Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-12-03
Election Figures.

voring the election of Mckinley,
treated Mr.. Bryan with perfect fair
ness during the campaign, and will
not allow him or his cause to be
misrepresented. The Posts non.
partisan and impartial review of the
figures is, therefore, well worth con-
sidering. 1t says:
"The popular vote for Mr.. Nc
Kinley seems to have been 7, 050,5 SIG.
The popular vote for Mr.. Bryan was
6,22l ,522. The popular vote for
Palmer was 13S, $40. Mckinley,
therefore, received more votes than
Bryan to the tune of $685. These
are not official figures, but they are
from the unofficial estimates and will
not vary to any great extent from
the regularly certified returns. The
vote of every State, with the single
exception of Kentucky, is now prac.
ucally known. 1t is safe to assume
that they give full justice to Mr.. Nc
Kinley, and reasonable to conclude
that they are so nearly absolutely
correct as to make them proper sub
jects of inquiry and speculation.
There are some very significant
features in these figures. They fur
nish much food for thought. The
Republican and assistant Republi-
can organs, for instance, are sneer-
ing at Mr.. Bryan, declaring that he
has been repudiated by the American
people, and that il is piece Of ridicu-
lous impertinence in him to think of
1900 or to suppose that the American
people regard him with anything
but pity and contempt. 1t strikes
US as very stupid to put forward such
propositions as these. Mr.. Bryan
got 6,224, 1852 votos. Six and a quar-
ter millions of men are worth think
ing about, especially as nearly all of
them are native-born white Ameri-
cans. There were not that many
voters for Mr.. Cleveland in 1892, as
his vote that year was only 5,553, 562
nearly 700, 900 less than Mr.. Bryan
received on the 3rd instant.
If, therefore, Mr.. Bryan Is an OBJ.
ject of derision because of the popu-
lar reputation involved in a vote OF
only 6,22l ,452, how are we to esti.
mate Mr.. Cleveland's standing with
the masses in the light of his vote
Of only $685. The fact is that,
taking the 1873, $40 Democratic votes
that went to Palmer and the 400, OOC
or 5000 other Democratic votes
that were given to Mckinley direct
and adding these to the vote that he
actually received, Bryan would have
carried the country so far as con
Germs the popular vote-carried it by
an immense plurality.
But it is idle to talk of man VIII,
receives six and a-quarter millions
of votes AS man who has been dis
credited and rebuked by his fellow
citizens. No such moral can ht
drawn from the figures of 1885,.
Bryan developed phenomena
strength. especially when we con
slider the utter decentralization of tn,
party when he became its nominee
the titantic influences brought t,
bear against him-from the admins
tration itself down to the smalles
moneyed corporation lin the land. -
Let no one delude himself with tn,
idea that Bryan has been obliterated
If in 1888 Mr.. Cleveland had bro'
out the Democratic vote as Bryan
brought it out this year Gen. Harri
son would not have been Presiden
in 1889"
THE NAIL TRUsT.-The n. y
Hortd continues its war on the trusts
We should like tie see every news
paper in the country join in the war
fare. Before this nail trust was or
gaDiZed wire nails were selling at g,
cents II keg, with good profit to tn,
makers. Cut nails were selling at n
cents with similar profit. But tn,
manufacturers wanted more. Sc
they organized combination I,
force up the price, and when the,
had the trust in full force they pu
up the price of wire nails, worth 81
cents "A keg. to $3.50 keg, and tina
of cut nails, worth 20 cents, to 81. y
a keg. That is to say, they extortec
from the mechanics, the house build
ers and the house -occupiers of tn,
country S1.75 of unearned tribute Oh
every S0cent keg of wire nails anC
81 80 on every 70-cent key of Gu
nails. This meant Il clear robber,
of Sl3,600,00 year-every dollar
of it taken from the earnings of othel
and much poorer men.
THE New York World, in speak
ing Of the recent campaign corrup
| ton fund: