The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-15
STRENGTH OF THE SECTIONS.

in New England about the strength OF
the West in the electoral college as we'll
as probable misapprehension as to the
belief OF that section. And still main
tanning that the tree silver craze does not
rule In the West, although 1t controlled
the Western delegates OF the Chicago con-
vention, let us briefly figure the result OF
a emocrstic-Populist-i silves stam-
pede on Nov. next OF those ordinarily
Republican states.
Colorado, Idaho, Kansas and Nevada
were carried by the Populists in the
Presidential election OF 1892. They have
total of 20 votes IN tine electoral college
Let us give them TO the Democratic
party this fall Let US also surrender
without hope California, North Dakota
and Oregon that each gave one vote to
Populism in 1894, and the strength in the
electoral college mounts up to 36 votes.
Now let us throw in the free silver Re-
publican strongholds Montana and Wy
oming with their six votes. That makes
AZ. Moreover, let us forget for time
the overwhelming Republican and sound
money strength of the states OF Washing
ton and South Dakota with four votes
each and Nebraska with s votes and
count them in the free silver-Populist-
Democratic column. That makes 5S. Now
throw in the votes of Utah and we
have a total Of 6l votes in the electoral
college representing the whole Of the
trans Mississippian West with the excep-
tion of Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri.
Those 81 votes, it seems to US, represent
the greatest possible loss that can be
suffered by the Republican party by the
free silver craze. And there Is no sound
political reason fer surrendering either
Nebraska, the home of BRYAN, or Wash
ington, or South Dakota, or California or
even Oregon. But let us, for the sake OF
sizing up the assumed sectional situation,
the West against the East, leave them all
In the Democratic column.
The solid South, including Maryland
and Delaware, but omitting Missouri,
possesses 142 electoral votes. With the
trans-M Mississippian West assumed to have
abandoned Repu blicanism and sound
money, the cause of free silver would thus
be represented by 203 votes in the electoral
college IL we throw in Iowa the grand
total will be PIG votes.
With this liberal allowance to the silver
cause OF Republican States whose Repub-
lican Representatives, have declared for
sound money, it is certainly permissible to
claim all the rest OF the North and East for
the Repu blican ticket - including New
York andNew Jersey and almost equally as
reasonably Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and
Minnesota. The claim represents only 10
out OF 45 States, but these 10 States have
23i electoral votes. majority OF Is over
the solid South and the solid West COM
bined.
1t seems to us that this Is not q too en-
couraging or too prejudiced view to
take. New York and New Jersey
certainly cannot be conceded to be
debatable ground. Hardly less ques-
tionable can be Illinois and Indiana,
presuming an energetic sound money
campaign through the middle West. And
il this position and claim are contested
1t must be conceded from the other side
that Washington, Nebraska, Oregon,
South Dakota, even California and per-
haps Montana the Republican convon-
tions OF all but the latter two declared
for sound money are fair fighting
ground and may be held for sound mon
ey. Further han that 1t is improbs bic
from the present outlook that either
Kentucky or Maryland will be found
with the solid South for free silver. The
signs all point to the contrary. Even
Ten nessee may be claimed fairly for
sound money and a break-away. II the
reasonably drawn lines dividing the
middle West from the trans -Mississippian
West are to be broken through by
the free silver wave ii is equally fair to
believe that Mason and Dixcn's will be
crossed by the sound money food from
the North and East.
A great battle Is to be fought. On the
sound money side thero should be no
lack OF vigor and aggressiyeness. There
are free silverites and Populists in Rhode
Island just as there are sound money
.s. ~ Ca