The Saint Paul globe., 1900-05-08
TWO STATES SETTLE IT.
Result of Presidential Election
Practically Hinges on Them.

New York Sun.
The popular majority In total vote Of
more than Il, ,G0O,6O0 in 1896 was less than
100000 for William Mckinley, and in three
states of the country, California, Ken
lucky and South Dakota, the plurality
Of the successful party was so small that
1t was less than the Prohibition vote in
each. though California is the chief wine
producing state of the country and Ken
lucky Is not without fame among those
who drink whisky. The plurality of the
Mckinley electoral ticket was less than
10 per cent of Bryan's total vote, and the
majority Of the Mckinley electors over
all presidential tickets was less than 2S5,-
900 in the country-10,000 less than the
Mckinley plurality in Pennsylvania
But although the lead of the successful
party in the country at large was so
small compared with the total vote cast
the battle was decided in a few states
only, as presidential electors have been
for many years and as the election of
1890 is likely TO be also 1t is only when
the actual figures are considered that it
IS seen how IT is that the large majority
of the states are so strongly committed
to one or other party as to exercise very
little direct influence on the result Thus
the state Of Maine, which Mckinley car
ried by 5000, the whole Bryan and Sew
ell vote (Mr. SeweIl was resident Of
Maine} was only $1,000. Mckinley had
1900 more plurality than his opponent
had votes IN the Pine Tree state In
Massachusetts the Mckinley plurality
was $1,000 more than the Bryan vote. In
New Hampshire it was 1900, in Rhode
Island 1900, and In Vermont 10000, the
Bryan vote in that state being 10000 only,
and the Mckinley plurality 10000
Nor were these evidences of disparity
on one side only. In Alabama, which
Bryan carried by 5000, the total McIlin-
ley vote was only $1,000. In Arkansas the
Bryan plurality was twice as large as
the total Mckinley vote. In Colorado
Mckinley had $4,000 votes; Bryan had
155, 900 plurality. In Florida the Bryan
plurality was more than double the whole
Mckinley vote. In Idaho 1t was nearly
three times as large. In Louisiana the
Mckinley vote was 22,e00: the Bryan
plurality was $1,000; and in Mississippi
the Mckinley vote was 5000, while the
Bryan plurality was $4,000. For every
vote cast for the Mckinley ticket IN
that state Bryan had II votes, 10 Of them
majority. In Montana the Bryan plu.
rality was three times greater than the
Mckinley vote. In Nevada it was eight
times greater; in South Carolina 1t was
five times greater. the Mckinley vote
being 5000, and the Bryan plurality 5000
IN Texas, a state which cast four years
ago more than half a million votes, Bry-
ans plurality was 100000. while the whole
Mckinley vote was only 1j7. In Utah the
Mckinley vote was 1900. and the Bryan
plurality was $1,000.
These evidences of allegiance in voting
to one or other Of the political parties, al
though more clearly marked than usual
at the election of 1896, are the general
rule ia the national contests, and these
are determined by the electoral votes Of
few states chiefly. Prior to the Civil
war the electoral vote of Pennsylvania
was usually regarded as decisive. and it
became known as the keystone state, a
distinction which it still preserves. though
it was the atate which at the last presi-
Dental election gave the successful party
a larger plurality than any other. After
the close of the Civil war and the restora-
ton of the Southern states to political
fellowship. New York, Connecticut and
New Jersey came TO be accepted as the
determining states, but at present the
seat Of political control has shifted west
ward, and New Jersey and Connecticut
are no longer doubtful.
New York and Illinois, which cast to-
gether 100000 votes, and have collectively
90 electoral votes. are now the two most
decisive states, though in the contest of
four years ago the Mckinley plurality in
the former was 25S 900, and in the latter
142. .000 or more than 20 per cent of the
total Mckinley plurality in the whole
country