The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-10-30
Ole @essengrr.
A CALM SURVEY OF THE FIELD

A CALM SURVEY OF THE FIELD
On the Goth Chairman Jones, of the
democratic committee, vas confident
that Bryan would be elected. He said
the democracy was thoroughly aroused.
C1eveland's postmaster general, Dick
inson, is abusing Bryan and is for Nc
Kinley. He shows his type Of a politician
when he says that he would be a rec
reant American, false TO his country
and false to his party as well, IL he did
not vote against Organism He tries
to leave the impression that his former
chief. Cleveland. is, too. for Mckinley.
But two days g Mr.. Cleveland stated
that he had said nothing to authorize
the conclusion that he would vote for
Mckinley. He will not vote for Bry-
an, 1t is said. Three of his cabinet have
come out for the great statesman of
h west. William j. Bryan. They are
OIney, Harmon and Wilson.
There is a significant paragraph in the
Philadelphia Times, that opposed Bry-
an in 1896, but is strongly advocating
him now. After giving the various
forecasts and states that nave recent
ly appeared, it says this:
zone, feature of the statement given
from the democratic national commit
tee will attract very general attention.
1t gives Bryan 259 electoral votes to
1SS for Mckinley; n it reaches that
reSul after conceding Connecticut, Del
aware, New Jersey, New York and
Wisconsin to Mckinley. Heretofore the
united electoral votes of Connecticut,
New York and New JerseJ have never
been reversed by the verdict of the ma
ton; but the storm cente-- OF the pres
ent battle is in the west: and Bryan's
election is claimed Ill he ground that
he will carry Illinois. Indiana, Kansas,
Nebraska. Ohio and South Dakota"
This looks as if Bryan might be elect
ed without New York. We have
thought all along that the man who re-
cefved New York's thirty-six votes
would probably be elected. The gamb-
hers in Gotham are offering 8 to 1 on
100000 plurality for Mckinley, which is
1884, o less han he got in 1896. But
il the west is to determine the matter,
and not New York, then Bryan's
chances improves.
We notice that the national republi-
can committee in it's claim for McKin-
ley gives him 2S4 votes. In the New
York Tribune, hat goes it blind for
Mckinley, appears the list of states for
Mckinley and Bryan as given by the
officials of the two national committees.
Here IS something worthy of attention
In the states claimed by republicans,
we find California, Delaware, Illinois,
Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, New York,
Ohio, South Dakota, Utah and West
Virginia Here are eleven states that
are more or less doubtful, and some of
them Will be carried by Mr.. Bryan.
The democrats committee claims all
of these or nearly So. They give up
West Virginia and New Jersey. The
republicans do not claim Colorado,
Idaho. Nevada or Nebraska The DEM
ocrats figure on 316. This is Governor
Stones guessing.
The Washington correspondent of the
Philadelphia Times thinks the great
tidal wave of democracy is now sweep
ing h country. On the other land
the republican organs tell of a huge
landslide for Mckinley. Suppose the
two meet what Will be the result Some
blower will get hurt. The correspond
=. ant says:
I'm 1896 a large majority of the Irish
vote was cast for Mckinley: This year
this vote will be given to Bryan, and
this alone means success in several i'm
portant states which four years g
CAV their electoral vote to Mckinley.
1.-The Holland vote, which has always
heretofore been republican, will this
year go over to Bryan.
1.-The anti-imperialistic vote will be
cast unanimously FOR Bryan next
month. This is a new and unknown
quantity in national politics.
1.-The reform vote will be given almost
unanimously to Bryan this year. Here
tofore it has been scattered about
through numerous small party or
g~anizationS.
I'm 1896 the vote and influence of the
commercial travellers OF the country
were given to Mckinley, and it has Of
ten een alleged that this was the de
Gliding influence of the las national
campaign This year the travelling men
are almost unanimously for Bryan and
they are working as hard for him as
the did for Mckinley in 1896"
In 1896 Bryan carried Colorado. Ida
no. Montana, Nevada, Utah. South Da-
kota- Washington and Wyoming-all
giving 81 electoral votes. In these eight
states Bryan received 40S, 302 votes and
Mckinley but las, 77s. Bryan's plurality
over all candidates 254 ,524. A staff cor
respondent of the Houston Pos writes
from Chicago:
"As to the d~isaffection of the popu-
lists a little investigation will show that
this is a broken reed. 1t affords no
support to b republican claim Of a po-
lncal revolution In each and every one
OF the states named there is perfect
fusion Of the democrats. silver repub-
Ecans and populists on h national
ticket. In ZACH state there is but one
set of Bryan electors and these are dis
tributed among the three parties Con-
sentative judges Colorado as