The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-18
Posts Special Writer Gives the
Pacific Coast to Bryan.
MONEY FAILED TO WORK
Republi ans Count CD Gold De-
mocrats and Non-F usion.
DEMOCRATS LAUGH AT THIS
"Give the Republicans" Says the Cor
respondent Everything They Claim
Except the Failure of Fusion
and They Lose"
and They Lose

ana tUGY Lose
Portland. Ore, Oct. Loud and
long continued claims by party mama.
gers do not make votes; nor will this
result in victory next month. Besides,
people who are so confident at the out
set grow weary of reiteration. Their
hopes, which at first are certainties,
become hopes again and finally
dwindle TO doubts.
Such is the feeling among Repuoll-
can managers in the States of the Pa
ciffc coast to-day. Claimed confidently
a month ago by good Republican ma
iorities. no Republican will now deny
that there is grave doubt regarding
the result I'm California. Oregon, anu
Washington Idaho and Montana
have been 50 long conceded to Bryan
that no Republican campaign funds,
and scarcely and literature have been
placed there. But an the three States
bordering Immediately upon the Pa
rific. where protection means much
not only to the factory hand, but to
the farmer and wool grower, the great
eSf efforts have been made 10 secure
rhe election of Mckinley.
Republican party leaders In each Of
these threa States tell with great
earneStneSs. as they have been telling
for the past month, that ii the election
had been held within a month after
the nomination of Bryan at Chicago,
nothing could have prevented his
sweeping the Pacific coast by such a
majority as had never before been
given 10 a Presidential candidate. 1t
IS more than a month now that they
have been declaring with even greater
earnestness that a revulsion of feeling
amounting to tidal wave has swept
over the entire Pacific coast; that peo-
pie who were crazy 10 have silver coin
ed free and unlimited now stand
aghast at the danger to the nation
threatened by such a course, and that
the desire for the protection of Am
erican labor outweighs every other
consideration in the minds of the
voters.
EVIDENCE OF THE CHANGE.
One would think, after listening to
this talk, that 50 great reyulslon or
political sentiment as above described
would be clearly manifest TO the most
casual observer; that the certainty OF
the Pacific coast States being carried
for Mckinley would be such as to adj
NIT no shadow of doubt. Yet the I'M
biased observer, watching carefully for
just such a change in party feeling,
from Puget Sound to the Golden Gate,
fails to find it. The hitherto confident
Republican leaders, unable to offer any
tangible reasons for their former as
sertions of certain success, are more
reserved when questioned, the smiling
faces wear a look of anxiety, and they
point to the vast quantities OF kepuo-
lican campaign literature which nave
been shipped to rural districts as an
evidence of the great interest taken by
the voters in the financial question,
which, it is assumed, can result only in
making votes for Mckinley.
just here is the Alpha and Omega of
the Republican claims of carrying the
Pacific coast States by large majorities.
The false assumption that sending
great bundles of speeches, made in
Congress, to eyey county central COM
mittee is coincident with a revulsion
of political prejudice, is responsible for
the claims that nave been made. The
Republicans have had an immense
campaign fund, and this for time in
spired confidence among the party
managers.
In Washington, Oregon, and Califor-
foTnia alike there have been more sill
yer men in the Republican party for
years, two to one, than men who would
support the gold standard. In their
State conventions these Republicans
have declared for free silver, or for
bimetailism, by which they meant ex-
actly what he Democratic party means
to-day. Prior to the holding of the
Republican National convention at ST.
Louis in June, Washington was the
only Pacific Coast State whick, IN
choosing delegates to that convention
put plank in it's platform unfriS ndlS
to free coinage, and this was forced
by a political ring within the party
headed by the Governor of the State
which had no other object than t.
compass the defeat of Senator Watson
G.. Squire, pronounced free silver man
for reelection in the next Legislature
In fact, until the gold men of tn
East forced the unequivocal plank int
the party platform ait ST. Louis, nearl.
every man on the Paclnc COAST,
whatever party, was either bi-metal
list or a out-and-out advocate of fire.
coinage.
GOLD DEMOCRATS NOT NUMEROUS
Few gold Democrats, outside tn
three or four principal cities on tn
coast, and including the Federal office
holders, are to be found. The vote flo
Palmer and Buckner will be ridicul
ously small. There remains, Their
only to be considered how many Re
pulblicans will place protection superio
to their former financial views, an
how perfect will be the fusion betwee
the Democrats and the Populists in tn
three States The absolute lnceI
tainty that exists upon these poin
enables All kind Of speculation to b
abroad, the bulk of which viii b
shown on election day TO be III
founded.
Republican leaders count upon hole
ing every Republican voter Of pas
wears upon the gold standard plar
form by reason of it's tariff plank
upon gaining accessions from disgrun