The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-10-15
JERSEYS VOTE.
Republicans Now Claim a
Majority Of Twenty five !.
Thousand.
HENRY s. LITTLE'S VIEWS
He Tells Why He Cannot
Support Either Mckinley
or Bryan.
Especial to '0rhe Jersey city News."l


tee a day or two ago jotted down some
figures in estimating the plurality which
he believed Mckinley and Roosevelt would
in his view of the situation in every
county, and, after allowing for every pos
sible detection from the vote of four years
ago, he came to the conclusion that the
limit of the Republican plurality should
be placed at 25,O0O. He said other mem
bers of the committee looked for a better
result, but after talking with them he
convinced them that his figures were more
of probability than theirs.
Four years ago the Republican plurality
was S7,692. There is quite marked diff
ference between that and the plurality
now predcted-25.0 600. To account for that
difference the Republican leaders concede
that there will be quite a falling off of
the gold Democratic vote for their ticket
this time. Many gold Democrats will vote
for Bryan, others will not vote for either
of the leading Presidential candidates,
while some will support Mckinley. Then,
it is believed, number of Republicans
will refuse to vote the ticket of their
party because of their objection to the
tration. Again, it is very apparent that
the Democrats are in better condition for
a contest than they were four years ago,
when their ranks were utterly demoral-
lied. These reasons would account for
the falling off in the Republican plurality
this year. In view of these facts, the
limit of 25,0O0, as placed by the Republi-
can committeeman, would seem to be
reasonable and conservative.
The Democrats are without money. and
nearly without proper organization in
this campaign They are not receiving
any encouragement or sympathy from in
f1uential members of their party, and the
brunt of the battle on their side must
be borne by Chairman Gourley and a few
other sincere party men. who are with
out substantial resources to carry it to
success. Even Edward F. c. Young, who
is member of the Democratic State
Committee, is reported to be opposed to
the Presidential ticket of his party. Any
how, he does not deny the allegation to
that effect, and which has gone the
rounds of the newspapers. No one knows
how former Senator Blodgett stands, and
he, too, is member of the Democratic
committee. In fact, there are only a few
active members of the committee, and it
is impossible to have meeting held with
a quorum present. The wonder, then, is
that the Republican plurality is not pre-
dicted to be as high as it was in 1896
Republican leaders now claim that
New Jersey is solid Republican State
by from 10000 to 10000 majority. 1t
has been such, they insist, during the
last seven years, and since they first OBJ
tanned control of affairs. The reason for
this revulsion in political feeling is
charged principally to Bryanism. The
New York commuters who reside in Es-
sex, Bergen, Morris and Union Coun-
ties-those of the Democratic persuasion
have been voting the Republican ticket
since the money question has become
the great issue in New Jersey These
voters are all tariff reformers, and al
ways supported the Democratic ticket be-
fore the advent of Bryanism. They
place the financial issue before that of
the tariff or any other question, as it is
OF more Importance to their interests.
Anyhow, the tariff is not now an issue,
nor has it been for some years back. I'm
til the 16 to / agitation is buried out of
sight these Democratic commuters will
not return to the party which they all
ways supported on account of the tariff
issue And a large number of old-line
Democrats, who are not commuters, may
be included in the same category.
Perhaps Henry Stafford Little, that old
Democratic war-horse of many battle
fields, when his party scored victory
after victory, voices the sentiment which
prevails among the anti-Bryan Demo-
Gratis as much as any other of his class
in New Jersey. A representative of this
paper met him on the street the other
day and held a short interview on the
situation.
How are you going to vote this time,
Mr. Little:''
well, really, I am in a quandary. One
thing is certain-I will not vote for Nc
Kinley, as l did hastily four years ago. I
cannot support Mr.. Mckinley this time be-
cause he is man without a backbone. He
has not shown the courage to stand by
his own convictions on questions of great
Importance to the country, and he has
permitted himself to be influenced by pro-
fessional politicians. Had he stood out
of the country would not be in the con-
fusion they are today. Mckinley has no
backbone, and is not fit to be President Z
How about Bryan?'
81 cannot vote for Mr.. Bryan, either,
because he does not represent Democratic
principles. Why, there is no Democratic
party in the nation today. Any man who
will favor debased currency and cour-
tenance an attack on the Supreme Court
the highest Court in the land-cannot get
my vote. No. Mr.. Bryan is not my ideal
of a statesman. And the more think Of
the matter the more feel that am right
In my refusal to vote for either Mckinley
or Bryan. I have just read what such
Democrats as former Speaker John G..
Carlisle and former Governor Hoadley of
Ohio, have to say on the situation, and
they logically and conclusively insist that
no good Democrat can vote for Bryan"
well, then. how will you vote, or will
you vote at alp
You see, am in fix laughing). /
am between the old man and the deep sea,
ard ! have not eds up my mind what
to do, only that s4.ssil not vote either for
Mckinley or Bryan
What VIII be the result IN New Ter
sey?''
= am not taking any part il politics