The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-09-09
THE CAMPAIGN OF 1900.

CBy Hon w. ]. Stone, Ex-Governor of
Missouri. in the September FOrUm)
If Mckinley should be reelected,
enlightened in his purpose by a pop
ular endorsement, he would go for
ward with this perilOuS adventure upon
which he and his advisers have en-
barked the nation If Bryan should
be elected he would, he has declared,
Immediately convene congress in eX-
traordinary session, and recommend:
% that we establish a stable govern
ment in the Philippine islands, as we
are doing in Cuba; % that We grant
independence to the FilipinOS, as we
have promised it TO the CubanS; 80
that we protect the Filipinos from out
side interference, as We protect the re-
publics of Central and South America.
and as we are pledged, by the Mon
roe doctrine, TO protect Cuba.
Now, as TO the election What are
Bryan's chances2 While il is true that
McKinley's aggregate popular plurality
over Bryan in 1886 exceeded 600, 600.
and that his electoral majority was IS,
it is also true that a change of %, 07S
votes. properly distributed, would have
given Bryan the states of California,
Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, North
Dakota, Oregon and West Virginia,
and that would have elected him. A
change of IS, 191 votes, properly distrib-
Uted, would have added Maryland TO
the Bryan column, in addition to the
election by a majority of % in the
electoral college OF the eight states
named, a part were carried by only
slight plurahties; and the aggregate
opposition vote, not cast for either
Mckinley or Bryan, amounted to 80 4SS
of which 1883 were gold Democratic
votes cast for Palmer A study Of
these figures makes it clear that the
Republican victory of 1886 was not
quite so sweeping as some would make
I'D
at least half of the eight states named
are ordinarily and nominaIly Demo-
cratic, and that all are fairly debat-
able, and when we further reflect that
most of the gold Democrats who de-
serted the party in 1896 are disposed
IS nothing in the returns Of the last
election 20 discourage Democrats in
striving for a, different result this wear.
Again: In 1896 the Democratic party
was IN the thrOe of an almost savage
conflict within its own ranks. Nearly
one-third Of the delegates TO the con-
Vention that year refused further TO
participate in the proceedings of the
convention after the adoption of the
platform, and they afterWard roroi-
mated an independent Democratic
ticket No such condition as that ex
lists now.
Again: In 1896 an almost entirely
new national committee was elected
OAiS one HleLlDST OF II ever having had
any experience in the conduct of =
national campaign This committee en-
tered upon the struggle without time
Tor careful preparation, without a dol
lar in its treasury, with its party ranks
divided, to face not only the Repub-
hcan party, compact and powerful
with millions at its command. but to
face also a hostile faction of recaIci-
trant Democrats, led by some of The
ablest and most influential men of the
party. No such condition as that e9-
ISIS now.
Again: The battle of 1896 was fought
almost wholly upon the one issue of
silver coinage Bryan is not weaker
upon that issue today than he U-ac
then. In one sense he Is strOnear
stronger IN that all who voted for hin,
upon that issue in 1896 viii vote for
him in 1900, while many who voted
against him on that issue in 1896 win
vote for him now. From this il does
not necessarily follow that those who
thus change their votes TO Bryan at
this time have changed their opinion
on the silver question, but thev viii
be moved to support him from other
considerations.
Again: In a popular sense. BRYAN
ought to be stronger on the trust issile
than Mckinley, and ought to gain more
on that issue than Mckinley All those
interested in trusts who voted for NJ
Kinley in 1896 will vote for him again
but since circumstances have forcad
the trust issue more prominently 70
the front, it is fair to say that many
of those who voted for Mckinley in
1896, when this issue was less pronai-
nent, VIII, on this issue, vote against
him now Bgyan will lose nothing on
this issue, but will gain largely. and
whatever he gains VIII be ATcKinIey,s
loss