The Banner-Democrat., 1896-10-31
THE ELEcTogIAL. VOTE.

States Will pfoUduiy " "" "SJ
next. the New Orleans Times Demo
crat comes nearer than any of the
estimates ret given, compiled mostly
from Republican standpoint, and
" which gives a majority Of the cleo
toral votes to w. J. Bryan. The
I'D. says:
There have been many election
tables lately published, showing how
the electoral vote of the country |
will be cast. Most of them, how
ever, are. mere buncombe.
Senator Quay, Of Penney wanna,
presented some time ago table
which claimed the election OF Nc
Kinley by good majority. 1t was
evidently not satisfactory to Hanna
because, it. dad not claim enough,
and he issued second Tor supple
men,aI.tabIe, claiming the eieciion
of Mckinley by an electoral vote OF
500. Senator Jones put IN an OPP
position claim of 304 for Bryan
Every one of course recognized that
these are mere campaign claims, or
"bluffs.n of little value, and they
are not accepted by any one as
seriously meaut. There have been
other tables published in the news
papers, but they have usually been
tinged by the politics of the papers
publishing them, and it has been
difficult to get an unbiased table.
Occasionally, o however, little light
is shell on the subject of which we
can avail ourselves.
The Chicago Record has for some
time past been endeavoring to learn
the sentiment of the voters by means
of postal card canvass. 1t is a
gold paper, but it is undoubtedly
endeavoring to get at the truth. 1t
finds this, however, very difficult
matter, so bitter are political preju,
dices this year. The returns it has
so far obtained, especially IN Chica-
go, are not pleasant to the Demo
Gratis, and have been denounced by
Senator Jones himself. Without
accepting the Illinois returns, the
figures OF the Record prove beyond
question that the following of the
doubtful States of the Central West
are going for Bryan: Kentucky,
Kansas, North Dakota, South
Dakota, Nebraska, Indiana and Mis-.
souri, while they indicate that Min.
nesota, Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin
and Illinois are going for Mckinley.
! For instance, the Record (gold)
interviewed 6ll3 representative
voters in Kentucky. 1t found a
great many changes in their votes
as compared with 1892. Some who
voted for Cleveland then will vote
for Mckinley this time, and some
for Palmer, while many of the old
Republicans are now ardently fol
Bryan. The net result was a gain
for Bryan over the Cleveland vote
and a loss for Mckinley as com
pared with Harrison. As Cleveland
had good majority in the State,
and Bryan will get a larger vote
than he did, 1t requires no calculat
ing to figure out that Bryan val
carry Kentucky.
| In Indiana, similarly, Is, is;
voters were unfortunately inter
viewed. The net result was Bryan
gain over Cleveland 1873; Mckinley
loss, compared with Harrison, $50
net Democratic gain SIS, or 8 pc
cent. This is in comparison will
1892, when Cleveland had a plu
, rality of 7l25 in the Stale, which
r Bryan is likely to increase.
/ In Missouri 1900 voters similar
ly showed a democratic gam of ss4
in Kansas 1882. voters indicated
Democratic gain of 500, and SO OF
with the other States we have enum
Grated. AS by no possibility woul'
r the canvass made by gold pape
give these States to Bryan unles
they were for him, We can put them
with the greatest safety, in the Brya
column.
t The New York Herald has made
: canvass of the whole country. B,
q ing a stalwart gold journal, 1t
a natural to expect that the Heral
would lean toward Mckinley; yet W
find that it gives far more favo
able showing for Bryan in man
States which are classed sometime
u as doubtful than was expected.
5 is a concession which is most slgnii
e cant.
+ The Herald conceds California
the Democrats by $500. There vs.
never any doubt about the State, bl
it is some satisfaction to see the gol
e journals acknowledging that it will
II Democratic. As matter of fac
the Democratic majority is likely
exceed 25, 900.
e The Herald also comedies Del
Y ware by 500 majority, which
: larger than Cleveland's plurality