Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-12-26
CuriOsities of Election Statistics

Nothing better illustrates the con-
servatism Of the American people
and their loyalty to the Govern
mental machinery constructed by
our " Fathers than the long sGtfer
ing spirit i'll which they endured the
anomalies ard paradox:cal surprises
wrapped up in their mode OF chooa-
inc a President. In 1850, GariielI's
popular vote was LAP $50, and
Hancock's was almost exactly :he
same, 4.442 ,035. Each carried 10
States. But Gartield's States had
2i9 electoral votes, and Harcnrk :
ONLY 30. And vet, if HaI cock
could have transferred less ihan II -
600 of his excessive vote III Ken
lucky to New York, he would have
been elected. Or the same number
of votes properly placed would have
elected him by several other comhi-
notions.
In 1876. II yves hlI a popular vote
OF 4U33, $50, while Iildrn vote was
/ 2S4 ,So5. Bur although Tllden's
popnlar vote was SO much the great
er, HAYES carried u States and TIL
den carried rniy II. And the most
curious fact of all is that (aecepting
the figures of the Returning Buard)
if IS more voters in Florida had
cast their ballots for Tilden. he
would have been President instead
OF Hayes. Tildem had a pvpaiar
p;arality Of over quarter Of :; nail
lion votes. yet he needed Is more
votes in particular State. to e.ec:
him.
In 1872, Giants popular vote was
; 5J7 .01O, and Greeley received p
SD ,O19 Grant carried 81 States,
and Greedy, though his popular
vote was so considerable, carried
only 6 States. At that time there
were 3G6 members of the electoral
college and only &c were chos' II in
Greeley's interest And yet if
Greedy had rolled 1922 more
votes in Alabama, Arkansas, Con-
necticut, Delaware, Indiana, New
Hampshire, New York, Virginia,
and West Virginia, he would have
been elected. In that case, Grant
would have had a popular plurality
of nearly zoe, 900 votes, and would
have carried II States as against
Greeley's IL, and yet would have
beed defeated.
In 1868 Grants popular majority
over Horatio Seymour was 3O5 ,45S,
and Seymour carried only s States
out OF 81. And yet if y AT men
had voted differently in the States of
Alabama, Arkansas, California, Con-
necticut, Indiana, Nebraska, Neva,
da, and Pennsylvania. Seymore
would have been elected, and the
reconstruction policy of the Repub
Leans in the South would have been
revolutionized. On such slender
contingencies hang great historical
consequences.
The total popular vote in 1864 was
1924 ,792; and the change of 81, Glib
voters in S States would have placed
the Democratic party in power.
Lincoln's popular majority over
McClelIen was 407 ,342, and the
electoral vote stood 2l2 to II. And
yet, as we have said, 81, G13 voters
in the proper States would have
changed the result and revolution
lied American history.
Figures played some curious
freaks in 1850. The popular vote
wac as follows: Lincoln, ,S66, 352;
Douglas, 1875, l57; Breckenridge,
SIT ,5l4; Bell, 5S7 $50, Lincoln car
ried Is States, Douglas 2, Blecken
ridge IL, and Bells. With not much
more than ono-third Of the popular
vote Lincoln obtained considerable
more than one-half the electoral
vote. He received $50, Brecken-
ridge 50. Bell 30. and Douglas II
electoral votes. With a joint popu-
lar vote about equaliug that of
Douglas, Breckenridge and Bell
received a joint electoral vote more
than nine times as large as that of
the "little giant" of Illinois. Strange
IS it may seem, if IL, 103 citizens of
Indiania and Illinois, and of the two
Pacific States had but voted for
Douglas instead of for Lincoln, the
result would have been changed.
None of the candidates would have
had majority in the electoral col
ledge, and the election would have
gone into the House OF Represent
aiives. The House was Dem ocrat-
ic by large majority both in ag-
gregate vote and in the number Of
State delegations, and a Democrat
must therefore have been chosen. In
that case the Democrats would have
been forced to unite upon Brecken-
ridge or Douglas, or else give the
Presidency to Lincoln. The Repub-
icans in the House would undoubt-
eddy have supported Douglas to pre-.
vent Breckenridge's election, and
Douglas would have been Buchan-
ans successor. Thus, if Douglas
had received 43 out of 3O3 electoral
votes he would have come off vic.
torious.
Henry Clay's great campaign Of
1874 turned on the vote of New York.
If 1854 more votes could have been
secured in that State the idol of the
, Wing party would have realized his
lifelong ambition. As it happened
James G. Birney's, Liberty party
secured his defeat, gave the country
into the hands of the Democrats,
and brought on the Mexican wur.
Cleveland has carried New York
but a change of 1000 votes would
bave given the State and the Presi-
dency to Blain. About 40 900 votes
We're thrown away in New York on
Butler and st. John.
An Honest Count.
Philadelphia Press.
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