The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-06-20
ARTHUR ROPES. General Editor
If the Opposition Would Win.

Democratic success would be very
dear to the heart of the mugwump anti
imperialist. They stand ready TO con.
tribute their mite to the defeat of the
Republicans in the coming canvass.
The prime difficulty with the contribu-
ton is that it is apt to be fatal to the
recipient.
The extraction of sunbeams from Gu
cumbers would be an easy achievement
compared with the possibility of deriv-
ing comfort from the prospects of q
Democratic victory in November, but
the Springfield Republican undertakes
the task with hope and cheerfulness
compared with which Mark Tapley's
exercise of these qualities was blank
dependency. How is the thing to be
done? Make anti.imperialism the issue,
and victory will perch on the opposi-
tion's banners.
The Republican goes into the statis-
tics of the elections since and including
the national election of 1896 to show
what are the difficulties in the way OF
Democratic success next fall. 1t con-
cludes that Oregon, which gave Nc
Kinley the slender plurality of 2,100
votes in 1896, became decidedly Repub-
lican in 1898, and in the recent election,
gave the Republican ticket, State and
Congressional, plurality of 10000
votes, as compared with 5000 in 1898.
1t finds that in Colorado, as in Oregon,
the Republicans who were drawn away
from their party by the money question
are returning to it,-"released, as it
were, from new and strange attach
ment by the death of the moving infu-
ence, rather than drawn back by the
observation-disclosures of imperialism and
militarism"-an illustration of the ex-
treme felicity of the Mugwump mind in
constructing phrases and its fertility in
inventing conceits.
But the Republican is not entirely
sure as to what extent the Oregon elec-
ton is significant of the positive
strength of imperialism. But it re-
CARDS this as certain:
"That the Democratic party has been los.
ing ground in that section of the country
lying west of the Mississippi ever since
1897, and especially since ELSEWHERE the
silver question is strongest with the voters
and that il the Democrats are to carry the
election this fall they must gain large States
east Of the Mississippi which went for the
Republicans in 1896. And they cannot gain
these States with silver occupying place
in their campaign. The Ohio Democrats
seem to recognize this palpable fact. Ever
dertaking would be no slight one. In tina,
part OF the United States lying west of the
Mississippi and north of Arkansas, Bryan
received So electoral votes in 1896 and Nc
Kinley 81. 1t is a reasonable question
whether, in view Of the recent Oregon cleo
ton, and the elections year and two years
ago in Kansas and South Dakota, the Re
publicans will not this fall recover all Of
the States in that section which went fol-
Bryan, save only Missouri Montana, Utah
Nebraska and Nevada. and Nebraska is moi
as assured for Bryan as it might be
Where, in word, Bryan received SO cleo
toral votes in 1896 he is now likely to OBJ.
tain only "a.
But this does not stagger the MARI
Tapley of anti-imperialism. The De
mocratic candidate, he says, must have
224 votes to be elected, and these de-
sertions of the old silver States intro
duce the additional handicap indicated
in the foregoing figures. The sole
South, excepting Kentucky, will give
Bryan 112 votes, which, added to the
"a saved from the wreck Of the silver
States west of the Mississippi, bring
the total up to 146. II Kentucky
Maryland and Delaware return to The
Democratic fold in November, adding
"a votes, the total will be increased tt
170-still 81 votes short of a majority
To gain this number of votes-s'aye
there's the rub" A large sized ''if" il
introduced to reduce the margin ever
to this somewhat formidable width
To wipe it out the Democrats mus
carry New York, SO votes, and Indi
ana 10 votes, and one other State; o.
they must win Indiana, Ohio and Hi
nois, or some other equally formidabl,
combination of northern or western
States east of the Mississippi, having al
aggregate of at least "a votes.
"The magnitude of the Democratic
undertaking." naively remarks tn,
Republican, sis apparent" Sill it
courage does not falter. "The required
States can probably be gained on
platform which will unite the Who'll,
opposition to the whole administration
policy of criminal aggression, and the,
cannot be obtained otherwise"
Notwithstanding the elections il
Ohio, Iowa and other States, north ant