The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-05
The Silent Vote.

The Silent Vote.
! In the closing hours of the great stTus-
gle of the people against the allied powers
Of monopoly, reports from nearly all parts
of the country emphasize the fact that to-
morrow the silent vote Will be the deter
mining factor in the contest for the Pregi-
dency.
The States which constitute the debat-
able ground have been most carefully and
persistently canvassed by men who are
skilled in diagnosing probable results
through feeling the public pulse before
| hand. Yet they have been more at loss
this year than ever TO gather those straws
of popular sentiment which usually indi-
cafe the direction of the political wind.
Even the least conservative among these
expert prognosticatoTs have as a conse-
quence been made more than ordinarily
! cautious in forming their opinions and es-
7 Inmates. The reticence OF the masses has
puzzled them. But, after judicial con-
EideTaticn OF the situation, and the employ
ment Ct logic where figures and LEGAL opin-
lens are withheld. they are constrained TO
believe that the signs are net favorable 10
Mr.. Mckinley.
The expert who has carefully studied the
situation admits what has already been
stated in these columns, that this is a year
when the voter who has made up his mind
TO cast his ballot for Hanna as the actual
and Mckinley as the nominal President has
no reason 10 hide his decision. On the
contrary, there IS every reason why he
should have proclaimed il, in order TO reap
aRte-election benfts from his employer and
lis party which may be Impossible after
tomorrow.
II is the man who has decided to support
AIr. Bryan with his suffrage who must, as
2 matter of representation. hold his
tongue in this crisis of political conflict
especially if he is convert from the party
that has surrendered itself body ard soul
to the despots of monopoly.
Had he boldly announced that his con-
science would not permit him to endorse
the policies that are hostile to free govern
ment and productive of industrial slavery,
the manufacturer, or the banker. or the
subservieEt business man who employed
him would have dismissed him at once as
a warning and an example to others and
as proof to his political masters that he
was faithful to the cause.
The attitude of the silent voter, there
fore Is not cowardly, but wise. Having
others dependent upon him, he could not
afford to discover to his employer or even
his associates that he Fad espoused the
common cause. This is eonspicuousIy a
ease where discretion seems to have been
he hatta ,a,tC Of ,-aln e..
man will have more sympathy than critf-
cism for the workman who. for the rea-
sons ascribed. has been compelled to keep
his mouth shut in this lard of free speech
which, however. is not SO free when di-
reCted against the trusts and its political
creatures.
There is every reason 20 believe. from
the paintsaking eaayasses that have been
made that the silent voter is especially
numerous in New York, Ohio. and Illinois,
the States which, collectively or indfvid-
ually, are more than likely to turn the
scale in the battle of the ballots tomorrow.
And, if these uncommunicative citizens
are in sympathy with Mr.. Bryan's defence
Of American traditions and institutions.
The result will be a shock to MIR Hanna
After the experience Cuba has had with
the Hanna Administration, it is natural
that the people of that island should await
the returns Of tomorrows election with
something more than curiosity They
hold certain suspicious, begotten OF the
Nicely scandal and other instances. which
have not been Quieted by the piousIy ten
deTed explanation that most men and
even few Republicans among those APP
pointed to positions of trust. are likely to
err.