Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1896-10-29
Total
Totals ..6S, 54

HOW THE EJACULATION WAS TAKEN.
It is necessary to explain in detail the
form OF calculation which was adopted TO
construct the tables including the detailed
reports from the states and from Chicago
and Cicero The states were tabulattd by
counties and Chicago by wards, and the
respective wards and counties were credited
for this purpose with being democratic or
republican according as they were carried
by the democratic or republican party In
1892 A column then follows, giving the
number of blank poStal-card ballots sent
TO each ward and county, and the next col
umn gives the number of those that were
returned as votes to be counted In the
postal card election. The percentages OF
ballots returned as votes to those sent out
TO tho voters was then ascertained. THIS
item was calculated separately for the demo
cratic and the republican c"'dties and
wards. the percentage q returns from those
In each party being the information sought.
There has been an admitted and systematic
effort on the part of some influences in the
democratic organization to restrain the
voters Of that faith from participating In
the postal-Card election, and IL was to be
expected that the result of this effect
would show In the analysis of the vote.
III all influences were equal II would be
fair to presume that from counties in the
Same state, Of similar population. the per
centage OF ballots returned as votes to those
sent out would be approximately the same.
II there was uniform deficiency in this per-
ccntage in the democratic centers 1t would
In some degree measure the force OF this
restrained vote. ANY election calculations
ought to take cognizance OF this vote, If II
can be In any way measured. This suSges-
ton was made as a mathematical means OF
reaching an approximation to this matter,
and was approved as theoretically correct
by several who were competent to follow
the proposition to its logical conclusion.
GETTING AT EXACT FIGURES.
It is assumed that If in a certain state
the democratic counties showed q certain
percentage OF returns of the ballots that
were sent them, and the republican counties
showed another percentage voted out OF
their ballots the difference represented the
effective suppression OF the vote OF the
lesser one That percentage once obtained,
1t could be applied to the number OF ballots
sent to the state, and the resulting sum
could be added to the actual vote OF the
party deficient in its percentage OF returns.
This does not mean in every case to the
party OF smallest vote. Kansas, for in
stance. Mckinley has the largest vote but
tho democratic counties returned a larger
percentage of the ballots sent to them than
did the republican. Tho difference was,
therefore In Kansas. added to the Mckinley
vote. But in most cases the deficit was
in the democratic percentage of returns, and
as the tables will show, the additions were
made to the vote OF that party Missouri,
however, is another exception to the rule.
and the Mckinley lead gains thereby.
This handling of the figures is not to be
presumed as a final and exact estimate
of the possible showing of the election OF
November 8. hut 1t may have some indlca-
tion that will cast light on the prospects
in several cf the states. The table which
follows the showing of the states and of
Chicago. An this matter, is made up specu-
lativey from these calculations, as an
interesting study OF what might be called
the possible Bryan vote II there had been
no effort to prevent a free expression OF
the Bryan sentiment a political move.
VOTERS WHO ARE LOST
Many inquiries have been made as to the
percentages OF the vote TO each state which
were sent out TO the country and to the city
population. One of the accompanying tables
shows this separation in detail. 1t Is fol-
lowed by one which treats the number OF
ballots returned by the postoilices as un-
deliverable because the addresses could not
be found. Throughout the states this is an
inconsidcrable item, amounting to less than
an average OF two to each county partlcipa-
ting in the election, but IN the transient
population of Chicago it reaches large