The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-05
THE SAME GAME OF BLUFF.

The one thing which puzzles many Re-
publicans who can never learn the IN
finite capacity of Democratic managers
for lying and bluffing is the claims which
Bryan, Arkansas Jones and the Bryan
press are making of the election of their
candidate. Such Republicans cannot con-
ceive how a newspaper which knows that
it's candidate, MIR. Bryan, cannot be elected
can claim that his election is a sure thing
and that he has a walk over" Unfor-
tunately for many excellent people, they
cannot comprehend the characteristic
mendacity of the Democratic leader and
organs. and they forget such bluffing and
lying in the past. For the information of
such people, we will repeat the claims
which this same Arkansas Jones, chair
man of the Bryan national committee,
sent out Oct. q. 1896. one week before the
election which was held Nov. 3. Some Of
the figures are as follows:
Illinois-3O,OOO plurality for Bryan.
Michigan--36O00 plurality for Bryan.
Minnesota-25.00 900 plurality for Bryan.
New York-50,000 plurality for Bryan.
Indiana-Bryan's plurality will be over
whelming.
Kentucky-4OOO0 plurality for Bryan.
Iowa-Sure for Bryan by large majority.
California-25,00 600 plurality for Bryan.
North Dakota-S,000 plurality for Bryan.
Connecticut-Almost sure for Bryan, de-
spite Republican bluff and buster.
How near were these claims to the re-
suit? The count in these States in round
numbers will tell.
Illinois-14O,OoO plurality for Mckinley.
Michigan--56,000 plurality for Mckinley.
Minnesota-550 900 plurality for Mckinley.
New York-26S, 900 plurality for Mckinley.
Indiana-17.50O plurality for Mckinley.
Kentucky-2S0 plurality for Mckinley.
Iowa-65,00O plurality for Mckinley.
California-1,S20 plurality for Mckinley.
North Dakota-5,OOO plurality for McKin-
ley.
Connecticut-53.5O 500 plurality for McKin-
ley.
Thus it appears that in States in which
Mr. Bryan's committee claimed an aggre-
gate plurality of more than 265.OO0. the Re-
publicans had over $4,000 plurality. The
day before the election Mr.. Bryan gave
out a statement from which the following
is clipped:
Since left Nebraska early in September
/ have been as far east as the Kennebec
river. and 1 want to tell you that there is
a silver sentiment in Massachusetts and
Maine as intense as it is in Nebraska. This
is no sectional fight. We will sweep the
East and we will sweep the West. After
our opponents have found themselves
driven from every battlefield upon which
they have dared to fight in the closing
days of this campaign they are now re-
sorting TO fraud and forgery
The Bryan leaders are not making any
more emphatic claims this year than they
did four years ago. only this year they
should have benefited by their folly in 1896
and learned to place no confidence in the
men who send them the reports upon
which their figures are based. But while
these bold claims may make a few Re-
publicans nervous, they no longer deceive
the Bryanites or the spectators who make
money by betting For days many bets
have been posted by Mckinley men offer
ing the odds Of 3 or to without Demo-
cratic takers or even speculative takers
In New York the odds are to / and often
6 20 l and few takers. Now if the men
who can command money, spectators as
well as Bryanites. had the least confidence
in the predictions of the Bryan commit
tees, they would fight for chances to take
the great odds offered. The fact is that
no wel-informed man believes that Mr..
Bryan will be elected. Some may have
persuaded themselves that he will win.
but none of them has the faith of four
years ago.
The truth is that the reelection of Nc
Kinley is certain as anything can be
that is not in the past tense