The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-30
SOME CAMPAIGN PICTIONS.
Only One Election Needed, Usually. TO Prove
Their Palsity.

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When Allen q. Thurman was a candidate for
Vice. President 81 the United States In lSSS the
assertion was quite freely made that his noml-
nation assured Ohio to the Democrats and made
Indiana doubtful. because Of tho fact that he
was a native Of LynchburG, Va. and southern
Ohio and southern Indiana were both settled
by emigrants from the Old Dominion. The
nomination Of Judge Thurman. however, had
no such effect, and his candidature proved Of
no particular account in Virginia. which only
gave l.5OO majority for the Democratic ticket.
the smallest since the reconstruction period.
In the Presidential election OF 1892 consider
able importance was attached among Repub-
licln party managers TO prospective gains in
the natural gas belt Of Indiana. II was pointed
out that the discovery Of natural gas had greatly
stimulated manufacturing interests In some
counties Of Indiana and brought into them
large numbers Of new corners from other States
and made certain large Republican gains. There
were no Republican gains on election day in
the natural gas bolt or any other part Of Indiana.
which was carried by the Democrats.
In 1919 a number of political observers with
n mathematical tendency strongly developed
accompanied W. J. Bryan on his canvassing
tour, making records Of the number Of places
visited by him. the distances from one to another
and the crowds gathered TO hear him In each.
on this basis extravagant expectations Of gains
in Chicago. ILL.,, Wheeling. W. Va; Jam estown
y. Y; Columbus. Ohio, and Baltimore, Md.
were based with the result, however, that such
gains did not mate1alize. as the record Of the
election showed. The only States carried by
Mr.. Bryan with the exception Of Nebraska. his
home. and Kansas and South Dakota, were the
States he did not visit. The States In which
" IL a. - f. - =
largest crowds were carried by Mckinley.
There are many such political hctlons and
the most notable thing about them is that,
however slender their basis, they never lack
credulous believers among pnrtisans. Thus
the theory that the infusion Of Northern So
J%ourners would turn Florida from a Demo
cratic into a Republican State was rudely over
thrown and the Republicans Of Florida in tho
contest Of 1892 did not run any Presidential
electoral ticket, and wholly surrendered the
field to their opponents, The idea that Massa-
chusctts could be turned from It's Republican
allegiance by the influx of French-Canadians,
perverse in their determination TO vote the
Democratic ticket, received no substantial
basis at the polls, The idea that the de yelop-
ment Of It's coal and iron interests would turn
Alabama from a Democratic into n Republican
State, that the eliminaion Of the colored
vote in Mississippi would turn the white planters
Of that State over 10 the RApublican party, or
the extension Of female suffrage In Colorado
the way 70 Democratic success there, have
all been proved f~allacies.
But there is none the less a new crop Of such
campaign nctions for 1900, and IL seems likely
to be quite an extensive one from all present
The vague notion that the fol
land-Americans, who number but a handful,
nre coming out In thousands for 10 20 1 because
the Government Of the United States has not
interfered In the South African controversy
pursuing in this regard the same course as
their home country. Hollands one Of these
tictions. The. notion that tho commercial
travellers OF the country, a very considerable
humber of whom are on the road on election
day and have no votes, arc going to combine
TO carry Bryan triumphantly into tho White
House as n rebuke 20 President Mckinley. Is
such notion. Others are already prom
ised, but the crop II large enough for present
needs without the necessity OF any extension, |
In order to keep up with the record of past
Preside initial elections.