The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-17
BETS ON THE ELECrroN.

Innocent people are already drawing
differences as to the result in November
from the rates that rule In betting
circles. The odds on Wall Street and
on the curb are favorable to Roosevelt,
and one Is at liberty, IL it is pleasing
so to conclude. to conclude that Roose-
Welt Is certain to succeed himself. But
how absurd 1t is to draw any inference
of the kind at this time. 1t Is nearly
four months before the question will be
actually determined and a hundred
things may happen in the meantime to
affect for better or worse the fortunes
of the two candidates. No one doubts
that at the moment the people on the
inside have an advantage. We do not
mean the benefit to be derived from
holding certain Offices and having the
chance to distribute still others. We
refer rather to the indisposition to
change unless the people have an as
surance as to what the change means.
Until the st. Louis Convention had
fully accomplished its work. the coun-
try only knew they had to deal with
well-intentioned, head-strong and en-
ratio person in Roosevelt. They might
cheerfully take the chances of retain
Ing him In power, If there was great
uncertainty overhanging the purposes
and policies of the Democratic Party
With assurance as to these, minds are
not to be made up in an hour, a day or
week. Thousands of men who on
Saturday morning. July 9th, had de-
cided to vote for Roosevelt were chang
ed on Sunday into good Democrats re-
solved to support Parker and Davis.
AS the canvass progresses. no doubt
there will be many who will change the
other way. The election will turn OH
the appeal that Is made; the force of
reason and logic in the appeal. and 1t
is in this that the strength of the
Democratic contention will be found
to consist. 4 bet now, or an inference
from prevailing odds in betting, is
wholly TO ignore what can be accom-
p1ished by conversation, by the news
papers, by speeches on the stump, dur
ing the next few months. If the odds
were in favor of Parker and Davis,
we should not conclude for one moment
| that this indicated a victory for them.
All we could conclude would be that
| certain individuals guessed that by
| appearances as they are now, the Dem
| ocratic ticket Is going to win. We
| should know at the same time that the
| bettors know just as much and as Ut
/ IL Of ne nj
| brought forth shortly in the eager
| give-and- take Of a great Presidential
contest.
Lincoln had a favorite expression he
| was accustomed to use about any prop
osition as to which there was a doubt
| in his mind: will it scour?" We
have never felt sure we had the cor
rect Interpretation of the question,
| but the way he used IL makes it clear
| he meant, will it bear the closest in
| spection; can 1t be handled roughly;
| can 1t be rubbed hard; will 1t scour
and prove itself after every trial to be
sound and true?
The Republican platform will not
scour; it is tissue of lies already ex-
posed. The candidate standing on it
| has shown no great securing quality
to be sure. On the Democratic side we
have a Platform, frank and manly in
every part, and candidates. one of
whom at least has already heightened
the tone of American politics by an act
sunexampled for moral courage in our
whole history.
I, Betting in any form is to be depre-
Gated. 1t is a cheap form of argument
at best. but election bets in Presi-
Dental year should never be made by
those foolish enough to bet at all un
til October. July and October are diff
ferent months in the calendar and they
do not differ more there than they do
in their comparative value as indica.
tive signs for the political prophet.