voters who were 1or
free silver and who might be for it again
tln far cot
democrats from habit and association
rather than from conviction regarding ma
tional issues But free silver always had
a deep hold on them Mr.. Bland taught IL
when he was the leader in silver lesls-
lation in Congress years before Bryan was
known and Mr.. BANDS influence was not
confined to his own congressional dlstrict.
Besides this tendency to free silver the tine
ture of populsm has not been wanting In
the Missouri democracy. If Tom Watson
comes into the state he may pour poison
into the wounds which were made by Par
ker's nomination and the gold telegram
I thought the sullenness of the Bryan
democrats in Indiana was more pronounced
than elsewhere in the west, but here In
Missouri it Is just as deep. Force of habit
is about all that the Parker managers cen
RELY on to secure the full democratic vote
in the country districts. The Missouri de-
mCcracy is not in sympathy with The east
ern democracy. Bryan is still the peerless
leader ard Judge Parker is a stranger. -
write these indications without any NO.
ton of creating the impression that this
Is the year in which Missouri will cut loose
and join the republican column of states
What there is of the situation Is simply
that the conditions are favorable for g
united republican campaign. The state
a.waSs has had republican leaders who tb
tained national prominence. For a Ions
time Chauncey l. Fllley had absolute sway
l1al hn Org n I,l
national conventions were held no one els'
was cor suited regarding the Missouri dele
cation. Though veteran Mr.. f1lley Is
retired veteran in politics He was dis
placed by r. c. Kerens. who began to SHOW
strength during General Harrisons admiais
tratiOn. but did not secure full control unit
President McKinley's election. Now IN TIL
course of the uncertainty of political tcnur,
Mr.. Kerens has given way to Thomas J
Atkins. The latter while not known as
national figure has a good deal of prest.
throughout the state.
The canvass the republicans are ,nak!n
for Mr.. Walbridge as the candidate for gov
ernor has one benefit for the nationa
ticket. This Is in getting ..ut the full vote
The state canvass appears TO be runnIn
harmoniCusly with the national campaigr.
Esteem for the President.
President Roosevelt, however. Is tn
strongest factor in his own behalf Thols
Missouri democrats are OF the hideboun
sort and many OF them IN the back countie
still think that republican President
a horned animal. they seem very kind
disposed to Mr.. Roosevelt. don't mea
TO say that many of them are going
vote for him, for there is no evidence
that effect. But in their kindly frame
mind they don't have much heart in OF
posing him IN order to support candidat
who has failed 10 enlist their sympathie
and that is what Judge Parker has faile
to do.
This feeling was reflected by Private job
Allen, who is one of the national world
fair commissioners. Mr. Allen is still
citizen of Mississippi. but he has been
missouri so much that he Is In touch wit
MS environment. He stood in one of tt
worlds fair buildings the other day ali
remarked, Somehow the people don't seeI
TO worry as much about politics as the
once did. When Mr.. Cleveland was beate
in 1892 l felt powerfully bad for myse
and mighty sorry for the country But
Mr.. Roosevelt is reelected guess we ca
all stand it"
st. Louis a Republican City.
st. Louis is a republican city. The reput
llcans allowed it 10 get away from them O
local issues and the democrats controllin