Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1896-07-25
DEMOCRACY'S
PROSPECTS.
Brilliant Outlook for Sue
cess in November.
2OS ELECTORAL VOTES ASSURED
Indiana and Illinois Give Every
Hope of Victory.

II is universally conceded that there
will be a considerable bolt from the
Republican party in all the states west
OF the Mississippi. while the Demo
Gratis will lose very few votes. AS a
matter of fact the Democracy in all
those states has been running ON free
silver platforms for the last four years.
Whatever Democratic element will re.
fuse to support Bryan because Of the
silver plank in the platform was lost
four years ago The silver Republi-
cans constitute from ) to 80 per cent of
their party in these states, but while
they will increase the Democratic ma
lority they are not essential to it.
The Republicans had majorities in
only two states west of the Mississippi
in 1892, Iowa and Wyoming. They
carried Minnesota and Nebraska, it is
true, but only by a division of the
bimetallists. With Bryan at the head
Of the ticket there is no danger OF Ne
braska to the Democratic ticket. Min
ncsota may possibly be considered
doubtful. There is Democratic
Populist majority there of 5,400, but
there are some goldbug Democrats.
As, however, a big bolt from the Re.
publican party on the silver issue,
headed by the lieutenant governor and
two congressman, has already taken
place. the chances are decidedly in ia
vor of Democratic success.
South of the Ohio there are but two
states which can he considered in any
way doubtful-Kentucky and West
Virginia Indeed. in most of the other
southern states the Republican party
is prosilver. and thousands of former
Republican votes will 90 to the Demo-
cratic ticket on that issue.
The principal reason for chasing
Kentucky as Republican is that it
went for that party by small MAORI
ty in the late state election. THIS is a
very poor reason for expecting 1t to be
Republican in the presidential contest.
Colonel Wat Hardin, the Democratic
candidate for governor, made the con-
test last year under the most disad.
vantageous circumstances. He ran on
a goldbug platform, which he opposed
AMI which lost him thousands of Popu-
list votes. The gold men worked as
siduously to defeat him. and the gold
men were much stronger then than
they are now. There has been a
wonderful awakening in Kentucky on
the financial issue, as was shown in the
late Democratic primaries, when the
state, which the goldbugs had carried
but few months before, was swept
for silver. When we remember by
how slim a majority the Democracy
was defeated in Kentucky on a gold
bug platform, no one can doubt its
success to day.
But we have not taken into consid-
Grafton the central western states,
where the campaign will be waged.
There will doubtless be a campaign in
Ohio, but we do not at present see any
chance of success there. On the other
hand, Indiana and Illinois give every
hope of victory Indiana has always
leaned that way, but Illinois promises
even better. There is handsome
margin of $4,000 in that State. More.
over, the Republican strength is con-
centrated in the rural districts, and il
is the farmers who feel the oppression
of goldbugism most and have joined
the bimetallic ranks in consequence.
Nowhere in all the country has the
silver question been studied more care.
fully, and nowhere have there been so
many converts. Unless we are great,
ly mistaken. Illinois will be for Bryan
by large majority.
With Illinois he can dispense with
all the doubtful States and have eight
votes TO spare. There will be pretty
fight in both Michigan and Wisconsin,
where the Democracy will undoubtedly
lose many votes because of its silver
plank, but where already there has
been big bolt from the Republicans
on this same issue. How this inter.
change of votes will affect the result
can be guessed at only wildly. In
fine, MI. Bryan starts out with POS
votes sure and the following in the
doubtful column:
Illinois ................... ....... u