The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-12
Republicans and Democrats Will Need Half Million Each for Railroad Fares AIone-No More Free
 Passes for Spell-Blnders.
BY SEWELL HAGGARD.

The only information he has vouchsafed was given to Herman Ridder of New York, who called upon him at Lincoln a few days before the convention met at Denver MT. Ridder was arguing with MT. Bryan that on a radical platform he could never hope to carry New York. and that without New York he could never be president According to the press dispatches, MT. Bryan replied that he did not consider New York's electoral vote. necessary to victory
 While the reasons of MT. Bryan for making this statement are not known 1t Is supposed that MT. Bryan is pinning his hopes to the radical Roosevelt states of the west. If he can carry these states several combinations can be worked out by which he can win. The so-called rad teal Roosevelt states are:
 Minnesota ...... .... .... .... ....u
 iowa .... .... .......13
 hansas .... ..s. .... ........1O
 NeDraska .... '... ......S
 North Dakota .... .... .......
 Total electoral vote .... .... .......46
 +Bryan states in 1896.
 The other northern states that cast their electoral votes for MT. Bryan in 1896 are:
 Idaho .... ........3 8
 Montana ......
 South Dakota .... .... ...... 4
 wyoming ........
 Juan .... ......
 Washington .... .... .... .... .. 5
 Iotal electors ....%21
 with Kansas and Nebraska, 39.
 Northern Bryan States, 1900.
 ldaho ........
 Montana .......
 Total electors ... ...s. ......6
 Southern Mckinley States, 1900.
 DeleWare ..... ......
 Maryland - .... ...... ...... ..S
 West Virginia .... ..... ...... ....7
 Total electors . ~ - .18 The Solid South has 169 electoral votes Another democratic state has been add ed to the roll in Oklahoma, with votes. Taking the foregoing figures as basis, here are several combinations by which MT. Bryan could be elected:
 First Combination.
 Electoral
 Vote. Oklahoma .... ...... .... ...... T Roosevelt Radical states, including Kansas and Nebraska+ ... ... 46 Other northern Bryan states 1896. . 21 Solid South ......169 Total electors .... .... .... ....... ... .243 Necessary to win .... .... .... .... . PAP $Bryan states 1896.
 Second Combination.
 Solid South emitting Delaware, Mary land and West Virginia .... .... ....151 Okla homa . Roosevelt Radical states .. .......... 46 New York .... .... .... .... .... ........ 39 Total electors .... .... .... .... ... PAS Mckinley states 1900.
 Third Combination.
 Solid South .... ... ..... .169 Northern Bryan states 1900 .... -. .... 6 Roosevelt Radical states ... .... .... 4s oklahoma ...... ... T lnolana .... ..... ........ ..'.. .... ...... 10 Total electors .... ...... .... .... ....243 If Bryan should hold together the Solid South and capture the western 'Roose- welt Radical states he could have 215 votes In that case Taft to win could not afford to lose either of the following combinations
 Ohio (23) and Connecticut CD .... .... ... 80 New Jersey d2) and Indiana Q5) ... =. .27 If MT. Bryan is right in thinking that he can make inroads on the republicans in the west-and it is only fair to say that the conservative democratic leaders have no such hopes-he has chance of de- feating MT. Taft.
 For the benefit of distinguished Ala bama democrat Col John W. Tomlinson. who has said that my opinion as to MT. Bryan's chances of election was worth less because I have always been a repub- lican, will say here that have always been a republican in national politics-a republican because MT. Bryan has been running for president ever since I was old enough to vote. I wish to say also that whatever I have written against MT Bryan has not been directed against him personally, but against what he repre- sents. I give MT. Bryan credit for sin cerity. I do not believe that he deserves the abuse that has been heaped upon him by newspapers of the east like the World MT Bryan is one of the few absolutely honest and fearless men in American pol itics. In one respect, at least. he Is the most remarkable character that has ever figured in public life in this country; he has made office-seeking profitable indus try. As a poor man MT. Bryan began running for the presidency and, keeping up his fight, he has at the same time amassed a comfortable fortune all of which can be traced directly to the posi- tion he has made for himself as a per- petual candidate for office. And all that he has attained has been honestly at- tained. This record is unprecedented in American public life; most unsuccessful candidates for office lose fortunes in- stead of winning them
 Even if MT. Bryan is again defeated for the presidency he will go down in history as a man whose sincerity has never been successfully assailed; a man whose life has been clean in every par ttcular. His life at Lincoln Is good Illustration of the man. At first the citi- zens of Lincoln were none too favorably impressed with him. Now the city idol izes him-a change due entirely to the mans personality The Peerless One js a remarkable type of manhood: there Is no sign of wear and tear on him despite his hard work; his eyes are bright, his cheeks ruddy and every movement of his big frame tells of muscular strength and steady nerve. He neither smokes nor drinks and at meals no liquor of any kind passes his lips. If you ask MT. Bryan why he doesn't drink he will tell you that it's because it isn't good for him. No one knows exactly what MT. Bryan's fortune amounts to. Recently newspa- per writer figured his annual earnings from the Commoner alone at close to