Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-06
THIS YEARS VOTE.

In the election of 1892, the first fol-
lowing the last federal census, the total
vote on presidential electors was II, $780,
275. In the election preceding 1888, the
last before the census the total vote on
presidential electors, was II, 49,, 429. Be-
tween 1888 and 1892. however, Idaho, cast
ing 10, 900 votes; Montana, casting 4,GO0;
North Dakota, casting $4,000; South I)a-
kota. casting 10000; Washington, casting
81. 900, and Wyoming, casting 10000, were
admitted INTO the Union, and these cast
collectively 272,O00 votes. The net gain,
therefore. during the intervening four
years was 49,, 900 or about 4 per cent.
At the same rate Of increase the total
vote at the last presidential election, in
1896. should have been about IL. $40, 900.
Instead of this, it Was more than H,0O0,-
600 a total vote without precedent in the
United States, or, in fact, in any ,coun-
try in which universal suffrage exists. So
large an increase, nearly 2,000,J 00, in four
years following a period Of financial de-
preston, has been ascribed generally to
the interest enlisted in the Mckinley
Bryan contest and the important char
acter of the principles involved in it. But
even under such conditions it would be
difficult to account for al increase of
nearly 2,0O0,0 900, unless there had been
general lethargy among the voters in the
various contests preceding, or unless 9TH
20 SRVN4oA CdSOAA SoAAll IL tllS ldlAC
total Of four years ago. AS "a matter Of
fact, such causes did contribute material
ly and perceptibly, and a statement of a
few of them would make easier an un-
Outstanding of the situation which is now
confronting the political computors in
their early estimates of the probable to-
tai vote THAT win be cast for president
in November next.
Between 1892 and 1896, Utah, with q to-
tai vote of nearly 100000. was added to
the Number OF states, and in Colorado
the exercise Of the suffrage was extended
to women, with the result that the vote
OF the Centennial state, which was 81, 200
in 1888 and $4,000 in 1892, rose to 1870, 900
In 1896. Moreover, in the border states
of the country, in which prior to the APP
pearance of the political specter of silver
ism, Democratic success had been accept
ed ass matter of course, the uncertainty
OF contest brought out a larger vote, the
increase in Maryland being from 213, 900
to 100000, in Kentucky from $40, 200 to 445,-
000, and in Missouri from $40, 900 to 675,-
600. The changes in these border states,
the extension Of the suffrage in Colorado
and the admission Of Utah account, there
fore, for soc, 900 OF he gain, n in the
other states Of the country there was
about the normal increase, augmented by
the vi9or Of the contest in many Of the
states Which were uncertain, and further
ny the FAC that there were seven cleo
to1al Tickets in 1896, drawing to the polls
al! classes Of electors, some Of whom had
taken mo part in previous elections.
Since the presidential election of four
years 8 there has been a large increase
in the population OF the United States.
No states, 1t 10 true, have been added to
the number which are to participate, but
woman suffrage has been extended to
Idaho by constitutional provision, with
the certainty of adding to it's total vote.
On the other hand, restrictions on voting
have been adopted in Mississippi, Louisi-
ana and South Carolina, the full effect Of
which will be shown at this years cleo
ton, and the most reasonable estimate
OF the probable total vote is, everything
considered, about Is, 900, 900.