Washington sentinel., 1900-08-04
T>TT TT, SENTINEL
DEPENDS
ON
GERMANS
Theresult Of
the Presiden-
tial election
H.. -..nr Il q

On ...I .I..,;.,
GERMANS thu, this year. it is
generally conceded, hinges upon
the States OF the Middle West, and
several OF the sparsely settled trans
Mississippi Commonw ealths. In
1896 Mckinley carried all the
States in question which lie this
side of the Mississippi River. OF
the trans Mississippi States which
are to Hgure prominently in 1900,
Bryan carried four years age the
following: South Dakota, Mon
tana, Idaho. Wyoming, Nebraska,
and Kansas, with a total Of 81 elec-
toral votes. He was 4S electoral
votes shy Of the number necessary
to elect.
Democratic managers contend
that the trans Mississippi States
carried by Bryan four years ago
are all safe for him this year. But
it is clear that Democratic success
cannot be achieved without inn
portant gains east Of the Missis.
sippi River. This fact, as well as
the new issues which have come
to the front since the last election,
makes the Middle West particu-
larly the battle ground Of the cam
paign-the parties are to line up
Tor a death struggle in the States
Of Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin,
Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, West
Virginia, Kentucky. The first six
Of these States contain a large
Germau-American population, and
it is this tact which leads Demo
Gratis to hope, through the issue Of
imperialism, to reverse the RePub-
lican majorities which these States
gave in 1890.
Il is clear that the German
Americans, who were so united tor
Nc KinleY four years ago, are lin
ing up by the thousand for Bryan
because they object to theimperial-
istic tendencies OF the present Ad-
mInistration; that understanding
the free silver question to be set
tied for a long time, the Germans
have no fear Of danger to the eX-
Isting gold standard and are ready
to record their opposition to lmpe-
perialism and militsrism. Repub-
licans themselves COnCede that
there is considerable dissatisiaC-
ton IN their ranks with the policies
Of the party, and in this view OF the
case it is interesting to investigate
the strength OF the German Amer
ican vote in the debatable States.
Unfortunately the twelfth census
will not be completed in time to
give exact figures with regard to
the distribution OF the German
American population. The figures
Of the eleventh census, however,
give some excellent bases Tor
estimates. In 1890 there we're in
the United States, 2.784 894 for
eign born and 4o66,67o native
German Americans, making their
total population 6.85Gs64 in 500.
In the battle ground States were
the 'ollOwing German American
populations:
Ohio, 6Iz,444; Indiana, 368,G8s;
illinois, 8oI,574; Michigan 5I6,-
ora a78 o6,. N-ebrss2E5s9 &c 259' Mlb';a9ss.
Kentucky, ro5,222; Kansas. Ia4,-
658.
According to present estimates
Of population, there are now in the
country some $4,000, 900, an in
crease during the decade OF about
"a per cent. II the increase among
the German Americans mas been
as much as 20 per cent, and this
is conservative estimate, the
German American population OF
the above mentioned States is
about as follows: Ohio, 8o7, 900;
Indiana, 32I, 900; Illinois. 96s 900,
Michigan, $50, 900; Wisconsin,
$4,000; Minnesota, $4,000; Ne
brasKa, 795 900; Kansas, $50, 900;
Kentucky, I24. 900.
From these figures it is not diff
cult to estimate approximately the
German American vote OF these
States. In 1896 Ohio, Indiana and
Illinois pOlled at least IS per cent.
Of their entire population, some
thing entirely unprecedented. The
usual ratio on a full vote has been
Que vote 70 every FIVE people, and
this will be a conservative proper
ton by which to estimate the Ger
man American vote Of 1900. On
this basis the German American
vote Of the nlne States would be
as follows: Ohio, I6I, 400; Indiana,
o., zoo; Illinois, rg2, 400; Michigan
70, 900; Wisconsin, $50, zoo; Min
nesota, 68, 800; Nebraska, $4,000;
Kansas, $1,000; Kentucky. 24,8oo.
There IS no way to tell Just what
proportion Of the German Ameri-
can vote Mckinley got in 1896, but |
it is estimated that he received from
80 to 90 per cent. tIt. The returns
Of 1896 show that a change OF a.
900 votes would have changed the
result in Ohio; Ind ana, with a
change Of 1900, wolll have been
Democratic; similar results would |
have been achieved in other States |
as follows: Illinois, $4,000; Wis
consin, 1900; Michigan, 10000;
Minnesota, $1,000; and Kentucky !
could have been Democratic by
the change ofa mere handtCL And
the mention OF Kansas and Ne
braska serves only to suggest that |
1t there really is any slump Of the |
German vote whatever TO the |