The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-25
The City Of Now York on Nov. 8.

The registration in the city OF New
York for the coming election aggregates
ess, 1903. For the Presidential election Of
1900 it was GAO, Gal, or 4S, 1872 less. The rate
Of increase this year was about normal.
Generally in the State the rate of in
crease in the registration since 1900 seems
to be the same.
That is, the APATHY" so much talked
about does not exist and has not existed
at any time since the Presidential nomi-
nations were made. In no Presidential
election is there apathy, and as this coun-
try grows older and more populous the
interest increases. Outside of the South
ern States, where the result of Presi-
dental election is actually foregone
conclusion, the electorate have grown
more and more interested, 80 far as con-
Germs voting.
1t used to be thought necessary to get
up torchlight parades and to make a
great noise with brass winds to arouse
popular interest. Perhaps there was
some reason for the uproar at time
when newspapers were not read 80 ex-
tensively as now; but that time passed
away long ago, and such childish and
semi barbarous methods were kept in
use long after they had become need
less. 1t is even questionable II the occu-
patton of the professional spellbinder
has not lost the reason for it's continued
existence. A few speeches by men of
especial weight would probably be
enough, and the present tendency in a
Presidential campaign seems to be to-
ward such restraint in stamping. Four
months Of campaign spouting is too much
for human endurance. The period of
active campaigning on the stump has
been gradually shortened till now it is
generally restricted to the last month
before the election. In this campaign it
ia to be chiefly in the coming and last
two weeks.
How much effect a redhot canvass in
the closing days of campaign has, 80
far as concerns the changing of political
convictions or intentions, is, Of course,
not oomputable; probably it lie little.
The old notion that the result Of cam
paign could be changed decisively by q
blunder like the Burchard speech in the
Blaine canvass or by some roorback put
forth at the last moment is likely to
be dismissed hereafter. Practically the
whole electorate now take their sides
unchangeably at the very beginning of
the campaign. This republic has put
away childish things and grown to ma
turity.
In 1900 in the city Of New York the
aggregate OF the votes polled by the Re-
publican and Democratic parties was
less than the registration by less than
per cent. II the percentage Of reduo-
ton Is not more at the coming election
the combined poll OF the two will be
about e35,oO0, as compared with about
SOC, 900 votes in 1900.
Obviously, no proper criterion for
estimating the percentage of the poll of
each party at the coming election can be
had from the 1900 contest between Nc
KINLEY and BRYAN. Nor Is it at all safe
to take the State election for Governor
in 1902 as affording In its percentages
any indication as to the election this year.
The best instructed and most expe-
rienced politicians are at sea in the mat
ter. II may be assumed that the Demo-
cratic percentage will be more than In
1900, but 1t cannot be assumed and Ia not
assumed by the most sang'line Tammany