The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-26
Election Bets, or BIuffse

From day to day we see in the New
York newspapers stories of big odds Of
fered on Mckinley by people on the stock
exchange, or elsewhere where there is,
or may be, something to be gained by fos-
tering the idea that Bryan is foredoomed
to defeat, Within the week just past
there have been reports Of several big
wagers at odds of two to one on Mckinley,
and some smaller ones at two and a half
to one on Mckinley. The biggest odds
offered against Bryan, so far reported,
were laid by western farmer with rail-
road man, the terms being $3.50 to one cent
that Mckinley will carry New York state
by 10000 plurality. The probabilities are
that this remarkable bet, like most of the
others reported, are only on paper.
There is good authority for saying that
very little money, comparatively speak
ing, has been put up in New York on Nc
Kinley at any Odds two to one or less.
Billy Edwards is acknowledged to be
the highest authority in New York on
election betting, and almost any other
kind of betting for that matter. At every
presidential election he is called upon to
act as stakeholder in sums aggregating
thousands upon thousands of dollars. If
there We're a great deal of actual betting
going on, he would be the person to know
it. 1t is his business to know such things.
He states positively that, so far as his
information and belief go, not $4,000 has
been wagered in New York on the cleo
ton. There are lots of fellows going
around offering great big Odds" says Ed
wards. but when they are phned down
they will not risk a cent. 1t is absolutely
the worst year 1 ever saw in my life"
Edwards no doubt views the situation
precisely as 1t is. Those who are offer
ing big odds on Mckinley are buffers.
They want Bryan defeated. and wish to
make 1t appear that they are so sure he
will be defeated that they are willing to
back their opinion with money and give
odds. But when their bluffs are called,
they decline to put up the stuff"
Those newspapers and politicians who
are continually insisting that President
Cleveland shall recognize the belligerency
of the Cuban insurgents, or take other
steps to help them whip Spain, seem to
| forget that the President is pursuing the
course best calculated to conserve Amer
| lean interests. sIf there were no Ameri-
cans in either Spain or Cuba, for instance,
he might afford to snap his fingers at the
dons. But Spain has It in her power to
retaliate upon Americans in her dominion
for either business or pleasure and she
might do It in such a way that this govern
ment could not get satisfaction in any
manner short of open war. This coun-
try does not want war.
Once more the interminable Briggs case
comes into notice. The Presbyterian
synod of the state of New York has
adopted the report Of It's judicial com
mlttee, recommending that a committee
Of fifteen be appointed to try the New
York presbytery for contumacy in con-
tinuing 10 receive under its care for licen-
sure students Of the Union Theological
Seminary. in which Prof Charles A.
Briggs, despite the veto of the general
assembly, occupies the Edward Robin
son professorship Of Biblical theology.
/
The New York Sun has way Of making
verbs out OF peoples names. A day or
two ago it employed the verb, Ito thach-
err" Presumably this is Of recent coinage.
who under the sun is Thacher?