Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-04-05

| May Cut a very Large Figure In the
Next Electoral College.
Cincinnati Enquirer.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, April 2-.'Do
you know what the recognition of the
Republican State officials in Kentucky
means?"
| This question was propounded by a
well known Ohio Republican, recently
| in Washington, to group Of Demo-
Gratis with whom he was conversing.
mo? Well, I'll tell you. 1t means
that the electoral vote of Kentucky
will not be cast against Mckinley, and
the chances are that 1t will not pc
cast at all. I don't like the scheme
it is probably a dangerous one-but
/ you will see it carried out"
The gentleman then went on to state
that President McKinley's managers
believe that there is great danger of
| losing the electoral vote of the State
of New York, and that the electoral
vote of that State, along with the cleo
toral vote of Kentucky and the other
anti-administration States, for the
Democratic candidate would elect him
| by a margin of from five to eight in
the electoral colleges.
1t appears much easier to them to
| prevent the electoral votes of Ken
lucky from being cast for the Demo-
cratic candidate than that of New
York, and as they believe, would ac-
complish the same purpose, the ulti-
mate election of Mckinley.
| He expressed the belief that it would
be possible for the Democrats, ION the
issues crowding to the front and with
popular nomination" to stand a
chance of carrying the States of Ala
bama. Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware,
Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana,
Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Mon
tana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York,
North Carolina, South Carolina, South
Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vir-
ginia, Washington and West Virginia,
with total electoral vote of PIP.
OR" said he, they may carry Con-
necticut and lose West Virginia. This
would still leave them 212. They could
carry Wisconsin and lose both Con-
necticut and West Virginia without re-
| ducing their vote. They could carry
Michigan and lose Colorado, Delaware,
Idaho and Washington and have 21t
electoral votes. With Indiana to their
credit they could afford to lose Della
ware Connecticut and West Virginia,
or Delaware, Idaho. Nevada, Montana
and South Dakota and have PIP and
211 ELECTORAL votes respectively.
"In any event the Democrats, by
carrying New York, have an excellent
chance to draw from the States they
carried in 1896 enough votes to give
them PIP without Kentucky. The 10
electoral votes from that State would
elect the Democratic candidate with
one vote to spare.
But, in my opinion, the electoral
vote of Kentucky will not be counted
for either side in 1900. l am not in
favor of the contemplated scheme, but
believe it will be carried out"
with PIP votes for the Democratic
candidate and PIP for President Nc
| Kinley, and the legality of the IS cleo
toral votes from Kentucky disputed
they would be thrown out and there
would be no election by the Electoral
College, as it will require 224 votes to
elect. Then the election would go to
the House of Representatives, and the
Republicans having control of the ma
jority of the State delegations in the
House would cast the votes of a ma
jority of the States for President Nc
Kinley and elect him.
The gentlemen who listened to this
| remarkable narration admitted that
the scheme was entirely practicable,
provided the Democratic electoral vote
depended on the vote of Kentucky to
be effective.
From the plan outlined it is not pro-
posed that the administration shall
actively intervene in Kentucky affairs.
The formal recognition" will serve
the purpose of keeping the State in a
condition that will furnish plausible
| excuse for an objection to its electoral
vote, especially if it is determining
factor.
In fact, the groundwork has already
been laid for two electoral colleges