Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-08-24
HOW VOTES COUNT.
WHAT 10000 VOTES MIGHT HAVE
DONE.

WHAT 10000 VOTES MIGHT HAVE
DONE.
Many Presidential Elections Show BY What
Small Change Results Would Have Been
Reversed (On a Fair Count OF Course)-
Samuel J. Tiden With Plurality Of 25O..
600, and Grover Cleveland in 1888 Of 0S,.
OH Of the Popular Vote We're Unsuccessful.
n. Y. World.
ain every Presidential election from
1876 to 1896, except that of 1892,
change of 10000 or lees votes from one
party ticket to the other might have
elected the defeated candidate. Even
in 1892 a shift Of less than $4,000
votes would have produced a similar
result.
"The case of the disputed election
OF Hayes, when the Electoral Commits
sion decided every point by vote OF s
for Hayes to 7 for Tilden, is very
simple. The electoral vote was finally
fixed at lS5 for Hayes to 1S4 for
Tilden. Aside from the disputed
States OF South Carolina, Florida and
Louisiana, whose electoral votes were
eventually counted for Hayes, change
OF 53S votes would have given Tilden
Nevada's three votes, change of l..
4O3 votes would have given him Cali.
fornia's six electoral votes, or change
OF 3,759 votes would have given him
Ohio's % electors.
"The electoral vote in 1880 stool pa
for Garfield to l55 for Hancock. Han
cock lost his election by Tammany's
failure to lend him cordial support.
Garfield's majority over Hancock in
New York State was only 1893, go
that a change of 10,5l7 votes would
have placed the electoral vote OF New
York to the Democratic candidates
credit and elected him. Disregarding
New York. which was q pivotal State,
the aombined maiorities for Garfield in
Connecticut, Indiana, Maine and Ore.
gon, of which States the electoral
votes totalled 81, amounted to only
1887. A change OF 1929 votes in
Connecticut, of 1892 in Indiana, OF
4,435 in Maine and 1886 in Oregon,
or OF 9,422 votes in the four States,
would have elected Hancock.
ain 1884, when Cleveland received
2l9 electoral votes to Blaine's 1S2,
New York was again the pivotal State.
1t went for Cleveland by the narrow
majority over Blaine Of 1,l49 votes.
By turning SIS votes to Blaine the
Republicans would have defeated
Cleveland. Connecticut gave Cleve-
land only 1876 more votes than
Blaine, New Jersey 1853 and West
Virginia 1921. Their electoral votes
counted 10 in all, enough to defeat
Cleveland if 1923 votes had been
changed in these three States. Again,
Indiana gave Cleveland majority OF
6,527 over Blaine aud Is electoral
votes. If 3,264 votes had been changed
there and 639 in Connecticut, or 1903
votes in the two States, Blaine would
have been elected.
"In 1883 New York remained the
pivotal State. The electoral vote
stood 233 for Harrison to 16S for
Cleveland. If one more than half OF
Harrison's majority of 1902 over
Cleveland in this State, or 6,502 votes,
had been changed to Cleveland, Harri-
son would have been defeated for the
Presidency. Illinois gave Harrison
% electoral votes and Indiana Is. A
change Of II 1898 votes in the first and
Of 1,l75 in the second, or l2,268 votes,
would have defeated him.
"On the same theory Cleveland
would have been easily beaten in 1892,
when the electoral vote showed the
wide difference OF PIT for the Demo.
cratic candidate and 145 for the Re-
publican. California gave Cleveland
only A majority over Harrison, In.
diana 1925, Illinois 26,993. New Jer
sey 1904 and Wisconsin 6,544. A
change OF 1850 votes in these five
States might have elected Harrison.
Mckinley had lead OF 65 elec,ora
votes over Bryan in 1896. Yet q
change of 1894 votes from the Repub
lican to the Democratic column il
California, of 9,O92 in Indiana, o
1859 in Oregon, of 142 in Kentucky
of 1916 in Delaware and of 5,744 il
West Virginia, or 1921 in the 81,
States, would have given Bryan Al
more electoral votes than he received
and would have seated him in tn
White House."
Then a most remarkable result o
the inadequacy OF the Electoral Col
lege and its perverting the will of tn
people, aside from the opportunity
afforded for nullifying that will afte
expression, was the quarter OF q mil
lion plurality cast for Mr.. Tilden il
1876 with a fair count, and nearl.
100000 for Cleveland in 1883.
IA Rapid Harvest.
.-~.:.oJ vOupUs tpl