Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1908-04-28
THE SITUATION SIZED UP
A Travelling Man Talks of the Bailey
Situation-Think That Bailey
Will Lose Out.

travelling man today, and in CONVEX
sation this gentleman, who travels
over good portion of the state and is
a close observer, said, in answer to
the question, What do you think will
be the result of the election next Sat
urday?"
We'll, to begin WITH" said he, 81
will state my position on this ques-
ton. l have been travelling for the
past six years and have covered near
ly all the whole state many times
since this fight on Bailey began.
have tried to size up the situation
from fair standpoint. In fact, have
tried to weigh both sides, have not
been prejudiced for nor against Bal
ley, but have listened to both sides
time after time. Then, l have talked
with merchants, lawyers, doctors, far
mers and all classes in every town
go to. For my own information
have tried to find out what the result
would be, and l have about made up
my mind that the anti-Bailey people
are going to win out. Now mind you,
| say / believe this, but it's going to
be so close there'll be no fun in it.
Before the Waco convention Bailey
people were largely in the majority.
He and his friends have hurt his
cause more than they have benefited
it during this campaign. They made a
big mistake in refusing to meet the
anti-Bailey people on the stump.
This showed to the average unde-
cided citizen that the Bailey cause
was weak. Then Bailey lost thou
sands of votes by his declaration re-
garding the Confederate soldiers, in
his Corsicana speech. Then when he
attempted to charge Cone Johnson
with favoring white teachers for negro
schools, and it was proven a false
hood, this hurt him badly in East Tex
as. Then the charge against David
- . -uGiiiE;1s. the prnpertx IN GalxaSton
cost him more votes Then the false
charge about Cullen Thomas cost him
votes. Then Judge Brooks has cost
him thousands of votes, also d. w.
Odell. Texas people have become well
posted on all the charges against Bal
ley and if the senator could have dis
proved them he would have been
stronger than ever. They were anx-
ious to see Bailey meet Cone Johnson,
and many of them hoped and believed
he could refute every charge.
Since he failed to meet the oppo-
sition it has greatly weakened him.
All this l have learned from talking
with the different people without tell
ing them on which side l stood. Then
Bailey's stand on the prohibition ques-
ton will cost him many votes in North
and East Texas. The pros won't vote
for him because they do not think he
has been sincere.
Then again, Cone Johnson has
changed thousands of votes, not
dyed-in-the-wool Bailey votes, but men
who were on the fence-men who
wanted to hear both sides and learn
the truth. They would go out to hear
Bailey and go away undecided. Then
they would go out and hear Cone John
son and he would. make such clear
case against Bailey they would make
up their minds to vote against the
senator. AT least, that's the way
they have talked to me, and it has
been the same way all over the state.
ITO begin with, Bailey had thou
sands of votes to spare, but he has
been losing them right along all the
time until he can't lose any more
without it costing him the victory.
81 find the greater part of the coun-
try people against him, and if it's
pretty day on May 2 so they will go
to the polls I'm afraid Bailey will be
beaten, but if it's bad, wet day, the
farmers and lots of the city people
who are against him will not vote.
But you can put it down that every
Bailey man will go out and vote, if
they have to swim to get to the polls,
and he will be elected But, as | said
before, it is going to be so close that
therell be no fun in it."