The Indianapolis journal., 1896-11-04
At HEADQUARTERS.
How the News Was Received by Cam
DRiEn ManaKera.

CHICAGO, Nov. Sat the headquarters
of the Republican national committee
elaborate preparations were made for the
reception of the election returns. The
wires of the Western Union and Postal
Telegraph Comrani-s and those of the
long-distance telephone had been strung
into the Office and small army of account
ants was on hand to tabulate the figures
and compare them with the votes of 1892
and 1894. The news was late in starting
and for time very slow in coming. The
first message that did not deal with the
condition of the weather and was not more
of an indefinite promise than a statement
of actual conditions came from Donald
Mackay, the chairman of the Oregon State
central committee. 1t was as follows:
THE city of Portland gives a majority
of 5000 for Mckinley and this means the
State for the Republican ticket"
This is good one to start on" said Vice
President Payne, "but it's only the first
rain drop of the coming deluge. We will
have plenty more of the same sort by and
by"
Then ensued an hour of indefinite mes
sages from all points of the country, all
of them, however, being of an encouraging
nature to the Republican cause. There
came a message from Baltimore saying
that Chairman Rusk, of the Democratic
city central committee, conceded that city
TO Mckinley by 5000. THAT means Mary
land for us, L think said Mr.. Payne.
quickly. I'VE are going now and they will
never catch u.s.
After this the kilograms came in a
shower that seemed never to cease-the
vote of a few precincts in a town here and
county there with. however little of a
substantial nature to ballast them A howl
of delight went up from the crowd in the
halls and rooms adjoining Mr.. Payne s
office when the telegraph instrument ticked
off the message from Chairman Ferry, OF
the Michigan State central committee:
Michigan is safe for Mckinley by 1000. -
Ikis news was cried out of the window to
the crowd below and the howl in the halls
above was a gentle whisper to the wild
roar from the pavement.
The next chairman to report with definite
assurances was Bixby, of Minnesota who
said his commonwealth wanted Mckinley
and wanted him to the tune of 900 to So
600. This came in a few minutes before
o'clock and Vice Chairman Payne at once
| sent out telegram to Chairman Hanna in
| Cleveland and to the various State chair
| men. saying: Mckinley has carried Chi
| cago by about 10000. Returns from Michi-
gan. Illinois. Iowa, Kentucky and Mime
sofa show that those States are safe for
Mckinley"
The report from Nebraska headquarters
| TO the effect that Bryan would be beaten in
| his own State by majority of 13 900 gave
| the liveliest satisfaction, and cheers were
| loud and long when from the East came
| news equally cheering.
| General William Osborn, the secretary OF
| the New York committee, sent word that
| Mckinley had carried Maryland; West Vir.
| ginia by $4,000 and New York by 300 900
| Then the West spoke up once more, ant
Iowa sent word that Bryan would be so OCt
| TO the rear when the final roll was called
| Then came the South with a promise o.
! 10000 votes to the good in Tennessee ant
a safe majority in the Democratic strong
| hold of Virginia.
| At o'clock Vice Chairman Payne sen
| the following message to Chairman Hanna
| I'VE now claim Ohio by 50.OOo Indiana b,
| 10000. Michigan by 10000. Wisconsin by So
| 0G0. Illinois by 100000. Nebraska by $1,000
Iowa by $1,000 Minnesota by So 900 and Ken
| lucky by 20, ,000''