The Press., 1896-10-01
Washington Letter.
Washington, September 28, 18s

Washington September 28, 1896.
 Politicians consider the announcement that the republicans and the gold demo- crats are to work together in several Of the southern states an important one, although few of them go so far as to be- lieve that it will result in giving the elec- toral vote of any state to the gold demo- crats, but it may help the republicans. It is claimed by some of those who have been instrumental in arranging this fusion that the gold democrats of Alabama are strong enough to carry the state, If they can get the entire republican vote and if they can get the votes counted, and if the silver democrats and populists fail to fuse. It will be noted that there are sev- eral important ''ifs'' in that claim, not to mention that 1t is ridiculed by the silver democrats who say that the number of gold democrats in that and In all the other southern states, has been greatly exaggerated. A gentleman with sporting blood came very near to sizing up the general opinion of the actual situation when he said: Il should look upon 1t as so much money found to find anybody who would bet that Palmer and Buckner would get single electoral vote in the south or anywhere else"
 If there were any doubt that MT. Bryan was personally bossing his campaign the withdrawal of Senator Hills candidate for the governorship of New York ought to remove it. As soon as MT. Thacher's letter repudiating the Chicago platform was made public, MT. Bryan positively stated that he should come off the demo- cratic ticket. Those who believe that Senator Hill was all powerful with the democratic machine in New York said that MT. Bryan has made break that Thacher was Hills man, and that Hill would not allow him to be taken off the ticket. MT. Bryan went to New York, and Thacher has taken himself off the ticket Some people think that Hill will resent this interference by coming out for Palmer and Buckner. The Bryan people in Washington say it doesn't matter what Hill docs; that the result in New York Is already practically settled, and that Hill has lost whatever influence he may have had outside of that state.
 The Bryan and the Mckinley managers continue to do some stiff claiming for their respective candidates, but If they have no better foundation for the claims they make than the letters from individuals in the several states which they make pub lie, it is little better than question of faith and hope on both sides. It is con- paratively easy to take statement that either candidate has made certain per- centage of gain in some locality and by figuring on the same percentage of gain throughout the state to show on paper that the state will give certain majority but those with retentive memo ries know that such figuring is seldom, if ever, anywhere In the neighborhoOd of what the actual vote of that state turns out to be. It is altogether probable that both sides have made polls of every doubtful state, and have found so many voters still uncomn itted that they do not dare to make public the result of those polls. It is known that there are 8 large number of voters seemingly grow ing larger at each election-who do not connect themselves with any party and who do not tell anybody how they are going to vote. This is the element which has brought about the political surprises and landslides of the presidential and con- gressional elections of the last twelve years. They can't be located in advance by the politicians.