The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1891-11-06
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6, 1897.


What of 1892
In the face OF the late elections the
question arises in the minds Of those /
who give the question thought, and
they are asking not only themselves
but others, what OF 1882? Then follow
the additional questions. How many |
States are there? How many electors |
are there? How are they likely to be
divided between the two leading par
ties of the day? The latter is the ques |
ton pregnant with interest, and can
not be told definitely until the ballots |
are counted in all the States north, |
east and west, where full votes are
cast and fair elections are held, on the
night Of the first Tuesday of next Nov
ember. In an approximate sense the
States have already all been scanned
aud credited to one OF the other of the
old parties according to political bias.
1t is already evident that only the Re-
publican and Democratic parties will
figure in the next campaign as parties
that will draw States 10 their support
and win electors that will count in the
contest. The Farmers Alliance. the
Peoples, the Prohibition, and all other
parties that may yet spring up will be
but mere side-show arrangements to
draw votes from either the Republicans
or the Democrats. 1t is not improba-
BILE that the two old parties will be even
more solidited in the next contest than
they have been at any other time since
the civil war.
We do not know how far the REPuB-
LIoAN's forecast OF 1872 will agree with
the calculations OF others. nor is it
material while for ourselves and no
others we prognosticate the result.
One factor has to be dealt with in
these calcu lations not before met
with in the memory OF the oldest citl-
zsu. For the first time there will be
divided State swaying in the balance
and that State may have the decision
TO make in the great Presidential lot
terry. That State is Michigan with her
is electoral votes, her legislature hav-
ing changed the law aud thrown the
election for electors into the CON
gr3ssional districts OF which there are
Ii.
10 begin with then there are "A
States OF the Union and these States
have AL votes in tho electoral college,
S3S Of them representing that many
members OF Con gress and IS repre-
senting that many Senators. A maior-
ty of the electoral college will be I'll
Which Of the two parties will win that
number or more?
To the credit Of the Democratic party
may first be set down the solid South,
aud her sixteen states, and one hun
dred and tifCy.four electoral votes. In
nine Of these Southern States the cleo
ton will be but farce, but their
eighty-four electoral votes will count
for the Democratic party all the same.
III the other seven there Will DO con-
tests, but under such Democratic man
ipulations that the result will be the
snme as in the other Southern States
where there is no protensc Of fair eiec-
lions, and the seventy votes OF those
seven states may be counted with the
othereighty.fourS Southern votes, max
ing one hundred and fifty.four in all
for the Democratic candidate to start
In without contest.
The Democratic candidate has now
only iifty-sevpn more votes to get to
insure his election, and he has twenty
eight states let with two hundred and
sixty-seven electoral votes out of
which 10 secure that number. lie will
get nine OF those votes from 3Sew JeI-
sey and SIX more no doubt from Con-
necticut. though tho latter may be
doubtful in Il contest for protection
and sound money. However, cencede
Connecticut and New Jersey and tbs
Democratic candidate will have fifteen
more Of his needed itlty-seYen to pull
him toward the goal, still leaving him
forty-two yet 10 secure. Where can he
get them2
New York as in 1883 must still be
con sidered Il doubtful State in Presi.
dental contest. The large Democra.
tic majority on Tuesday with an ex-
eecdingly light vote In the Republican
part of the state Is no criterion to go
by. In 1852 Cleveland had over 100, 600
majority for Governor, hut in 1854 he
came within 200 votes OF losing both
the State and the presidency, and in
ISIS he lost 1t and the Presidency by
14,S67 votes. New York may fairly be
considered doubtful, but as hor lean
ing at present Is towards the Demo-
cratic side, VIC will giyathe Democratic
candidate the benefit OF her sc electors,
which deducted from the 42 needed to
elect, still leaves the Democratic can.
aldate 8 short Of the required I'll.
Nhere can he get those six2
He has still Indiana with Is votes
michigan with part of her t3 vote.
and Montana with her votes to fall
back upon. He is sure to get some
woes in Nj, higan. In 1888 he would
only have got two. but In 1880 ho
would have got $. Which would have
elected him with two to spare. But he
will get neither nor next year. The
tide has turned in Michigan, and or
Tuesday at an election to fill yacan
cy caused by the death OF a Democratic
m inter OF Congress, the Republicans