The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-09-21
WASHINGTON DEMOCRATS HOPEFUL.
Party Managers Confident 70 Car
rying Both West Virginia and
Maryland.
The Sort of Work They are Doing for
Parker.

Political managers at Democratic Con-
gressional headquarters in this city
are closely in touch with conditions in
Maryland and West Virginia and
have no doubt that Parker will
carry them both. Republicans, weak
ened and disgusted by their party
quarrels in West Virginia, show signs
of surrender, Congressman Dayton,
despairing Of reelection, is about
ready to withdraw from the Congress
sional race and President Roosevelt
talks of appointing him y. S. district
Judge in place of Judge j. Jackson
who is retiring at the age of eighty
/ six. The Withdrawal of Dayton is
/, delayed by the fact that he is the
strongest candidate the Republicans
can name for the House.
|. In Maryland our affairs look even
brighter than in West Virginia. We
are pretty sure to carry the state by
10, GOO. and elect four, perhaps five,
of the six congressman. General Ag-
nus, editor of the Baltimore Ameri.
can, Republican, showed your CORES
pondent the other day note from the
President which ended with the SEN
tence, 81 really believe we have a
chance to carry Maryland. That can
hardely be calledan enthusiastic proph-
ecy!
Democrats here who have gloomy
thoughts about election prospects sue
ceed in painting magnihcet rainbow
in the following fashion: The gain in
the Republican vote of Maine over
that of 1900 is 5 per cent. and the
gain in the Democratic vote, "a per
cent. Now the Democratic vote of
New York for President in 1900 was
693, 7S3 and the Republican vote for
President, for the same year in that
state. was s04, ,s59. Add 5 per cent. to
this Republican vote, and We get 845, :
600 as the probable Republican vote
this year. Add "a per cent. to the
Democratic vote of 1900, and that
gives Us $50 22S as the Democratic
vote there this year This is a Dem
ocratic majority i'll New York state of
10, 600 Similarly in New jersey,
where the vote of Republicans and
Democrats for President in 1900 was,
respectively, ITS, ,0l0 and 164, 1903 apply
the Maine percentages of gain and,
presto, change! there is a Democratic
majority of 2s, 600! By similarly add
ing the Maine percentages of gain In
the west, Parker will carry Nebraska
by l30, 90 and Indiana by "a, 600. This
shows how far the situation is from
being hopeless.
The quarrel in New York between
Senator Platt and Governor Odell is
all that Democrats could wish for.
Woodruff's speech of surrender ON
Thursday looked like pouring old on
water, but it vas really pouring Oil
on fire. Given respectable Demo
cratic Jacket this week when our
party's convention ASSEMBLIES at
Saratoga, and the defeat of Higgins
will be a foregone conclusion. The
New York Sun, Republican, declares
editorially that he "has neither the
character nor the ability to qualify
him for the governorship Of the State
of New York. Bourke Cochran,
returned from reducing the Repnbli-
can majority in Maine will be large
factor in the New York campaign.
Should Democats carry the State, be
could realize the ambition OF his life
by succeeding Depew in the Senate
or, perhaps going as Irish ambassador
to Great Britain! Republicans admit
that the Vanderbilt protege has been
sore disappointment: in the Senate
and the transfer of Cockran's
mighty and picturesque forensic
efforts from the House to the Senate
would be delight.
There are no discouraging indlca-
tions at these headquarters. Con-
gresham Cowherd is sending off sew
eral carloads of franked documents
every day. notably large postal
card bearing upon its back the excit
ing colloquy between John Sharp Will
liams and Dalzell in which the latter
declared that "there are 10 hoodlums
in the United States except the for
eigners. Some newspaper marplots
affirm tnat the democratic campaign
is dead; that nothing is being done at
the Riggs House, that the fat-friers
in New York are not giving the Con-
gressional Committee any money; that
Judge Parker refuses to take the ad-
vice of his political friends. and is
hurtfully obstinate in refusing to 60
on the stump, &C., &c. But as far as