The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-01-16
Reflections on the Election.

Farmer writes to the Annapolis Republi-
can as follows:
The more | reflect upon the official returns
of the late election the more | find food for
thought | want my farmer friends to study
the figures and see if they can understand
how Mr.. Bryan came to be defeated after
getting nearly million more votes than
Cleveland got in 1892. In 1892 Cleveland
had the full and hearty support of the leading
daily papers and the influence of the money
power and received 1853. l42 votes. Bryan,
this fall, received 6,50S,681 votes, with the
leading daily papers all arrayed against him,
and with the money power, the manufacture
ers, merchants, bankers and railroad manag-
ers. as rule, using their influence and power
to elect Mckinley and continue our present
financial policy. Our national administration
was also against us and the State election
machinery in the hands of the Republican
party, where it was placed through the
treachery or mismanagement of the present
administration the last two years. But look
at the result, with all this influence against us,
and vet we gave our candidate nearly mil
lion votes more than Cleveland got on the
very full vote in 1892. Now. | claim, this
showed that the people are thinking and act
ing and will yet save our American institu-
tons to our posterity, But the query arises,
how was Bryan defeated by 100000 votes,
when he had a million more than Cleveland's
vote. which was plurality of 36l, 100 over
Harrison? Well, it is claimed by an increase
in the popular vote of 1900, 200, that indi-
Gates an increase in population of 10, 000, 900
souls in four years. Then when we look over
the list and find that sixteen OF the States in
the aggregate polled 100000 less votes than
they polled in 1892, that will show an increase
of 300, 900 votes in 30 States. 1t strikes
i II . l.a.
The increased vote in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri and
Minnesota aggregates over million. In
these States alone Cleveland had over 80, 900
more votes than Harrison yet Bryan had
375, 900 more votes than Cleveland had, and
yet is beaten by Mckinley by 49,, 900 votes in
those States.
In Ohio Bryan got $4,000 more votes than
| Cleveland and $4,000 more votes than any
candidate of any party at any one election
ever got in Ohio before, and yet is defeated
! by $4,000 votes In 1895 they had very
| exciting campaign-the Democrats declared
for free silver and very full vote was polled
| Bushnell, the Republican candidate, was de-
clared elected governor, and the Democrats
cried fraud, claiming there were not that
many votes in the State The Republicans
claimed that every vote in the State was
brought out on account of the interest taken
in defeating the silver heresy. Now, this
year, Bryan got sc, 900 more votes than Bush
| nell, the successful Republican candidate got
last year, and yet is defeated by $4,000 votes.
| 1t looks funny, but there is no help They
increased the vote again over 10000 since
last year, aud so also in Illinois they increased
the vote 2l4,000 and gave the State to Me
Kinley, vet Bryan had over 40, 600 more votes
than the heavy Cleveland vote; so in Indiana
/ BRYAN had over As, 600 more votes than Cleve-
land had, but lost the State; so i'll Ken
lucky, Iowa, &c. The people, by quietly
submitting to the fragrant frauds, give the
best evidence that they are not anarchists,
but law-abiding and peace loving citizens.
| But suppose lin spite of all that money and
extensive system of coercion used) Bryan
! could have had fair count and been
elected would Wall street and its agents have
carried out their threat and have resisted the
will of the people? You remember, Turing
the campaign, Bryan and his supporters were
denounced as anarchists-that was intended
to draw attention away from the real anarch-
lists, who, through their agents notified the
people that if they should elect Bryan the re-
suit would not be accepted. Who are the
anarchists? 1t is an insult TO charge anaroh=
ism to the producing classes. We have notii-
ing to fear from them: they are the supporters
1 of good government in times of peace aud
war. The anarchists to fear are those i'll high
places where they can use the arm of govern
ment and army to crush the people and defeat
law. FARMER.