West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1896-10-29
DEMOCRACY'S
PROSPECTS,
Brilliant Outlook For Sue
cess In November.
eos ELECTORAL VOTES ASSURED.
Indiana and IlilAois give Eyery IIspc
or Victory.

Csrefs, and Conservative Estimate Gfves
Bryau . Majority In tho Electoral Coll
icge--Democratic Loss~s VIII Be Mainly
Iu States where They WIN o,,y Add to
MoKinIey's Vote.
II IL universally conceded that thcro
will be considerable bolt from tho Re-
publican party in all the states west of
the Mississippi, while the Democrats
will lose very few votes As u matter
of fnct the Democracy in al those states
has been running on free silver plat
forms for the last four years, Whatever
Democratic element will refuse TO sup.
port Bryan because Of the silver plank
in tho platform was lost four years ago.
Tho silver Republicans constitute from
TO 20 per cent of their party in tloso
states, but while they will increase tho
Democratic majority they are not essen
tial Co IL.
The Republicans had mnjoritcs In
only two states wcst OF the Mississippi
In 1892, Iowa and Wyoming. They ar.
ried Minnesota and Nebraska, IA is tIue,
but only by n division of tho binotal.
lists With Bryan ut the hcud Of tho
ticket thero is no danger of Nebraska TO
the Democratic ticket. Minnesota may
possibly be considered doubtful. There
is n Democratic Populist majority there
of b, 400, but there arc some goldbug
Democrats AS, however II big bolt
from tho Republican purity on the silver
issue, headed by the lieutenant governor
and two congressman, hus already tnltcn
place. tho chances ara decidedly in ia
vor of Democratic sucmRa
South Of the Ohio there nrc but two
states which can be considered In any
way doubtful-Kentucky and West vir.
ginia. Indeed, i'm most Of tho other
southern states the Republican party Is
prosilver, and thousands OF former Rc-
publican votes will go 10 the Democratic
ticket on that issue.
The principal reason for chasing Ken.
lucky as Republican is that it went Tor
that party by Il small majority ia the
late state election. This is very poor
reason for expecting il to be Republican
IN tho presidential contest. Colonel Wat
Hardin, the Democratic candidate for
governor, made the contest last year un-
der tho most disadvantagoous circum.
stances Ho ran on goldbug platform,
which he opposed and which lost him
thousands OF Populist votes The gold
men worked assiduously to defeat him,
and the gold men were much stronger
then than they are now. There has been
n wonderful awakening In kentucky on
the financial issue, as was shown I'm the
late Democratic primaries, when tho
state, which the Roldbugs had carried
but few months before. was swept for
silver When we remember by how slim
n majority tho Democracy WAS defeated
In Kentucky ON goldbuR platform, no
one can doubt It's success today.
But we have not taken into consider.
alton the central western states, where
tho campaign will bo waged. There
will doubtless be campaign in Ohio,
but we do not at present see any chance
of success there On tho other hand, In
diana and Illinois give every hope OF
victory. Indiana has always leaned that
way, but Illinois promises even better.
There is handsome margin Of 40, 200
In that state. Moreover, tho Republican
strength is concentrated in the rurul
districts and IL IL the farmers who feel
the oppression If goldbugim most and
have joined the bimetallic ranks In con.
sequence. Nowhere in all the country
has the silver question been studied
more carefully. and nowhere have there
been 20 many converts Unless we arc
greatly mistaken, Illinois will be for
Bryan by large majority.
With Illinois hc cun dispense with nil
NHn slxs..INF.1 "a.
votes 20 spare. There will be pretty
fight in both Michigan and Wisconsin.
where the Democracy Will undoubtedly
lose many votes because 6f It's silver
plank, but whore already there has been
big bolt from the Republicans on this
same issue. How this interchangs of
votes will affect tho result can be guessed
at only wildly. in fine, Mr.. Bryan starts
out with 2OS votes sure and tho follow.
ing in the doubtful columns
tfsfsfss........4s..tt ts............. "a
lhuianh sssssssss ... %
lowe. .....'tftssss'. iJ
nicnlsah s.f..stss..sss.ss...ts,.s.. -
West virginia. ................. ...444....
"isconsin. n...............s.., .,....,.........4. ~
Total ni........... "A
II hc gets al ~ them, he viii have
55 moro then ho needs and q majority
Of 15, but this is scarcely likely. Og
course tho silver plank has damaged the
Democratic prospects in tho cast and
perhaps lost New Jersey, Connccticut
and Ecw York with its large electoral
vote. The Democratic losses will be
mainly in states where they will 10 no
more than increasing MoKinloy's ms.
jOities; their gains will be- in close
states, which they will bring over to
the Democratic column.
Tho nomination Of "a goldbug Dcuo
cratic. ticket would probably help d
silver cause rather than injure 81, for
viii prevent tho gOldbuR Democrat
from going over 20 Mckinley, whci4
most Of them are likely to othorwl,
land. Altogether tho Democratic ot.
lock is brilliant since Il took up uo
Democratic fight for free silver. whci..
only few weeks ago. 10 WIS recognil 4
BY all to De hopeless Nov Orleans
Times Defarss-ea