Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-04-01
The South Would Have Given a Majority for Mckinley, as Did the
North, Could Her Voters Have Had Fair Treatment.
A Non-Partisan Discussion of the Election Results Based Upon
Official Figures.

The final count by Congress of the cleo
torai vote, coupled with the various
charges which have been made by differ
ent people of excessive votes in certain of
the Northern States and suppression of
the Republican votes in the South, sug-
gesf a careful study of the figures of the
election in the light of those of other cleo
tions and records of population as well as
votes.
Gov. Alleged and Senator Allen have
charged n fraudulent excess of votes in
nearly all of the close States which were
carried by the Republicans in the late
campaign. including Ohio. Indiana. Michi-
gan. Illinois. Kentucky. Iowa, Wiscon-
sin. Minnesota. Oregon. California. West
virginia. Maryland and ever Pennsylya-
MIA. Senator Allen published as an official
document a paper containing q charge Of
TINS character and also introduced a reso-
luton calling for an investigation. but
has not up to this time made any move in
tne way of even asking consideration for
his resolution.
fortunately, it is possible by examining
the hgures of the census Of 1890 to get n
pretty fair idea as to whether the alleged
vote I'D any State was actually in excess
OF the number of voters in the State. The
census of 1890 shows the number of males
above the age of twenty-one in each State
and IT is reasonable TO assume TINT there
has been a very material increase in the
number of males of voting age in all parts
OF the country, and especially in the Mis-.
sissippi valley, in the six years between
the date of the census and the election of
1876. This makes it comparatively easy
10 ami in an intelligent way the
charges of fraud as made by Senator AL
len and Gov. Altgeld.
Let us examine a few of these CHARGES
In Ohio Mr.. Allen charges that the
fraudulent excess" of votes in 1896 was
04'oOo. Let US see. Ohio, according 70
MS heures gave 1,011, 576 votes. There
were In Ohio in 1890, according 70 tho
census, 1,016,464 males of voting are or
more than 5000 in excess of the nnmbor
OF votes cast in 1896. Ohio increased bar
population 14.S3 per cent in the decade
from 1880 to 1890, and il is reasopohIo 20
assume that, with the great p~rosner;tv
which has attended her developmept of
manufactories In the natural Gas region
In the past few years, the increase &c
population from 1890 to 1Sg6 has hoon =,
auat ten per cent. which
would bring the male population of 81
years and upwards. up to 1,117OoO or
ioo.OOO in excess of the number of votes
cast, yet Mr.. Allen charges officially but
admits that he does not know hy wbat
process he arrives at the conclusion thai
e4,1oO fraudulent excess of votes was
cast in that State. "a'
IN Indiana and Illinois the total nnm.
per OF votes cast in 1896 slightly exceeds
the total number of males above d veors
OF age shown by the census of 1870 IN
those States. In Illinois the excess &C
votes in 1896 above those of votine ooo
IL 1885 In that State is less than 19noC
iIiinofs gained in population in the decade
froI 1880 to 1890 24.32 per e In view
OF the great number of people drawn ~
Cnfcazo during the Worlds Fair ner;oa
many OF whom remained there. II t. 100
sonaple TO suppose that the rate of e,;n
SINCE 1870 has been quite as ranid ana
ina, the increase of population and in tha
numoer OF persons of voting age IL fnnu
10 per cent. This would bring the numh.s
OK males of voting age in the Stats ~ -
i'z4S,OOO. or 2:3s2. 900 in excess Of m.
OoT M W<sfAu nnk-1rrHM aoff !