The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-03-30
Forecast Of this Years Vote.

In the election of 1892, the first fol-
lowing the last federal census, the to-
tai vote on presidential electors was
12,15O,275. In the election proceeding,
in 1888, the last before the census, the
total vote on presidential electors was
IL ,392,429 Between 1888 and 1892,
however, Idaho, casting $4,000 votes /;
Montana, casting $4,000: North Dako-
ia, casting 5000, South Dakota. cast
ing 10000; Washington, casting 81
600, and Wyoming, casting 10000,
were admitted into the union, and
these cast collectively 272,OO0 votes.
The net gain, therefore, during the
intervening four years was $4,000, or
about 4 per cent.
At the same rate of increase the
total vote at the last presidential cleo
ton, in 1896, should have been about
I2,640,O00. Instead of this, it was
more than 100000 total vote with
out precedent in the United States, or,
i'll fact, in any country in which uni
versal suffrage exists. So large an in
crease, nearly 100000 in four years
following period of financial depres-
sion, has been ascribed generally to
the interest enlisted in the Mckinley
Bryan contest, the important charac-
ter of the principles involved in it..
But even under such conditions 1T
would be difficult to account for an
increase Of nearly of nearly 100000
unless there had been general lethargy
among the voters in the various con-
tests preceding or unless other special
reasons contributed to the large total
OF four years ago. AS a matter of fact
such causes did contribute materially
and perceptibly. and a statement of a
few of them would make easier an I'M
derstanding of the situation which is
now confronting the political compu-
tiers in their early estimates of the pro-
babe total vote that will be cast for
president in November next.
Between 1892 and 1896 Utah, with
a total vote of nearly 100000, was
added to the number of states, and in
Colorado the exercise of the suffrage
was extended to vernon, with the re-
suits that the total vote of the centen-
NAL state, which was $1,000 ia 1888
and $4,000 IN 1892, rose to 10000 in
1896. Moreover, in the border states
of the country in which, prior to the
appearance OF the political specter of
silverism, Democratic success had been
accepted as matter of course, the
uncertainty of contest brought out a
larger vote, the increase in Maryland
being from $4,000 to 00OO in Ken
lucky from 100000 to 10000, and
in NJ issouri from $4,000 to $4,000.
The changes in these border states, the
extension of the suffrage IN Colorado
and the admission of Utah account,
therefore, for 100000 of the gain, and
in the other states of the country
there was about the normal increase
augmented by the vigor of the contest
In many of the states which were I'M
certain, and further by the fact that
there were seven electoral tickets IN
1896, drawing to the polls all classes
of electors, some OF whom had taken
no part in previous elections.
Since the presidential election of
four years ago there has been large
increase in the population of the
| United States. No states, it is true,
have been added to the number which
are to participate, but woman suffrage
has been extended to Idaho by consti-
tutional provision with the certainty
|
Of adding 10 its total vote. On the
other hand, restrictions on voting have
been adopted in Missippi, Louisiana
and South Carolina, the full effect OF
which will be shown at this years
election, and the most reasonable esti-
mate. of the probable total vote is,
everything considered, about 15,O00,-
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