Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-11-15
~ CSrcsyafSess Mere than Double
that Of any other DatIU Paper
p0blished fss Wdshfmlf0m.
The Electoral Vote and the Hecen,
EleclfOns

Since the recent elections the politicians
and the newspapers have been very gen.
orally discussing the status OF the several
states In the electoral vote in the Presi-
Genital contest Of next year. They find,
according TO some Of the tables presented,
that this vote Is now evenly divided 7
Others give the democrats a bare majority
OF four or i've. The New York Herald places
1t as high as ten, the New York Sun In its
fable at four, while tho Philadelphia Times
foots IL up even. In neither Of these tables
Is Colorado counted, though IL is to be ad-
lifted as q state into the Union before the
Presidential vote is taken. 1t counts three
votes as an inchoate state, at present In
favor OF the republicans, which would give
Inc latter bare majority, according to the
last table, and decrease that OF the demo-
Gratis In the first two 10 very small figure
The closeness of this vote in the year pre-
ceding Presidential campaig Is quite with
out precedent in the history OF the country,
and has not been Appropriated for many
years. The elections this year, IL is there
fore agreed, as ii was urged they would be
throughout the campaigns in all the states,
were more. important in their final bearing
upon the vote OF the Centennial year than
upon any forced, abstract Issues or the
relation OF any local questions to national
politics. The result not only swept aside at
|" one fell swoOp" half a dozen Presidential
candidates, but so narrowed the electoral
vote, as these various tables show, that
The battle of next November promises
10 be without Low considering the
relative strength in the contest of
The coming nominees one of the most
aggressive and excited Ia our political ex-
1stence. The various tables which we have
referred 10, while apparently narrowing the
e. 81 IL
Lot indicate the fact, known to all, that the
Popular vote was more favorable to the re-
publicaDs; and should this move gather
strength as 1t rolls on towards next year, the
electoral tables, as now constituted, would
be more than turned upside down, and a de-
clded majority footed up for the latter party.
The more careful compilers OF electoral
tables, based on the popular vote as il now
stands, do not agree with those we have
mentioned. For instance, New HAMPSHIRE
which last spring failed TO elect a democratic
governor, there being in fact no election by
the people, Is put down as a democratic
state, with its electoral vote OF five. With
The machinery or the state government in
the hands of the republicans, from governor
down, that state II not classed among the
doubtful cannot at least be claimed in the
democratic column. The tables of the Phila-
delphia Tines and New York Si0 and others
place New Hampshire among the republican
states. The Herald and Times put Louisiana
IN The democratic column, with its eight
eiectors votes, while the San very properly
we think. gives the state to the republicans.
The greatest error, however, is made by the
FIRST two journals in naming North Caro-
ina, with its ten electoral votes for
5he republicans. In the election of ~
tie state was democratic by q decisive ma.
ICrity, ard in rs went the same way by
very small vote, when local questions were
involved. New York is classed uniformly
among the democratic states in the face of
lie Generalization in the ranks of the party
there; while Wisconsin, which has gone re-
publican by majority of a few hundred, is
Tut down as reliable republican state.
With decisive national platforms on the is
sues which have arisen, and are likely to
arise, and with presidential candidates upon
them in the field, IL is almost impossible to
predict where the states that waver this
year Will be found in the electoral column
next year. The political changes wrought
IN the autumn of "A have been almost re-
versed by the verdict in rs; and while the
footing OF the electoral vote as ii now stands
Is barely favorable to the democrats, the
popular vote, IL must be admitted, is in sup
port Of the republican party.