Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1896-10-31
SUMMING UP THE SITUATION.
Correspondent SteaIey's View of the
Doubtful States

The Washington Post, republi
can newspaper, says
"If Bryan loses kentucky l look
for a landslide for Mckinley, because
believe that the same influences
that would defeat Bryan in Ken
i lucky would defeat him i'll every
one of the doubtful States, re-
marked MIR. Stealey, of the Courier
Journal, to a Post reporter.
How do YOU regard the situation
in Kentucky ~
lit is badly mixed. If republi-
can or gold man comes here or writes
me he talks confidently of Mckinley
carrying the State, and the Bryan
men talk as confidently the other
way. They all appear TO view the
situation exactly rs they desire the
election to go. With them all the
wish seems TO be father to the
thought. The most encouraging III
dicaIion | gather for the Bryan side
in kentucky is that the sporting
men generally have more money TO
wager on the democrats carrying the
State than the republicans. These
sporting men, as rule, are not IN
spired with sufficient sentiment Tor
one side or the other to place their
money where they are most likely to
lose it, Sporting men generally get
the best information for the reason
that they seek it out in business
way, and it often costs them money
in the obtaining OF inside facts.
They size up an election precisely as
they do q horse race, and then bet
their money. or course, they fire.
ouently lose, but they don't care 50
much for that when they reflect that
they laid their wagers on good N
formation"
What do you think of Indiana ~
II think that the democrats have
lighting chance to carry Indiana,
but that is about all. My informa-
ton from that State is that the
democrats have short, fiat purse
and an exceedingly lame organize
ton. In fact, some of my democratic
/ friends out there write me that they
have no organization at all Then
the democrats and populists III a
number Of counties are fussing with
each other. On the other hand, the
republicans are we'll organized and
have an abundance of money. The
sporting men are betting 10 TO that
Mckinley will carry that State, ana
think they know what they are
doing
How do you view the general
situation ?"
ENTIRELY atmospheric. When the
wind is from the South and the eX-
IRENE West l sniff Bryan as the com
ing man, but when inhale the vigor
Gus gale from the Atlantic and New
England coasts and the still breeze
from the Chicago Record poll of Hi
nois, Iowa and Wisconsin, | think
that Mckinley is not only elected,
but inaugurated. But to be serious.
While everything in this latitude
seems to be of a deep yellowish hue,
and not even silver lining in sight,
90 not believe that any man feels
way down deep that il Is all over but
the shouting. | believe that the can
didate who receives the majority of
the labor vote of the country will
be the next President, and the
question is how is that vote
going. 1t is the great factor,
in fact, the sole arbiter, IL
the contest. The preponderance
OF open, expressed opinion is that
Mckinley Will be overwhelmingly
elected. Especially is this so in the
gold atmosphere OF this section of the
country. But there are men and good
politicians who believe that the con
test between Bryan and Mckinley
will be mostly sectional and exceed
ingly close. Two men of this kind
who in previous campaigns have been
prominent as chief managers OF their
party interests, each being attached to
the National Committee, one dem
ocrat and the other a republican, re
side in this city. For two weeks |
have been comparing notes. with
these two distinguished gentlemen,
and the following table OF estimates
begging the pardon of Hanna, Quay,
C:roSvenor, Jones, Butler, and other
farfamed lightning calculators OF the
claim it all brigade for the infringe
ment, will show the opinion formed
by these gentlemen, who have tried
to view the situation from an impair
tial standpoint"
S+a+as reasonably certain for BRYAN.