Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1904-12-24
A POLITICAL FLUkE..
An Analysis Of the November Election
Returns for the State.

SHOW Iudl TIE hcpuuACdu SuCCCoS was
merely political "fluke" which gives
no indication whatever of the real poll
tical sentiments of our people. The
returns sufficiently prove that the
voters of Nevada were thoroughly dis !,
gusted with the nomination of Parker !
but it does not fellow, by any means. |
that the State is Republican.
1t is highly significant that while |
there was a large increase in regis |
tration, there was comparatively a |
very snail increase in the actual vote !
The gain in registration was at least
$500 while the vote showed a gain of
scarcely one third that number. The
vote this year on president was 12O50.
Two years ago the vote for Governor
was 1913. The increase therefore
was only 733. On the Congressman
the increase was 4SO. and on the Su-
preme Judgship it was 513. The popu-
lar impression is that there was
gain of about 1000, but the actual av-
erage increase was only about 600.
The small increase of the total vote,
coupled with Roosevelts tremendous
plurality, (2S59) shows both apathy
and dissatisfaction in the Democratic
and Silver Party ranks. The normal
Democratic strength in this State is
at least $500, saying nothing of the
several hundred silver party men who
are still acting with the Democracy.
Nevertheless, Parker received but 1870
votes, while every Fusion State condi-
date had a vote we'll above the five
thousand mark
The dissatisfaction in the Fusion
ranks over the nomination Of Parker
was the prime factor in the defeat of
Sparks, Bartine, Gree and Boyle AS
the Appeal has heretofore observed,
many Of the Democratic Silver Party
voters who supported Roosevelt dis
eliminated in favor of the State Fusion
ticket, but some of them did not, with
the result that the Republicans elected
everything but their Congressional
candidate by small majorities.. OBJ
viOusly the ROOsevelt-Parker vote is no
indication of the political complexion
of the State. Neither is the vote ON
the State ticket for it is perfectly clear
that the defeated Fusion candidates
were simply swanmped by the Roose-
welt tidal wave, as in many other
States.
1t is true that the 333 Watson votes
which no doubt approximately repre-.
sented the Bumpers" strength, were
sufficient for them to claim that they
elected the Republican Supreme Judge
and Regents. But this is only because
the Republican majorities were sc
small. The majority for Norcross was
442 and the bumpers of course voted
for him almost to a man If their 33s
votes had been taken from Norcross
and given to Bartine the latter would
have been elected by more than 200
majority. Therefore they can claim
that they defeated Bartine They are
in position to say that even in the
face OF the tremendous Roosevelt;
landslide, Bartine and every othel
Fusion candidate would have beer
elected had it not been for the 'Rump
ers" vote.
Unfortunately in such a contes
every vote counts. Where an electio,
is SO close that it turns on a singl,
vote every man who casts a ballo
on the winning side can claim tina
But in this case the cold fact is tina.
had the vote on the Presidential can
didates been normal, or anywhere nea
it, every man on the Fusion tickle
would have been elected by a hand
some majority in spite of all that tn
Bumpers" did or could have done
So. we repeat that the result may b
fairly characterized as politica
"fuke'-such as is not likely to occu
again in a score of years. Under a
the circumstances the showing mad
by the Fusion State candidates wa
a remarkable one. In the face of tn
political landslide. almost without
parallel, and with the Bumpers
knitting them viciously, they all "a
far ahead of their electoral ticket, an
change of about 900 votes woul
have elected every one Of them. A
it was the Republicans lost their Coz
gresham, both Van Duzer and Bartin
leading Mr.. Yerington some hundred
of votes.
Hence, there is no reason why tn
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