The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-26

Middle and Western States Long Walt
Expected Unless There Il Landslide.
sWashingon, October 25.-The presidential
election OF Novemb ber 8 will be held un-
vailed, which will render the official
count matter of difficulty and unusual
delay. Since the last Presidential con-
test, almost every State which had not
then adopted the Australian ballot ays-
tenn has, by State enaotment. prescribed
some form of the secret blanket ballot.
either based on the Australian plan or
closely resembling it.
The only exceptions are Georgia, Louis
lana. North Carolina and South Caro-
lima. In the first three states named,
the old open ballot system prevails, and
the election machinery is in the hands of
the state authorities. In South Carolina
| there IL what is called a"reform ballot, y
the avowed purpose Of W hich Is to re-
strict the votes of illiterate negroes.
In nearly all other states blanket bal
lots will be cast and in many of them the
count will> be complicated by the fact
that the state, Legislature and county
nominations are printed on the samc
ballot with the names Of the Presidential
electors. Connecticut hos an envelope
system. New Jersey prints each party
ticket upon a separate ballot.
Should the election be in any way
close it is quite possible that 1t may be
"a hours or even 48 hours after the polls
close before the result is known with
absolute certainty. Ing states like Ne
| braska for instance, where, according to
conservative opinion there may not be
| margin of 5000 votes either way. 1t will
be impossi BILE to arrive at q correct judg-
ment until all the back counties are
heard from.
The polls In the cities close at D. m.,
| and in the country districts keep open
open till 5 p. m., and with a governor,
legislature and county officers to elect, all
OIL one ballot, 1t will take at least six
hours to complete the count. Some idea
of the general trend of the vote In Ohio
can be obtained from the result Of the
counties in which Cincinnati and Cleve-
land are respectively situated. These
results will probably be known ooIc-
paratively early. The rest of the state.
it is anticipated. will go pretty much as
it has done in previous Presidential
years. The doubtful points ale Hamif-
ton and Cuyahoga counties. Chicago
will control Illinois. There will bs no
doubt of the outcome when the vote of
Cook county is recorded.
| In other doubtful states, like indiana,
Michigan and Kansas, where the ,tate
and legislative tickets also complicate
kh4 h,1l lN+r rrYslI ~ku1-V
key note from which the result can be
definitely determined Tuesday night un-
less the election should prove landslide.
| In that case midnight may give clear
| idea of who are the victors. Otherwise
there may be many hours Of anxious yus-
pense.
The last TWO Presidential elections
have bee singularly free from uncsr-
tainty. 1t was known by 10 p M, elec-
tion day in 1883 that Mr.. Harrison had
defeated MIR. Cleveland. 1t was known
with equal certainty at II p. M, election
day in 1899 that Mr.. Cleveland had de-
fsated Mr. Harrison.
/ In tine election of 1884 when Mr.. Cleve-
land defeated Mr.. Blaine the official re-
suit hung in doubt over the vote OF. New
| York for days. The fusion ticket will
| add further element of difficulty in the
Presidential count this year. Fusion has
been arranged batween the Populists and
Democrats on the electoral ticket in
every Democratic state but Tennessee,
Mississippi. Georgia, Alabama. Florida
and Texas.
In several southern states, while t bele
has been no formal fusion hetwean the
Republicans and Populists ON state leg
islatures and congressman, local arrange
ments have been made that amount to
fusion and will have more or less to do
| with the result.
The following states will elect COVER
nors November 8: Colorado, Conneotiout
Delaware, Indiana, Illinois, Indiana,
Kanas, Massachusetts,. Michigan, Min
nesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana,
New Hampshire, New York, North Car
lima, North Dakota, South Dakota, Ten
nessee, Texas, Washington, West Vir-
ginia, Wisconsin and South Carolina. .
The following will elect legislatures:
California, Colorado C0nneoticut,
Delaware, Idaho. Illinois, Indiana, lows,
Kansas, Kentucky, (seven vacancies).
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana,
Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire,
New Jersey, New York, (part), North
Caroina, North Dakota, Pennsylvanis,
South Carolina. South Dakota, Tennes-
see, Texas, Utah, Virginia. Washington,
West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.