Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-07-13
TWELVE PAGES.
FRIDAY, JULY 10. 1900.
LET THE DEMOCRATS TAKE NO
CHANGES.

This is a year when the Democracy
can afford to take no chances. Polti-
cal conditions are chaotic. for one
thing-morc chaotic. il possible, than
four years ago. 1t is anybody's fight;
there is no sort OF doubt about that
The assertion of the Republicans that
they have the fight whipped already is
mere whistling to keep their courage
up. They know better. The prctensc
will not be kept UP through the cam
paign. There has been no Presidential
contest for years in which so many
voters were at sea as in this There
are imperialistic Democrats and anti
imperialistic Republicans cast into the
pot-pourri that resulted from the loos-
ening of political bonds in 1896 And
nobody knows anything about the
numbers of these new clements in poll
tics. or where they arc located. Demo-
Gratis can prove more easily than ever
that they will carry New York. In
diana. Illinois. Michigan. Maryland.
Kentucky. West Virginia: Republicans
can demonstrate with ease that they
will carry all OF these States and add
on at least North Carolina and Nebras-
ka. with fighting chance in Virginia
and Missouri. Claims are cheap; some
people believe them and vote to be on
the winning side; they always give lee
way for the gentlemen who are experts
Mt ballot accommodating and ballot
counting. Both sides, therefore. make
claims. With the Republicans it is n
mere case of holding the States they
carried in 1896; with thc-Brmocrats
lies the necessity of holding the States
they have and OF winning other States
with an aggregate of forty eight cleo
toral votes. There is sure to be effort
enough made to win in States carried
by the Republicans four years ago;
but when there is political chaos Demo
Gratis cannot afford TO take anything
for granted in the States they carried
in 1896. There arc some States in the
Union that carry themselves. but they
do not come to a dozen, all told. The
Democrats may as well face the posi-
bility that they may have Il SITTER
fight in some Democratic States this
year than they had in 1896 The Re-
publicans are not doing any running
this year; they have too much at
stake, and are too amply provided with
resources We do NOT share the view
that a majority OF the men who left
the Democratic party in 1896 and voted
for Mckinley will return this year.
Party allegiance once broken sits
lightly on men thereafter. These men
voted for what they considered their
private interests in 1856: they will
mainly do it again this year. Some of
them will return. but the majority of
them will not. They have always been
rather Republicans than Democrats. If
fundamental principles be the test.
and by the same token they take kind
ly to Imperialism. Let us, therefore.
not count them in the Democratic col
umn. The Democrats who STAYED nj
home i'm 1896 will doubtless support
the ticket this year. ON the other
hand, we shall lose some voters who
supported SIR Bryan In 1896; not very
many, perhaps. but some. But VIC shall
gain from the Republicans and gain
largely. That is certain. How largely
is uncertain. Therefore, let us take
no chances anywhere and count no
chicks that are still in the shell. The
country can be carried for Bryan and
Stevenson. 1t can be carried with
out New York, as ii Will probably have
to be. 1t can be carried without a cor
ruption fund, as ii will surely have
to be. But 1t cannot be carried with
out thorough organization. strenuous
work, and a straight appeal to the