The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-09-08
DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGNERs
Know That the Fight Will be Hard

New York Special.
 Rainbow chasing" forms no part or the program laid out by the managers of the Democratic campaign at nation al headquarters in this city.
 Instead of instilling false confidence into speakers and workers who are 10 stump the country for Parker ana Davis the campaign managers are inn pressing upon them the handicap they must overcome-thato of carrying nearly every State at present regaroed as doubtful.
 carving the solid South and New York, which is practically conceded to Parker, will not suffice to defeat Roose- welt; that the battle must be wased at every point where there Is pos, sibility of securing electoral votes and that it is far better to pay no atten- tion whatever to sections hopelessly Republican than to waste an ounce or ammunition that might be used to ad- vantage on debatable ground.
 With this as a basis, 1t has at least become clear where the geographic lines fall which the Democrats pro- pose to make their fight this year For the last eight years they have been selecting as vulnerable points or at- tack set of States which had not be- fore been so regarded. This time they go back in the main to the old historic lines, except that the new census makes 1t necessary to carry little more Tn the North than was required before the the last apportionment.
 The solid South, including Maryland West Virginia and Kentucky, New York Indiana, New Jersey and Connec- ticut, would elect a Democratic Presi- dent, without single electoral vote to spare.
 But it has become recognized in the inner councils of the Democratic management that it Is of no use to de- pend on Connecticut. While the party will make vigorous fight there to divert Republican attention, if for nothing else, the Democrats do not ex- pect to carry Connecticut. What do they intend to substitute for it?
 A block of States in the Rocky Noun tain region, it had become clear from recent developments, the Democrats propose to carry to offset the probable loss of Connecticut, Nevada. Utah, Colorado and Idaho are to be vigorous ly pressed. The managers hope to get a son of Senator Clark, the copper king of Montana, to accept a nomination in Montana. and thus get that State, although it Is now represented by Il Republican, and would be ordinarily thought more likely to go in that way The other States of the same group are very uncertain in their political prefer ences. They give large Republican majorities one year and go Democratic the next.
 AOlOTduD, IL HdS OltGH bCtu StiINl III this campaign, Is the most uncertain State in the Union today, since such peculiar issues are on trial there. The fight over Governor Peabody and his deportation system is very likely to turn the Presidential Electors. and the three Congressmen. The Republicans have had to stand by Peabody, although with some reluctance. and this means a square fight with the Western Feder- ation of Miners, and their sympathizers Nuh iHk, to predict how such a contest will even- tually go.
 In Idaho and Utah there are many undercurrents. It is possible that Senator Dubois's attempt to push the Mormon Church into politics as an is sue, through the Shoot case and other investigations which he has had start ed may prove to have been far sighted move.
 Observers who are coming from this group of States give contradictory re- ports concerning the prospects. J. M. Griggs, ex-chairman of the Democratic Congressional Committee, recently re- turned from a visit to the Rocky Noun frame of mind. On the other hand. 1t seems to be agreed that Roosevelt is personally very strong in those States, and the nearest to an agreement that can be reached Is that they are likely to vote all on one side, or all on the other. If the Democrats get seven electoral votes out of the Rock Noun tain region, such as Colorado and Ne vada would give, or Montana. Idaho and Nevada. they would elect Parker, pro- Vided they retained New York. New Jersey and Indiana, and the solid South including Maryland and West Virginia This obviously offers the line of least resistance to the White House.
 Both parties are now engaged in making a poll of Indiana. The last one was taken in March. six months prior to election day, as Is customary preceding a Presidential campaign for the purpose of determining what changes have taken place in the party machinery. The March poll showed d decided tendency in favor of the ad- ministration, but since the nomination of Judge Parker. MT. Taggart, chair man of the National Committee, has been advised that the trend toward the Democratic nominee is so pronounced that at this moment the Democrats have caught up to. If they have not passed the opposition.
 This Is due to the support of gold and silver Democrats alike, who are now united, owing to MT. Bryan's advo- cacy of the St. Louis convention nomi- nees.
 Chairman Taggart of the National l Committee was the first to measure | the extent of this hostility to Judge Parker in his home State, and he has | directed a systematic work of concil- iation. with the aid of his associates | in the State organization. with such | good results that Bryan voters are now all in line. That was a task of all the | greater magnitude because. until a | comparatively recent date, a large ma ioritY-of the Indiana. Democratic. voters