Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-08-15

love, carried Wisconsin by a plura-
lily of 7,707 votes. The vote for
Cleveland was 177'325 or 10 per cent
of the population of the state accor-
ding to the census of 1890.
SIN 1896 Mr.. Bryan lost the state to
Mckinley by a plurality of 102,612.
The vote for Bryan was 165, 1923 or 81
per cent Of the population according
to the census of 1895. Mr.. Bryan did
not do so well as Mr.. Cleveland.
SIN 1900 Bryan was again the can
didate and lost the state to Mckinley
by plurality Of LOG 800. This time
he received only 159, 1853 votes or 10
per cent of the population in 1900.
He did not do so well as he himself
had done four years before.
''In 1904 Mr.. Parker was the candi-
date and he received only 124, 107
votes, losing the state to President
Roosevelt by plurality of 156 ,057.
Parker's vote was only SO per cent
of the population in 1904, literally
estimated to be $4,000, O0O.. The Wis
consin Democracy, it is seen, was
still on the down grade.
1.-THE Democratic candidate for
governor in 1904, ex-Gov. Peck, re-
ceived 176, 301 votes, but this vote is
known to be abnormal because of the
large number Of Stalwart votes that
went to Mr.. Peck. The vote for No
Ian for secretary of state is certainly
a fair showing of the Democratic
strength that year. That vote was
$50 ,424 or 6.8 per cent of the popula-
ton.
SIN 1906 Aylward received 103 ,260
votes, amounting to only as per cent
of the population in 1905.
"Since Mr.. Bryan took charge of
the Democratic party the Wisconsin
Democracy has steadily lost in
strength. The above percentages
show a steady decline. This decline
is not only in proportion to the popu-
lation, but absolute. Mr.. Aylward
received IA, 200 fewer votes in 1906
than Mr.. Cleveland received in 1892.
But last year was an off-year, some
some one say. Very well, Judge Par
ker received 5000 fewer votes in
1904 than Mr.. Cleveland received in
1892.
civilian Jennings Bryan must
assume his full share of the response
bility for the degeneration of the
Democratic party in this state. 1t is
surely up to him to make good, if
possible, the loss he has caused"
The Journal has we'll told the story
of Democratic efforts and dissapoint-
ments in the state of Wisconsin since
1892 The election statistics of each
county in the state tell the same disap-
pointing tale.
In Iowa county, which was the home
of many of the fathers of Democracy
in Wisconsin, the election returns
have furnished conclusive evidence
that the leadership which exalts Mr..
Bryan has been a source of weakness
and not of strength. Until 1894, when
Governor Altgeld and others revolted
against the policies of the Democratic
national administration, never was
the county so strongly Republican but
that at every election a few deserV-
ing and popular democrats could be
elected to Office. But since that time,
every democratic candidate has gone
down to defeat.
An off-year campaign by Mr.. Bryan
in Wisconsin might help him to secure
the presidential nomination in 1908,
but the presumption is that it would
weaken the party in the state.
The next Democratic campaign in
| Wisconsin should be a campaign to
recuit the ranks. The candidacy of
Mr.. Parker in 1906 was at least credit
able to the party; and there should be
no turning backward simply because
it did not attain what was at that time
! impossible, success at the polls.