The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-10-28
GAN BRYAN WIN?

The final guesses of political pro-
phets as to the result of the presiden.
tial election are now being made, and,
as is usually the case, each partisan
authority sees visions of victory. The
press dispatches Of the last few days
OF q presidential campaign always
record conflicting views of chairmen
of political committees and other
sources that r supposed to be in
formed as to the drift OF public senti-
ment, and the official election returns
come as a surprise to the prophets
who are away off in their c~alcula-
lions.
1t Is confidently announced by the
c chairman of the democratic national
committee, a week before election, that
Mr.. Bryan will be elected by a land.
slide. Chairman Mack claims no less
than 30l electoral votes for Bryan,
which is certainly guessing it pretty
strong. On the other side, it is an.
nounced that states claimed for Bryan
will go republican by over 100, 900,
and people who are disposed to rely
upon the guesswork Of these politi-
clans become lost among the conflict.
ing array Of figures.
In q recen review of the situation,
the Kansas City Journal recalls the
fact that Mr.. Bryan was not as strong
In 1900 as heIwas in 1896, for he polled
6,509. 049 votes the first time he ran
and l49,0 43 fewer In 1900. In 1896 he
was the choice of three national
political organizations, and In 1900 he
was the candidate Of four-the Demo.
Gratis, neutrality-suspicious., Populists
and Anti 1mperialists. Judge Parker
four years) agoipolled 5,o79,0 4l votes.
running sslthe candidate Of the Demo-
Gratis alone and bitterly opposed BY
the other three parties which were for
Bry an. In other words, the two ex-
ira parties for Bryan in 1896 represent
q difference of!l ,430 ,Ol8 40 compared
with Parker, while three extra parties
represent q difference OF only 1885,
975. But Bryan received in round
numbers $50 900 fewer votes when he
was backed by four parties than when
he was the choice of three.
The powerful Hearst influence in
in New York is, of course, against
the Nebraskan, and it Is difficult to
see how any body Q reasonably
look for New York to be won from
the Republicans. With New York
lost to him, Mr.. Bryan's case appar.
ently is nopelesr. To be elected he
must carry New York, the solid south,
New Jersey and Connecticut. or other
states with an equivalent electoral
vote, and then on top of all this he
must carry Oklahoma, and this would
leave him eighteen electoral votes
short. He must carry one of the big
Middle West states-Ohio, Illinois OF
Indiana. He has not carried his owu
state since 1896. Illinois has not gone
Democratic since 1892, when Cleve.
land carried it. Ohio is certain fol-
Taft, and the Democrats have only
Indiana to hope for.
AS a matter OF fact, the solid South
Is becoming less and lees q deciding
factor. Not many years ago New York,
Indiana and the south settled the con.
test, but the apportionment OF 1900
added only twelve votes to the South
and twenty.six to the North. Now /,
takes the solid South and four large
Northern states for the Democrats to
win. Four years from now, when q
Q sPportionment is made, II will re.
quire five Northern states.