Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-10-05
Campaign
Comment.
How Can Bryan Win?
(Kansas City Journal.)

There seems to be Scncral leeIliS
among Democrats that Mr.. Bryan has
good fighting chance to win this
year-that he il; stronger than ever
before. more elements being united for
him than were aligned on his side in
either Of his former campaigns. 1t
may be, too, that some Republicans
are a bit uneasy about the possible
outcome. But is there rea ~ any good
reason for this feeling?
Mr. Bryan was not as strong IN
1900 as he was in 1896, for he polled
6,509,059 votes the first time he ran
and 149,043 fewer in 1900. In 1896
he was the choice of three national
political organizations, and in 1900 ne
was the candidate Of four-the Demo-
Gratis, Silver Republicans, Populists
and Ant-Imperialists Judge Parker
four years ago poled 5,079,0i1 votes,
running as the candidate Of the Demo-
Gratis alone and bitterly opposed by
the other three parties which were for
Bryan. In other words, the two extra
parties for Bryan in 1896 represent
difference of 1,43o.0lS as compared
with Parker, while three extra parties
represent Il difference of only 1,2S0,-
975. But Bryan received In round
numbers 10000 fewer votes when he
was backed b. four parties than when
he was the choice of three.
When Parker ran, the minor parties,
most of Them were resolved into their
original elements, and those which
have survived have put up tickets on
which Bryans name does not appear,
In addition, the Hearst party IS doing
al t,i, n
Socialists are casting an increasing
number of votes. and they draw tar
more from the Democrats than from
the Republicans. There is no Popu'ist
PARTY to speak of, though Mr.. Watson
is nominally running. The New York
Democracy is VIGOROUSLY opposed to
Bryan. Mr. Bryan may rush I" tnc
depot to make obeisancc to Boss Muir
ply, but Tammany is not for Bryan
Croker is abroad. David r. Francis,
the leader Of the old Cleveland follow
ing, is touring Ireland. The powerful
Hearst influence in New York is. OF
course, against the NcbraSkan. ana
it is difficult to see how anybody can
reasonably look for New York to De
won from the Republicans.
With New York lost to him, Mr.,
Bryan's case apparently is hopeless.
TO be elected he must carry NeW York,
the solid South New Jersey and Con-
nccticut, or other states with an
equivalent electoral vote, and then on
top Of all this he must carry Okla
homa and this would leave nm
eighteen electoral votes short. he
must carry one of the big Middle West
states-OhiO Illinois or Indiana he
has not carried his own state SING"
1896. Illinois has not gone Democratic
since 1892, when Cleveland carried 1t.
Ohio is certain for Taft, and the
Democrats have only Indiana to hope
for
AS a matter of fact, the solid South
is becoming less and less deciding
| factor Not many years ago New
York, Indiana and the solid South
settled the contest. but the apportion-
ment Of 1900 added only twelve votes
| to the South and twenty-siX to the
| North Now it takes the solid South
and four large Northern states for the
| Democrats to win. Four years from
| now, when new apportionment is
made. it will require five Northern
| states.
But the solid South itself is disin-
| tcgrating. Mighty wonders have been
worked in the last few years. Some
surprises may be expected this yea,
when the South is really hostile TO
| BRYAN By 1912 the solid South may
be but a political relic of the days of
prejudices and passions happily pass
ing away.