The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-10-31
NEVADA'S VANISHING VOTE.
The Views OfOne EIectOr In the sage
Brush State Go Long Way.
New York SUM-


Nevada has smaller vote than any
other state in the country. only 10 300 all
told in the exciting Presidential election
OF four years ago, and It has fewer yot
each year. In 1888, L, 900 votes were cast
IN Nevada at the Presidential election; in
1892, LOCO in 1886, 1O, 300 only.
The qualifications OF suffrage in Nevada
are few and simple-six months residence
in the state and thirty days in the voting
precinct. Four classes OF voters only are
excluded. from the manifestations. In
dams, conviots and Cinnamon.
Nevada has three electoral votes. but
while the Importance of these is inconsid-
cradle in an ordinary Presidential cleo
ton the smallness Of NeYada's popular
vote Is such that few citizens OF the
Sage Brush State, acting together, can
turn the scale one way or another. In
the state election In Nevada in 1873 this
fact was illustrated.
Political parties, as they are under
stood IN other states, cannot be said TO
exist In Nevada. In 1892 the Republican
party IN that state polled 1850 votes and
the Democratic 200. The balance, Z. 500.
was made up OF POpulists, who SUPPORT
ed Gen. Weaver for President. Though
there is probably no other state In the
country the agricultural interests of
which tear so samu relation to It's total
products as is the casa IN Nevada. Gen.
Weaver was supported, not as a POpuIist.
but as an advocate Of silver, the miners
OF Nevada and those affiliated in business
being strong supporters Of silver coinage.
In 1896 there was a political turnover
in Nevada, the POpulist ticket getting
only 500 votes, the Republican ticket
l,9UO and the Democratic ticket 1900.
Two years later, In the state election of
1873, the Democratic S1lveIites and the
Silver Republicans parted company polit-
lcally In Nebraska, each nominating
their own candidate for governor. There
were also Populist and regular Re-
publican in the field. The fight was a
remarkably close one, the Silver Repubii.
can candidate polling $50 votes, the reg
uiar Republican 5,548, the Democratic
| 1000 and the POpulist 1913 votes, 500 OF
which came from one county, Washoe
The election was, therefore, decided by y
votes, and had twelve Nevada electors
voted for the regular Republican instead
OF for the Silver Republican, the former
would have been elected.
1t Is this occasional clOSeness OF the vote
I
changes from one party to another which
make OF so much Importance the action
OF an individual elector. There are other
close states in the country having a small
electorate, Delaware and Wyoming fol
instance, but in these the lines of politi
cal division are tightly drawn and a
sweeping change from one party to
another, as seen in Nevada, is practically
unknown.
The fight in Nevada this year will turn
largely, it is conceded, on the extent tc
which former Silver Republicans will re.
sumo their allegiance to the Republican
party and the Mckinley men In the state
are now very confident of carrying it
One OF the peculiarities OF Nevada poll
tics was illustrated in the composition OF
the last legislature. Though Bryan de-
featsd Mckinley in the proportion of to
2, this legislature had only one Demo
cratic member, and the legislature pre-
ceding had only two Democratic mem.
bers, one in each house According to
present estiamtes Nevada Will cast less
then 5000 votes this year. Jersey City
casts 30, 900.