The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-09-09
BRYAN GAINING
GROUND EVERY DAY
Doubtful States Going Into
Democratic Column.
CAN MONEY DEFEAT HIM?
If It Cannot, Bryan is Sure to be In
augurated March 4th.
A FORECAST OF THE PROBABILITIES
It The Democratic Outlook in Washington is
Based Upon Reliable information, Marx
and Mack May Pack Up and
Return to Ohio.
editorial Correspondence.)

Washington, d. c., Sept. There are
hot day and those who are here are hav-
ing all they can do to keep from roast
ing. But in spite of the weather, there
is steady work going on at the headquar-
ters of the Democratic Congressional
Committee at Metropolitan Hotel. Mr. j.
ID. Richardson, chairman of the commit
tee, is in New York, but Secretary Kerr,
OF Pennsylvania, is here and is keeping
rainbow chaser and he is not making
boaStful claims or irridescent predic-
tiOns. He has habit of looking at the
strong position of the enemy as well as
at his own position. He has gone up
against" Hanna with odds of Doodle too
often to minimize their vote winning eff
fcacy. He knows that if money can con-
troll this election, Mckinley will win, and
he believes it good politics to admit the
danger from this source and thereby be
ready to fight it and prevent it. In truth,
Mr.. Kerr realizes what all unbiased obser-
want men now see, that the people are
for Bryan, large majority of them, and
that nothing but wholesale coercion,
bribery and corruption can prevent his
inauguration. But Mr.. Kerr says that
while these things succeeded in 1896, he
believes that they will fail in 1900. He
thinks the Republicans will attempt to
employ them in new ways, but that they
will fail utterly where the Democratic
organization is alert, active, aggressive
and able.
Thn anrf oil hoe oixyn fhn
Democrats great encouragement They
made a gain of twenty per cent. without
effort and the Republicans lost 13 per
cent after strenuous effort. Secretary
Kerr figures out that of this percentage
is kept up in other States Bryan will
have over $4,000 majority in New York.
There is feeling CT confidence in Demo-
cratic circles here that the New York
electoral vote will go for Bryan. 1t is
not believed that the factonal fight will
injure the party if an able man is named
for Governor, and all indications point
to the nomination OF some such man as
Edward NJ Shepherd or Eliot Danforth
for Governor. This confidence In New
York is encouraging. AS to New Jersey
there is faith that it will go Democratic
If it is properly organized. In Delaware
the Democrats are confident of victory,
and if New York goes Democratic the vote
of Connecticut may go the same way.
1t is regarded as probably Republican,
but not hopeless The trust issue among
all voters and the imperial issue among
foreign born voters is cutting wide
swath in these Northern States, and it
is an open secret here that the Republi-
cans are badly frightened about the
East and with good reason.
AS to Maryland and West Virginia,
you can find out about them as well or
better here than in either of these States.
For two months it has been virtually
conceded. that Bryan would carry Mary
land. 1t was doubtful until the Baltimore
Sun came to the support of the Nebras-
kan. That papers help will turn thou
sands of votes to him and the position of
Senator Wellington will turn many
more in Western Maryland which has
always been strongly Republican. You
may put Maryland down as certain for
Bryan by 10000.
Until recently West Virginia had been
regarded as doubtful. but Bryan's tour
through the State this week in addition
to the position of Senator Camden and
the letter of Hon. VIM. l.. Wilson, have
made West Virginia Democratic without
doubt. Two years ago the Legislature
was almost a tie. The Democrats have
eight more holdover Senators than the
Republicans and Stephen B. Elkins, Sem
ator from West Virginia. reads his titles
clear to retirement from the Senate The
electoral vote will go for Bryan by an
old time majority-not large but enough
Bryan has never made so many votes in
a few speeches as in his West Virginia
tour 1t is difficult for outsiders to esti-
mate the value of Hon. VIM. L. Wilson's