New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-11
BRYANITE GAME OF BLUFF
DEMOCRATIC PREDICTIONS AND PER
FoRMANCEs CoNTRAsTED.
sENGBLTNG THAT AT THE SAME
PERIOD FOUR YEARS AGO
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rR1BUNE.l

PERIOD FOUR YEARS AGO.
rBY TELEGRAPH To THE TR1BUNEl
Washington, Oct. 10-At this juncture with
the election only four weeks off, in some aspects
there is a most striking parallel between the
present Presidential canvass and that of four
years ago, when the same candidates were pitted
against each other. IN the last three days of
September 1896. the Republican managers had
become perfectly satisfied that Mckinley would
win and have many votes 10 spare. His sue
cess was predicated on the solid support of all
the Northern States east Of the Mississippi, with
the addition Of Delaware, Maryland and West
Virginia and g good fighting chance for Ken
lucky. Everything was privately conceded to
he aain the air west Of the great river and
the Pacific Coast but with chances favoring
Mckinley in both California and oregon. Very
little confidence was placed in Republican
chances in the intermediate Western prairie and
mountain States.
Yet Bryan was raging up and down and round
about the country. speaking ceaseIessly from the
stump day and night, everywhere drawing
enormous crowds, and that, too in some Of the
very States counted upon most certainly for
Mckinley. People who take only superficial
view OF such matters thought that Bryan was
having it ell his own way, particularly in Hi
nois Indiana and Michigan. Even Ohio was
apparently made shaky by his personal advent
none OF the Republican leaders shared IN these
1nisgivings. They knew the country was safely
Republican long before the event
JONES AS CHIEF RAINBOW CHASER.
II was precisely at that moment that the Hon
James K Jones chairman Of the Democratic
National Committee. inspired by a CLEAN OF
what he Enistook for political grand strategy
put forth from their Chicago headquarters. right
in the midst Of what was called the battle
ground" q statement Of the Popocratic claims
70 the States which Bryan was sure 70 carry
IN November. II was one Of the most remark
able statements Of the kind ever formally put
forth by political manager up TO that time
q new departure, in fact, in political tactics,
L became celebrated for having elevated Sen
aror Jones into the distinguished position Of
chief rainbow chaser in the United states. 1t
was presented TO the country with so nucn
gravity that the first impulse TO treat II as a
huge campaign joke was hushed into silence us
claims were so stupendous, however. as TO
stagger even the most sanguine Of the trans
Mississippi PopuIists
M Jones's committee conceded only nine
States 10 Mckinley, and Of these two or three
were considered doubtful Thirty-six States
were placed 10 Mr.. Bryan's credit without any
rnisgtvings or reservations In this remarkable
document Of ante-elecrion claims the Solid
South, entire Central West" and everything
beyond were grouped for Bryan. The pluralities
by which some Of them were to be carried were
unhesitatingly stated They were equally as
founding McKtnIey's own State Of Ohio was
put in the Bryan column by 5000 plurality.
Wisconsin was claimed by so 600 and Illinois by
10000, because Bryan was capturing the Ger
man vote" Indiana was sure by 10000, be-
cause there was e revolution in the gas
belt" Iowa was to give Bryan 5000 and Mich
iran 0OO0 because Of the money issue and so
on With q string tied 10 II, New-York was
grudgiugIy conceded to Mckinley by 1900 or
10000
ABSURD DEMOCRATIC CLAIMS.
The Republican managers ridiculed Mr. Jones's
figures as farcicaI put cut to bolster up
waning cause, but nevertheless they took pains
10 deny and, so far as possible, refute them
Some Of the claimed States were shown 10 be
nor even in the debatabIe column. so dead set
were they for Mckinley. The claim to Ohio was
shown 10 be prepOsterous. and z countercIairn
OF 10000 Republican plurality put in. The Re
publican National Committee boldly claimed
Wisconsin by 10000. The Jones figures on
Nsw-YorB and other Eastern States, making 1t
appear that Bryan was growing and had a
show even in the 'euemys country" were treat
81 with derisiOn. and the Empire State was set
down for Mckinley by 10000 plurality Mr.
Jones had furnished no data upon which his
predictions were based. whereas the Republicans
furnished much tangible evidence 10 substan-
tiate their rebutting claims.
The result Is too well remembered TO require
repetition IN detail but a few fig are per
tnent to the discussion, because tley are SO
significant Of how little dependence can be
placed upon even the formal Examinations Of the
Bryan managers in estimates Of this kind, pre-
sumptively based upon TneasurabIy trustworthy
data, good Judgment and keen penetration, and,
also show how much more lnteIligently the Re
publican managers If 1896 grasped the situation
On the eve OF the election than the coterie Of
Bryan managers At their Chicago headquarters.
CLAIMS AND RESULTS.
Here is grouping OF some Of the election re-
tu-ts IN November Of that year n States claimed
Tor Bran by Jones in October:
Claimed
--1-t=s Bryan by Mckinley
I.OF