Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1908-10-10

Bryan is practically assured of election
to the presidency. In dozen or more
states running from Connecticut in the
East all through the middle west and
even to the Pacific Coast, the Republi-
cans are confronted with factiona fights
within their own lines, while every
where from Coast to Coast the Demo
Gratis are united as they have not been
since 1892 The trend Of sentiment is
unmistakably for Bryan. while the. pop
ular planks of the Democratic platform,
such as the guarantee of bank deposits.
tariff revision. anti-injunction, publicity
of campaign funds, the election Of
United States Senators by direct vote
of the people. the prohibition of Asiatic
immigration. and many others are bring
ing thousands of Republicans and Inde-
pendents to the support of the Demo
cratic ticket.
Hence the Democrats regard Mr..
Bryan's election not as a possibility
but as a strong probability.
In the following states with an ag-
gregate of l20 votes in the electoral
college the Republicans are making no
campaign worthy of the name. and the
only question concerning them is the
size Of the Democratic majority in each {:
Virginia, North Carolina, South Ca
rolina, Georgia. Florida. Alabama, Mis-
sissippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisi
ana and Texas.
Oklahoma, which the Democrats car
ried at the State election by 80, 600. and
which is even more strongly for Bryan
and his ideas, is also conceded to the
Democrats. and likewise Nevada with
three votes is admitted by Republicans
to be unquestionably for Bryan.
Because Kentucky which in 1896 when
thousands of Democrats bolted Bryan
chose IL out of l3 Republican electors
by majority of less than 300. and be-
cause last year when local issues divided
the Democrats that state also elected 4
Republican governor the Republicans
are making a fight there this year.
Under normal conditions. however, Ken
tucky is Democratic state. and CON
ditions are normal in Kentucky this
year. The Democrats are united as
they never have been in Is years those
who left the party in 1896 have returned
and are working Loyalty for the Demo
cratic ticket. AS matter of truth the
Republicans do not expect to carry the
state, and are only putting up "A fight
to annoy the Democrats. who are abso-
lutely confident of success.
There are three states whose political
history during the past eight years is
particularly interesting in the light of
present conditions. These states are
Missouri, Montana and Maryland 1t
should not be supposed, in fact it can
not well be asserted by any Republican
that in these states, or in any others in
fact, William H. Taft will prove more
popular candidate before the voters
than was Theodore Roosevelt. Neither
can it be successfully denied that Will
liam j. Bryan is to-day any less popular
in these three states than he was eight
years ago. In view of these facts it is
interesting to note that if Mr.. Taft
should obtain every vote in each Of
these three states which was cast for
Mr.. Roosevelt, and Mr. Bryan should do
no better than he did in 1900, Mr.. Bryan
will carry all three of them. In Mary
land four years ago Mr.. Roosevelt got
one elector and Mr.. Parker seven. Mr..
Roosevelt's s vote in round numbers was
l09, 900. while Mr.. Bryan's vote in 1900
was l22, 600 Thus it would appear that
Mr.. Bryan is 1900 votes stronger in
Maryland than Mr.. Taft will be if he is
as strong as Roosevelt was. In Mis-
souri, four years ago the Democratic
vote was 55, 900 less than il was in l900
while the Republican strength was only
1000 more. Bryan in 1900 had 35l. 900
votes in Missouri. while Mr.. Roosevelt
in 1904 had only 32l 600. showing that
Bryan is at least 30, 900 votes stronger
in that state than Roosevelt was. Roose-
welt carried Montana in 1904 with 3d.
600 votes. which was more than 1000
less than Bryan had in that state in
1900.
These figures show that thousands of
Democrats did not vote four years ago.
and that Mr.. Bryan has all the advan-
tage in these states. In fact the Demo
Gratis feel as certain of carrying Mis-
souri, as they do of carrying Texas, for
there is no state in the Union where
Mr. Bryan is stronger with the Democ-
racy than in Missouri. His candidacy
alone is sufficient to bring out the full
vote of the party which is all that is
needed to insure large majority for
the Democratic ticket. Practically every
Republican leader comedies Missouri TO