Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-25
Both Sides Claim the State
of Maryland.
REPUBLICANS COCKSURE
Exciting Contests in the Congress
sional Districts.
TREND OF THE LABOR VOTE
Much Speculation Over the Gompers
acknowledgements Expect
Light Majority for Bryan.
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
BALTIMORE, Md, October 81. 1908
AS the campaign enters the home stretch
Maryland still hangs in the balance. with
the changes slightly in favor of the re-
publicans carrying the state for Taft and
Sherman. In regard to the congressional
districts, it looks today like an even split,
each party carrying three districts. In
the first district j. Harry Covington,
democrat, looks like winner over Repre-
sentative William II. Jackson. In the
second district Representative j. +. c.
Talbot, democrat, will probably win out
over Robert Garrett, but by greatly re-
duced majority. Talbot has an immense
campaign fund at his disposal and is
backed by numerous large corporations.
In the third district Representative
Harry B. Wolf. democrat, seems to be
facing defeat at the hands of John kron
miller. VOLTS record in Congress has
been very bad and the republicans have
used his absence. as shown by the Con-
gressional Record, to advantage. In the
fourth district Representative John Gill.
democrat. looks like winner over John
Philip Hill, the republican candidate. who
has made the most aggressive kind of
campaign, but is handicapp by the fact
tnaI the OlStTlCl Is gerry mdnueTeu one,
sure thing for the democratic nominee,
no matter who he might be. Even the
most sanguine democrat does not expect
George ]. Smith to defeat Representative
Mudd, and In the sixth district Repre-
sentative Pearres election over David
Lewis is regarded as a foregone conclu-
sion.
Republicans Claim State.
The republican leaders seem cocksure
of carrying the state for Taft next month.
A close student Of political returns said
to The Star correspondent today: 1T
has been demonstrated beyond a doubt
that Maryland on state issues is demo-
cratic by only 10000 majority-the cleo
ton of Smith, Warfield and Crothers
shows this 1t is a well established fact
that In this state there are 10000 demo-
Gratis who are protectionists on national
issues. Let us say that half of this num-
Der will support Taft to certainty. That
places both parties upon an equal foot
ing to begin with. Now, the republicans
have made a most careful canvass of
the entire state and find that there are
about. in round numbers. 7.DOO anti
Bryan democrats These .antis will to a
certainty vote for Taft. Therefore.
figure that the republican national ticket
will carry the state by from 5000 to
1000 votes.
THE democrats are banking high on
SIOIlpcTS llUuSuCe WITH Tie Id LOOT vote
here. but they will be sadly mistaken
There is a certain class of laboring men
who are republicans for some reason or
other and a certain class of them who
are democrats for some reason or other.
These will vote along strict party lines.
The more intelligent laboring man has
just as much sense as you or /, and they
will vote as they think best for their
own interests. l have made a careful
study of the labor vote and / find that
a 10 n N
votes along party lines, end the only
leader he knows where politics is con-
cerned is the ward and precinct boss of
| the party to which he belongs"
Democrats Are Sanguine.
At democratic headquarters the asser-
ton is made that Maryland will be found
in the Bryan column and by a surpris-
ing majority. Chairman Wanderers bar
rel' seems pretty well filled and there
is no complaint about lack of funds,
Every leader Of any Importance at all
expresses every confidence that Bryan
and Kern will win in Maryland. and the
sporting element is willing to bet money
on that end. The Bryanites are making
all kinds of wild claims. predicting 5000
and 10000 majority, but the od-timers,
men who have been running the game
for years and years, only claim about
5000 majority.
From a source close to Chairman Van
dever 1t was learned today by The Star
correspondent that the managers only ex-
pect from LOO to 1900 majority for
Bryan. and this, it is claimed. will be
great. in view of the fact that Bryan
has on two previous occasions lost the
state by heavy majorities. One thing.
however may be stated certain. and
that Is that the democratic machine in
the city and state are working honestly
to carry the state for the Nebraskan.
Talbot Is Accused.
Robert Garrett. who is the republican
candidate in the second district. has
openly charged his opponent. Representa-
tive Talbot. with trading votes in the
district to the detriment of Bryan. In
other words. Garrett charges that Tai
bolt has agreed to deliver a number of
democrats for Taft in return for such
republican votes as he may be able to
secure for himself. The campaign In the
second district has been the hottest in
years and will have a whirlwind finish
next week.
To aid Mr.. Garrett in his campaign,
Secretary of War Wright will speak in
Baltimore In one of the wards comprising
the second district, and Postmaster Cen
eral Meyer will speak in Belair next
week. Garrett has made a great fight
to down Talbot In this campaign, and
II he does not succeed in winning out 1t
will be due solely to corporation influ-
ence and to the corrupt use of money at
the polls. The better element is opposed
to Talbot. and all chances being equal
Garrett should win.
Effect of Taft's Visit.
There is no gainsaying the fact that
the visit of Taft to Baltimore last Mon
day was beneficial to the republican ticket
Baltimore is something like Missouri. in
that the voters must be Shown" Taft
made a splendid impression on the rec
ord crowd that attended the Lyric and
overflow meetings. The crowd that greet
ed the republican nominee was even
larger than that which turned out when
Bryan was here.
Next week Baltimore will have the pro-
hibition candidates. and the prohibs will
experience no trouble in finding a hall
to accommodate the crowd
In a nutshell. so far as Maryland is
concerned. there are only two candidates
in the feld-Bryan and Taft-and they
will poll practically all of the votes But
who will win? Only the count of the