New-York tribune., 1908-08-27
poIIT[CAL CONDITIONS
N SOUTHERN STATES
rp T4FTvS CHANCES IN
THE "SOLID SOUTH"
n,,nocrotic Leaders WOuied OUer
the Situation There.

- Aug 24-"WiH the Solid South be |
- IN the national campaign this year," is the |
-.fo, which developments since the Republican
T1,,ocratic national conventions were held have
- If urinary and grave importance TO Demo-
- leaders throughout the South Its Importance
= .ho minds Of the leaders Of the party does not
=. a., +he shifting OF a few electoral votes from
r.an 10 Taft That, to them, seems compare
-. insignificant FOR the history OF past national
,-,aic7s has shown that the vote Of the South
not now either defeat elect a candidate
19aki,g the Solid South has far deeper sig
-scauce in their minds They would interpret it
= meaning the beginning of TIE dissolution of the
T-,ocratjc party and il is for this reason mainly
tho. southern leaders will attempt TO inject some
re- into the present national campaign, although
<au, NJ them believe that Bryan will be elected
u eneaking of the Solid South the states of
.ssr,-and West Virginia and Kentucky must be
,i-,;,arad They are no longer considered parts
F the Solid South Not in recent years have
southern Democratic leaders felt that there was
any raal danger of any OF the Democratic Southern
.-a-es going Republican. There has, of course, in
80, cau1paign been less talk OF Virginia or
,o--b Carolina or some other state being counted
:, the Republican column, but Southern Democrats
n,nlv read these reports and smiled, secure In the
belief and knowledge that there was no possibility
Of such happening
GOOD FEELING TOWARD TAFT
This wear things are entirely different. The Demo
cratic marty renominated Bryan who had twice De-
.,-a feen defeated and who had aroused the bitter
est antagonisn from the start on the part OF the
conservative element Of the Democratic party Ihe
RsDpblicans nominated Taft, man in whom the
mon Of The South. Democrats and Republicans
alike have confidence. The Tribune's correspondent
has talked with Southern Democrats from nearly
all the Southern and has Yet 10 talk with one
who will not admit that he believes MI TAFT would
make good Chief Executive And this is putting
Il mildly.
following his nomination Mr. Taft moved TO Hot
snrings for rest and exercise This step appeared
a. the time insignificant enough. but II cannot De
denied that it has had considerable effect on the
national campaign in the South Hot Springs is in
g way a Southern mecca Each summer represen-
rative peore from every Southern state go there,
and in visiting The Springs this year they nave
seen and in many instances talked with Mr. 1afL
Seeing MI Taft" one Democratic leader IN
Georgia puts II. lis becoming friend Of his The
Republican candidate has made in this way host
of friends throughout Southern states and perhaps
many supporters. Certainly the effect OF MS stay
will have material effect the vote in Virginia
ard West Virginia It is because OF the cumulative
effect of the general belief in and liking for MI
Taft throughout the South the dislike OF the con-
servative element Of the Democratic party for
Bryan. the prevailing feeling that the Nebraskan
cannot win the consequent almost universal
snathv combined with the extraordinary efforts
Southern Republicans putting forth, that Demo-
cratic leaders see clouds the political horizon
and seriously fear for the solidness OF the solid
South
nv
In the South will say without hesitation that the
South cares little whether William Howard Taft
Or William Jennings Bryan is elected The South
however. does care for state tickets, and Southern
Democrats will that the Democratic state tick
cts are elected. There is a large element OF the
Democratic party. part of which will not vote at
all and part which will vote the Democratic
ticket. that would prefer TO see Mr.. Taft elected
All indications point to a growing feeling among
thinking Democrats in the Southern States that
man n
any Issue which he thinks will catch the popular
fancy and gain him votes and this feeling VIII
mean the loss of many thousands Of votes TO the
Nebraskan
While the Democratic leaders and acknowl-
edge grave danger the situation they eventually
wind up every argument by saying: Why, this
state won't &C Republican, for the people would
have 10 vote with the negroes il il does II the
Solid South is not broken II viii be due to this
nothing else Were it not for the fact that ne
srees almost as unit the Republican ticket.
ii is not going far 10 say that half Of the
south.rn States would be found in the Taft column
this year when the vote is counted.
After a careful study Of the situation as IT is
and after talks with political leaders throughout
the South. the Republican party still appears 10
have fighting chance OF winning over one, or
possibly two. hitherto ''dyed-in-the-w Demo-
cratic states but not more than fighting chance.
OF the states south Of Mason and DiXons line
there a:e seven which the Democratic party VIII
have stiff fight TO carry. TWO and probably three
Of which are almost certain TO go Republican.
These states are Maryland. West Virginia. NiS-
giria. Kentucky. North Carolina, Tennessee and
Georgia Of these Maryland is practically certain
10 &c Republican by large majority West Fir-
einia would go 10 Taft without doubt were II not
for the bitter factional in the Republican
party which gives the Democrats a chance, albeit
this chance is generally considered slim one. and
Kentucky VIII in all probability give Mr. Taft a
handsome plurality.
THE SITUATION IN MARYLAND.
What the Republicans assert and Democrats
beginning admit is that the final blow to
Democratic hopes OF carrying Maryland was struck
when The Baltimore Sun declared unreseryedly
for Taft 1t is hard to oveIestimate the effect OF
this the people Of Maryland. They believe in
The Sun and in The Suns views, and when the
regular Democratic Of the state deserts Bryan
II is unreasonable 10 believe that many OF The
Suns" readers will desert him, In this state
the negro holds the balance of power and it can be
conservativeiy said Mr.. Taft will poll three
quarters OF the negro vote. The vote Of Baltimore
City counts heavily. and there can be no question
of Baltimore going Republican The business
interests there are almost solidIy for Taft, and
these, combined with the city's large negro vote
insures Taft big majority. Then, too, there are
many Democrats in the state who will neither
forget forgive Mr. Bryan for snubbing Cor
man This VIII cost him votes. In fact. so conf
dent the Republicans of carrying the state
thai the other night, Of them prominent
business man in Baltimore, while talking politics
IN the Maryland Club offered TO bet $1,000 TO 500
that Taft would carry the state. and got no TAX
ers. although there were several Democrats in
TIE group.
IN the western part OF the state Republican
sentiment IS particularly strong. The 9Th Con-
District which IS represented by
George A Pearre, is sure TO poll large Repub-
hcan vote OF the towns in this section or the
state. Cumberland the home OF the laie Gov
ernor IloRyndes's family will probably go over
vyh oT,- Rem Democratic