The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-02-28
STRENGTH OF Candidates
Counting St. Louis Chickens Before
They Are Hatched.
NIX. M'KINLEY IN THE LEAD
Speaker Reed Conceded to BE Second.
General GrosVenor Thinks That
Two Ballots Will Settle the
Qusstion-Othcr Opinions.

Washington, Feb. e7.-Tables are al
ready being made up here as to the
probable strength of the Republican
candidates for president on the first
ballot at st. Louis. General Grosvenor
of Ohio, who is the head of the Nc
Kinley representatives here, figures out
that Mr.. Mckinley will face 433 votes
on the first ballot. or "a votes less than
enough to nominate. But an estimate
gotten uD by "a Pittsburg paper after
correspondence with various newspapers
over the country is received here with
more credence than the one prepared
by General Grosvenor. All the tables
are mere estimates, and the friends of
different candidates disagree as to their
strength. The following is the table
prepared by the Pittsburg paper:
Mckinley 335: Reed. 2l5: Morton. 81;
Allison. 80; Quay. rs; Cullom, 3s; Brad
ley, &c: Davis, %; scattering, lS. To-
tai. 91T.
The number necessary to a choice is
A59 According to this table Mckinley
now lacks 124 and Reed 244 of enough to
nominate.
When this table was shown to Sena-
tor Quay he said:
II regard that a very good estimate.
They do not altogether agree with my
figures. but l do not regard them as
very far astray as the situation is at
this time. | have thought for some
time that Mr. McKinley's strength on
the first ballot would be about 800. OF
course. ii is Impossible to make any
accurate figures in advance or the elec-
tiOn OF the delegates. But do not think
that estimate is much out of the way,
providing delegates were elected now
and the convention held at once
When asked in regard to the esti-
mate of his own strength, the senator
smiled and said that he was not giving
away any secrets concerning that mat
ter.
MKINLEY'S STRENGTH.
General Grosvenor, in speaking on the
subject said:
II am in daily communication with
our friends over the country. ana L
think that you will find the following
estimate of the Mckinley strength on
the first ballot to be as near correct as
any estimate can be made at this time;
Alabama, Is; Arkansas. 10; Cali
fornia, 10: Florida, s; Georgia. Is;
Idaho, 2; Illinois. 20; Indiana. 2; Kan
sas, 16, kentucky. 16; Louisiana, {;
Maryland, 10; Mississippi Is; Missouri.
49, Nebraska, 16; New Jersey. 10; New
Mexico, 6; North Carolina, IA; North
Dakota 3; Ohio. 46: Oklahoma. 3: Ore
gon s; South Carolina. s; South Da-
kota. 3: Tennessee. 10 Texas, IA; Utah,
.; Virginia, IS; Washington. 4; West
Virginia. 70; Wisconsin, 20: Wyoming,
. Total, ABB.
II look upon McKinley's nomination
on the second ballet as pretty certain.
added General GrosVenor. "for the rea
son that when his large vote Is shown
on the first ballot. the followers of the
'favorite sons will fall over themselves
to get on the winning side. ] predict
that there will not be more than two
ballots. And | would not be surprised
the way things are going now. If there
were only one ballot This favorite
SON business will not defeat Mckinley.
Why in the state of Pennsylvania the
sentiment for the Ohio leader is so
strong that there will be very great
difficulty In keeping large number of
the delegates from voting for Mckinley
on the first ballot. In fact | doubt If
that can be done. One Of the members
of congress from Pennsylvania who
signed the memorial to Mr.. Quay, re-
questing him to be a candidate. told me
that ir the people of Pennsylvania were
now TO vote for presidential candidate
that Mckinley would be their choice"
one of Mr.. Reeds friends. when
asked in regard to the estimate of Mr..
Reeds strength. replied:
1T ia absurd to give estimates at this
time that will count for much Mr..
Reed will poll less of his full strength
on the first ballot than any other can
ddate | expect to see Mr.. Mckinley
poll pretty much all of his vote on the
first ballot. But when the 'favorite
sons begin to drop out. then look out
for Mr. Reed. Hence, any estimate of
his vote on the first ballot is entirely
misleading"