Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-10-04
THE SITUATION IN THE WEST.
Philadelphia Press.l


A despatch from Washington, printed in
the New York Herald yesterday, Sums up
the results of the investigations of special
correspondent of that newspaper into the
political situation in the States west Of the
Missississippi River. The marrow of the
despatch is that tidal wave of Republi-
canism is running in that neighborhood
and that as a consequence Bryan will lose
largely and Mckinley gain number OF
electoral votes. AS this statement corrob-
crates and reenforces information from
other correspondents and comedies with
the opinion of nearly every newspaper
published west of the Mississippi River, it
can be accepted as correct an outline Of
the situation in the West as can be reach
ed at the present time.
There are sixteen States west of the
Mississippi River and north Of the Arkan-
sas and Texas, aud they cast an even 100
votes in the electoral college. -Four years
ago Mckinley cauicd five of these States,
namely, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota,
Oregon and California, losing one electoral
vote by'accident in the last State, how
ever His total electoral vote in that Sec
ton was 81. Bryan carried eleven States,
namely, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota,
Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho,
Utah, Nevada, Missouri and Washington,
making, with one vote from California, a
total electoral vote of &c. The five States
Mckinley carried in 1896 are sure for him
today. There is not a doubt about any
one of them. But Mr.. Bryan is not so
sure of the eleven States he carried in
1896. In fact, he would, probably, be
willing to compromise today on half of
them.
The estimate of the Herald's CORE
spondent is that the Republicans are GER
tain of forty electoral votes beyond the
Missouri River, where they had only fif-
teen four years ago. As all indication of
the situation there he says washing
ton, South Dakota, Wyoming and Kansas
are claimed by the Democrats as matter
of principle, but careful inquiry in these
States indicates what might be called
tidal wave of Republicanism as in progress.
Prosperity is the principal cause of this
change of sentiment, but much of it may
be ascribed to lack of interest in the silver
question and refusal to take seriously the
paramount issue of the Democrats i'm
perialism." These four States, all of which
were carried by Bryan in 1896, will I'M
doubtedIy add their twenty one electoral
votes to McKinley's total this year. But
they will not be alone. The same forces
which are operating in those States are
fully as strong in other of these Western
States. And it would not be surprising if
the conditions of 1896 are reversed exactly
this year beyond the Mississippi River,
Bryan carrying five States with thirty.fve
electoral votes, and Mckinley carrying
eleven States with sixty-fve electoral votes.
This would mean a loss to Bryan of
twenty-elght electoral votes and a gain to
Mckinley of the same number.
In estimating the chances of the two
parties in the coming election the import.
ance of the decision of comparatively
small number of Gold Democrats to vote
for Bryan has been exaggerated while the
return of much larger number of Silver
Republicans to their old party allegiance
has been minimized. The comparative
local Importance of these changes has also
been lost sight Of The Portland Oregonlan
makes these points clear in the following
extract "For every Gold Democrat that
votes for Bryan this year there will be
Silver Republican to vote for Mckinley.
Olney is for Bryan, but Stewart is for Nc
Kinley. Olney cannot carry Msssachu.
sets for Bryan, but Stewart may carry
Nevada for Mckinley. The Democratic
return 10 Bryan in Republican States is
insignificant compared with the Republi.
can return to Mckinley in Bryan States.