Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-18
MARYLAND DOUBTFUL
Political Wise Ones Not Ger
tain About the Outlook.
RURAL VOTERS CONSIDERED
Taft Wave Is Said to Have Spent
Itself.
VANDIvER'S FUND METHOD
! Republicans Undaunted by Demo-
cratic Claims-Hearst Move
ment a Fizzle.
RURAL VOTERS CONSIDERED
VANDIVER'S FUND METHOD
Special Correspondence of The Star.

special correspondence Of The Star
BALTIMORE, Md. October II. 1905
1t is surely a whirlwnd finish to a
national campaign in this state and
Maryland is in the doubtful column to a
certainty Both party managers, Chair
man Parran of the republicans and Chair
man Nandivcr of the democrats, are
openly claiming the state, but to close
advisers they admit that Maryland is
very. very close this year and that
count OF the ballots November 8 next
will be awaited with a great deal of in
1ercst by both of them. OF the two
cilairmen. Nandiver is perhaps the most
surprised at the situation today.
During July. August and the early part
of September the democratic chairman
had little or no hope of carrying the
state for BRYAN: 1t was generally con,
coded that Taft would carry Maryland
ny a small majority. and this situation
pleased the machine democrats might
lily. for they never did and have not
now much love for the Nebraskan.
Therefore, when the signs of the times
pointed to Taft winning in Maryland by
small majority. the Organization
crowd was delighted. The ring" wanted
Taft to carry the state. but not by big
majority, for fear of the effect it would
have on the succeeding spring and fall
elections. Suddenly great rural and
off-town Bryan wave comes along, and
It gathers strength. The ring lead
ers sit UP and take notice. Better get
on the Bryan bandwagon and be on the
safe side" they said. because if Bryan
should win these Bryanite leaders would
be on the job for fair"
Organization at Work
Chairman Vandiver, who is a shrewd
politician not some of the time, but all
the time. got suddenly busy and as
sumed charge of the campaign. The
machine leaders had he of lot
become known in the early summer that
the Bryanites would be allowed to run
the campaign In this state, and that the
original Bryan man. S. S. Field, would
paign committee. After Vandiver had
held his ear to the ground for awhile
he concluded to appoint an advisory COM
mittee of fifteen to assist the state GEN.
trail committee.
Mr.. Field was given a place on this
committee, and other real Bryan men,
too. but the willy Vandiver had himself
elected chairman, and is today the boss
de facto ct de jure of the Bryan cam
paign in Maryland. And to tell the truth.
Nandiver has been doing some good work
Bryan fights Senator German directed
the work. and Vandiver merely carried
out his orders. In this campaign Vandi-
Yer is foot free and if he lands the state
in the Bryan column the credit is GER
tainly due him.
Vandiver has, however, split with
Bryan on one proposition, and that is
the campaign fund publicity idea Van
diver will publish his list of contributors
after the battle of ballots and not be-
fore. Mr. Bryan to the contrary not
withstanding. This indicates that VAN
diver is conducting the Bryan campaign
along the same lines which have been
employed successfully by the democratic
machine for years. It's a case of IF
Bryan wins. did 1t, and If he loses,
there's nothing lost to u.s.
Preparing for Taft
The republican managers are busy to-
night completing the plans for the big
mass meeting at the Lyric Monday night
when the republican presidential candi-
date. William H. Taft, will be the princi-
pal speaker. Attorney General Bonaparte
will preside and the indications are the
crowd will be a record-breaker Ar
rangements have also been made for a
great overflow meeting, and the night
seems destined to go down in republican
political history in this city as a red-let-
ter one-surely a red fire one
On his arrival in this city late next
Monday afternoon Mr.. Taft will be met
at the depot by committee composed of
sixty of the most representative citizens
of Baltimore and escorted to the Belvi-
dere Hotel. where a suite of rooms has
been engaged for the distinguished guest.
Mr. TAFT is not at all unknown in Balti-
more and has many warm personal ad-
mirers. even among those who intend
10 vote 1Or Bryan. Inc demand Tor
tickets, therefore. has been tremendous
and the Lyric will not accommodate the
crowd by thousands Within the past
week the Campaign fever has hit Bal
timore and the meetings being held by
both parties are filed to Overlooking every
night General Apathy has been placed
on the retired list and the common
people" are all 'het up over >the fight
between Bryan and Taft to carry Mary
land. They've heard Bryan and cheered
Bryan; they'll hear Taft and cheer Taft;
and then they will vote for-only the
count of the ballots can tell.
Hearst Meeting Fiasco.
The Hearst meeting of last Thursday
night was probably the biggest political
1iasco in the history of this city. The
head and foot of the Hearst independent
party in Maryland, Mr.. Charles A. Bris-
coc, had announced that Mr. Hearst
would positively address the meeting;
that something mysterious in the
air; that new bomb would be exploded,
and that startling disclosures regarding
the sale of The Western Maryland rail-
road five years ago would probably be
made The political sensation mongerS
were on the job for fair when this an
nouncement came from Mr.. Brscoe. They
expected To see verbal hotshOt poured into
the money kings and financial sharks OF
baltimore town. The night scheduled for
the meeting arrived, but not SO Mr.
Hearst. Mr. Briscoe read telegram
lIOfn the IOuuCcT OF the lnUepenUence
party, in which it was stated that i'm
portant business took Mr.. Hearst west
ward Then the crowd got ION edge and
determined to have some fun. Mr. Graves
attempted 10 make a speech and was
successful in small degree.
Finally, some bad actor in the gallery
asked Mr.. Graves If he was not on Mt
Hearsts salary roll. Mr.. Graves dipIo-
matically ignored the question and a pom
deTous bluecoat led the bad actor from
the hall The meeting then dragged on
III a Gesultory manner and when taps
We're sounded another bad actor called
out: rs everybody happy?' And so end
ed the acknowledgements meeting
that promised at one time TO be the real
big sensation of the campaign j. VI. ID.
Fire Drives Hundreds Into Street.
NEW YORK, October 11.-Several hun
dred persons were driven from their
homes and for time it looked as though
af duo linz