The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-12-04
TRouBLEsoME ELECTION BETS.
close Calls Of Those who Ret on Pi"r"ii-
it,,s aud Ma JoritIts.

PHILADELPHIA Press: Though the Pres
dental election L. settled beyond con-
troyersv and perudveniurc. Mckinley
having had the rare good fortune to Sc
cure majority In tho electoral college,
a majority OF the states, ana n majority
OF tho popular rotc. the gentlemen VINO
htt on the election have some difficulty
in determining who should have tho
stakes. At least we Infer 80 from the
large number OF letters received here
and apparently al other newspaper
offices. asking for n decision on the dis
putes which have arisen as TO the proper
disposition OF the stakes.
The terms plurality and majority
give a good deal OF trouble In some local.
tiles. This Is not to b. wondered at
since the word majority Is often used
where plurality Is meant. and we have
seen newspaper decisions to the effect
that bet that a candidate would win
by A certain majority is gained II the
candidate has Il plurality OF that num-
lrr Of votes. \ plurality OF votes IN
elections Is the excess which the high
est candidate has over the next highest.
y majority Is the excess which the high
est candidate has over all the other can
didatcs combined Major McKlnlcy's
apparent popular plurality over Bryan.
with few states still to hear from, OH
clally IS 7g6.IiS. His apparent popular
maiorlty over the votes OF all the other
Presidential candidates combined Is
3T9liS. He carried twenty three Of the
f6rty-tive states mud his majority IN The
electoral college IS Hinesy-scven.
Those who bet that Mckinley would
have 800 900 majority or plurality in
Pennsylvania have lost their bet. Nc
K!nlcy's plurality in this state Is 29i.-
90 His majority over all Is &C., 2iG
The tables OF the election returns in
Pennsylvania give Mckinley and H0-
bart 72S. 300: Bryan and Scwall. ~,
Bryan and Watson. G.l03. This makes
Mckinley and HNbart'6 plurality over
Bryan and Sewall 20i,lI1 But Bryan Is
entitled 10 have the Bryan and Watson
vote placed 20 his credit The electors
on the Bryan and Watson ticket are ex-
actly the same as those on the Bryan
and Sewall tlcke: Though they occu-
ny separate columns on the ballot the
distinction was Intended only 10 catch
Populst votes Tor Bryan and does not
operate in the counting. since scattered
votes Tor the same electors must be
punched together. and II they IRE Bryan
10 BTyan'S credit.
In Ohio the same condition obtained
as in Pennsylvania. The Mckinley and
Hobart ticket has n plurality OF 5l,l09
over the Bryan ard Scwdll ticket. But
the Bryan and Watson ticket pOlled
2.6l5. and as Il had. rs we understand.
eXactly the same electors rs the Bryan
and Srwall ticket. they will be added tn.
yetlIer 10 determine the total vote OF the
Bryan electors. reducing Mckiniey's
plurality over bryan In Ohio to 4S.igi.
Mckinley carried Kentucky by small
plurallty-@jS Although blundcrs In
marking the Ballots did SECURE Bryan
one OF III. thirteen electors, the state
must be credited 10 Mckinley. since he
has a plurality by comparing either the
vote for the highest electors or the aver
age vote for oil the electors on both
tickets.
Election betting Is contrary to good
morals and X operates to d!sfranChisc
the byttbrS In some states. Neverthe-
less. 20 far as such bets brget a thirst
for accurate Information and close def
nitiOns, they may not b" without n GER
tain educational value. Therefore, those
betting CttlzHns who have cndeav0rcd 20
Stake their thirst al the Press f0un ;nln
~ knowledge viii find the answer {"
shrir question or questions In some par;
II this article.