Los Angeles herald., 1908-10-29
DEMOCRATS OF
CHICAGO CLAIM
BATTLE IS WON
ALL REPORTS POINT TO BIG
BRYAN VICTORY
NO LONGER A DOUBT LEFT AS TO
ELECTION OUTCOME
Stream of Gold Pouring Into Indiana
and other so-caIIed Doubtful"
States Cannot Elect Taft,
is Contention

N HICAGO, Oct. 2S.-A spirit of OPP
timism pervades Democratic head
~ quarters in Chicago and there is
lseling of confidence among the man
ayers more pronounced than in any
campaign since 1892.
Leaders who have been in close touch
with the trend of political sentiment
throughout the so-called doubtful
states, have, within the past few days,
received assurances which lead them
to believe the battle for Bryan and
Democracy has been won and that
election day will only record a great
victory.
Confidential and final reports from
Ohio and Indiana show these states are
safe for Bryan--not by meager but by
substantial majorities, despite the
stream of gold which is pouring in
from the Republican national COM
mittee.
Bryan's great campaign in New York
and the reception which he has been
rendered there lead to the belief the
situation is even more favorable than
the very fiattering reports have lndi-
Gated.
Not Far Behind CHAMBER
information received by Democratic
leaders at headquarters here is that
Bryan will not be far behind Chanler
in New York city, and that he VIII
run neck and neck with the guberna-.
torial candidate up the state.
Confidence in both candidates getting
comfortable majorities in New York
is growing instead of diminishing.
Iowa is said to have a surprise in
store also.
Up to the present time, in order to
avoid the charge of rainbow chasing,
the Democrats have said little about
Iowa, but the situation there is now so
favorable that they have good reasons
to believe that Bryan has even shade
the best of the contest in that state.
Strength Increases
AS the situation settles, the strength
of Bryan increases.
During the past ten days two i'm
portant matters have developed which
have operated to the immense advan-
tage of the Democrats. The first OF
these was the discovery of Judge Taft's
decision while on the bench reducing
wages of railway employees to 81 day
i'll order that a railroad in the hands or
a receiver might continue to pay in
terest on bonds.
This decision is to be found in the
Federal reporter, Vol. 81. and has fixed
upon him the title of "Dollar-a-Day"
Taft.
The declaration made by Judge Taft
in this decision that the appealing
railroad employees had mo standing in
court" and that if they were not salts
fled with the wage they could leave
the employment, has had the effect of
soidifying against him the labor vote
and has resulted in lining up against
him others who believe in If wages
Another Development
Another important development is the
exposure by the New York World of
Candidate Sherman's record in the
New Mexico land fraud cases.
Mr.. Sherman has been utterly unable
TO put up a plausible defense against
the charges, which are based upon Off
cial records, and there has gone out
demand for his retirement from the
Republican ticket. While this seems
not only improbable but impossible at
this late date, the Republican ticket
will he obliged to bear the odium and
will suffer accordingly.