Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-06
TROUBlEF0R BETT0RS
Puzzled About Paying Wagers
on Maryland.
PRECEDENT SET IN 1904
Party Whose Elector Gets Highest
Vote Carries State.
OLD SHAREHOLDERS VIEW
Good Arguments Given on the other
Side, but They Are Not Con-
sidered Effective.

Lots of folks who bet on the result in
Maryland Tuesday are having trouble
trying to figure out whether they lost or
won. Just at present it looks as if the
state had gone for Taft on the popular
vote by approximately a couple of hum
dred. but that seven of the eight presi-
dental electors of the state would be
found in the Bryan column. 1t has been
explained previously how this could hap
pen: that there was a fancy little trick
involved in the switching of the columns
of the various parties on the general bal
lot. which carries no emblems. and that
many illiterate republicans marked
cross opposite the name of the first repub-
lican elector and neglected to thus mark
all the rest of the republican electors.
But that is bit beside the question,
which is. In a nutshell. as to how bets
majority on the popular vote and Bryan
has seven of the eight electors. or. to put
1t in another way. when one Taft elector
has received more votes than any one of
the seven Bryan electors.
Precedent Set in 1904.
After making inquiries of number of
Stockholders. including George William
son. I'D at Shoomaker's, who is considered
sort of court of last resort on ques-
tons of this kind, a Star reporter found
hat in 1904. when the result in Maryland
was very like this ycar-Roosevelt hav-
ing a popular majority of fifty-one. but
Parker having seven of the. eight electors
bets were paid on the assumption that
the state had gone for Roosevelt.
Those who hold the other view have ex-
cellent. if ineffective. arguments in sup
port of their view. One bettor pointed
out today that in the event of the vote of
the whole country being exceedingly close
in presidential election and Maryland
having the deciding vote In the electoral
college. it would seem illogical to say that
the state had gone republican and pay
bets on that assumption, when the seven
democratic electors had really swung the
whole country in favor of the democrats.
Generally Accepted View.
But the previously mentioned view
that a popular majority. however small,
disregarding the number of electors Sc
cured by each candidate, and keeping IN
mind only the total received by the cleo
tor getting the greatest number Of votes
decides all bets as to whether the state
has gone republican.or democratic. seems
to be the general one, and on this as
sumption all bets will be paid by stake
holders who know the game.
Moreover. in all almanacs and political
works of reference containing tables Of
the result In 1904 Maryland will be found
In the republican column, although. AS
stated, d Roosevelt elector received only
ffty-one more votes than the nearest
Parker elector. and in the electoral col
lege there were seven Parker electors
and only one Roosevelt elector.
1t is a question interesting to argue,
but the shareholders appear to decide 1t
only one way According to the daily |
papers in various cities the question is |
being discussed pro and con everywhere,
but local Stockholders are inclined to be- |
lievc 1t will be settled on the popular |
vote i'm every case.
Incidentally, very little Maryland money |
put up before the election has changed |
hands yet, and none Of this was in the |
hands of Stockholders who are other than |
amateurs. The others intend to wait
until Maryland, which has been seesaw-
ing back and forth from the republican
to the democratic column and the re-
verse. settles down long enough to be
tabulated