Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-28
The Arithmetic of II.
Baltimore SUM-

One reason why the Democrats at
Chicago cannot afford to nominate free
coinage man for the presidency is the
certainty that they could not elect him.
To begin WITH the South is not solid for
silver. 1t is practically clear that
number OF the sixteen ex-slave states
will in 1896 go Republican II the Republi-
can candidate for the presidency is
sound-money man and his Democratic
competitor is an advocate of 5o-cent Sill
yer dollars. 1t Is absolutely certain that
New York. New Jersey. Connecticut and
Indiana cannot be relied upon to vote
COR free coinage. and without the electoral
votes of these States the South. even II
perfectly solid, could have but little hope
OF electing Il President The figures are
instructive The first thing they reveal
is that the South. when solid, u not so
strong I'm the Electoral College now as
II was I'm former presidential years. Ii
has in 1896. but 81 per cent OF the cleo
toral votes. as against IS per cent. under
the appointments Of 1870 and 1880.
The sixteen States of the South have
but i59 electoral votes out OF the Az i'm
the present Electoral College. and 22i
votes will be required TO elect. Where
are the additional 65 votes TO be obtained?
They may be sought In the East on the
basis Of sound money, or In the West.
on the basis OF silver The nine
mining States have but 80 votes TO give
free-coinage Democrat. In exchange
for 50 lost in New York. New Jersey, and
Connecticut AS for Indiana, 1t is alto
gether unlikely that Democratic
srlverite could this year carry the Hooser
State. with 10 electoral votes. against
sound-money Republican. but II he. should
do so he would still fall far short OF
majority I'm the Electoral College. Some
other large Western State would be
wanted, along with the solid South. the
mining States. and Indiana, to produce
victory for silver. But such a combina-
ton would be most difficult. One has
only 70 consider the financial views and
recent record OF Maryland. Delaware. and
West Virginia 10 perceive that IL Is an
impossible combination. If the southern
silyerites are proposing TO themselves 20
elect President with the votes OF lndi-
ana and the mining States and the solid
South they are poor arithmeticians. They
have omitted from their calculation the
material ilct that on silver the South is
not solid.
on the other hand, the Republicans.
with sound-moDey man on a sound
mEney platform would. most. probably
have an easy victory. The States OF New
York. New Jersey. Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Indiana. Illinois, Michigan. Wisconsin,
Minnesota, Iowa. Maryland. Delaware,
and West Virginia with the New Eng
land States, would give them the presi-
dency, with votes TO spare. This view
is beginning to be generally entertained
In the Republican camp, with beneficial
effect upon the straddlers. The Mckinley
boom - encountering obstacles. and it's
admirers are becoming alarmed. The
record OF Governor Mckinley does not
bear close study. II Is found that he
has no convictions upon the silver ques-
ton. but is subject to pressure. His
speeches and votes have been for free
coinage and for such dangerous measures
as the Sherman silver act A reaction
has accordingly set In. and the mana
gers OF his boom are considering IL he
would not gain votes by putting forth n
declaration in favor OF the single gold
standard