New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-22
MAJORITY STATES.

These are the States which opposing Demo
cratic factions hope to gain by one line Of tao
tics or the other, because the Republicans would
have 264 electoral votes with only the States in
which they have n clear majority NcwYork
could by no one be considered doubtful except
because of Platt the conduct Of his Legislature
and the alliance with Tammany to which the
fulsome adulation of him by Democratic or
gans bears daily witness. How far he has
power to make mischief 1t remains for the Re
publicans of this State to determine. So Della
ware would by nobody be considered doubtful
except for Addcks Maryland and West Viz
ginia are plainly hostile to the Democratic party
because Of its warfare against protection. 1t
will be argued that there is absolutely no chance
of carrying any Of these States except with Il
gold platform and candidate, and that their 80
electoral votes with those Of States surely Re
publican would make 30, only 224 being needed
to elect. Advocates Of a silver combination
have to show that they can by any possibility
prevent Republicans. carrying a single one Of
the remaining States having four votes or more
The hope Of the silver men is based on Indi
ana and the remaining States of the West and
South. II they could combine all the Demo
cratic and POpulist vote, and draw 5000 votes
from silver Republicans in Indiana. they might
win, provided there were no gold Democrats to
vote the Republican ticket SO in the other
States Of this class a comparatively small num-
Der of silver Republicans might turn the scale
If there were no gold Democrats and if per-
feet combination could be formed. 1t must be
admitted that this is not conceivable in all the
States In question. 1t may be therefore set
down as certain that n silver Democrat would
be beaten by the votes Of Republican States
alone But when such n Democratic authority
as THE Louisville Couricr-Journal'' declares
with emphasis that Kentucky is Republican
State against any silver Democrat, it may be
recognized that the same condition makes Mis-
souri, and Tennessee Republican States If the
Democrats take the silver side BY no posi-
bility can they prevent a large secession of
Democrats, probably much larger than their
gain from Popuists silver Republicans The
Republicans who want silver coinage have
nearly all gone over to the Populists and re-
main there in Nebraska, Washington and Ore
gon, while the Democrats who would revolt
against silver platform would not be few
For these reasons gold Democrats argue that
most If not all Of the States In which the Re
pubcans have only n plurality would go for
Mckinley against any silver combination
1t is a strong argument but has one fatal
weakness. 1t supposcs that the Democrats.
Populists and silver men can somehow be COM
bned for a gold candidate. The silver men will
answer that the Democratic party on n gold
basis would be the third party IN the race Popu.
lists and silver combined would then carry not
only the 80 votes above mentioned but more
than half the IS Democratic votes from South
ern States. At the same time, more than half
the Democrats In the disputed Western States
would secede to the Populist-silver candidate
The Republican force in those States would not
be broken. but the opposition would be so d..