The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-10-06
MINNESOTA DEMOCRATS
HAVE BUT LITTLE HOPE
That States Eleven Electoral Votes VIII Line Up in Re-
publican Column Is Generally Admitted
antee Plank Is Popular Issue
MINNESOTA NO. by JOHN SNURE.

MINNESOTA NO.
ST. PAUL, MINI. Oct minnesota.
with its eleven electoral votes. will be
found in the Taft column the morning
after election day. Should it be other
wise, the most surprised people IA the
country would be the Minnesota Demo
Gratis themselves. They have no real
hope of carrying the State for Bryan
and they admit it. when not talking for
publication. A few Of the ultra enthu-
siastic Bryan men go about predicting
that the waves of Democracy Will -olI
over this Commonwealth November 8,
but the most sagacious politicians
among the Bryan supporters do not
even predict that Taft will lose the
State.
With the Republicans expectant Of
carrying the State by a substantial plu-
raIity and the Democrats, for the most
part, conceding that Bryan cannot
carry ii, il is clear that Minnesota can
not be classified as doubtful tt is looked
OE now by both sides as Republican so
far as Taft and Sherman are concerned.
Curiously enough, most folks regard
it as a foregoing conclus' that the
present Democratic govern .. John a.
johnson. will be reelected. and that IL
all likelihood by "a substantial plurality
The same men. Republicans and Demo
Gratis, who say the state is Tor Taft
will tell one that 1t is also for john
son. Persons Of all shades of political
belief IN this neck o. the woods have
the most wholesome respect for this son
OF a poor washerwOman. who has de-
veloped a most amazing capacity for
getting votes, and who carried the State
by C.252 plurality, the same year that
Roosevelt swept 1t by the enormous
figure of i5l, 464 In 1906 Johnson carried
the state by 1858. although the Repub-
lican state ticket generally was elected
by about 50. 900.
Pendulum Swing.
In Minnesota. as I'm many other States,
there IS a shifting back from the vast
pluraUties obtained by Roosevelt TO
something like normal figures. II =
| this shifting OF votes that has led some
to believe they discerned a Bryan drift
of such proportions as 10 make Mime
| sofa doubtful Moreover, some have
thought that the wonderful popularity
Of johnson. d Swede by percentage. with
powerful support among the Scandi-
navian voters, might make il possible
| for the Democrats 20 get the electoral
/ vote Here, on the ground, il Is not
: possible to discern the symptoms Of a
/ change of such proportions as jeOpar-
{ die TafJs chances Of carrying il. In
/ 1896. Mckinley carried Minnesota 10y
53 OOO and I'm 1900 by 1000. The Roose-
+ Welt plurality. as already noted was
This year Judge Taft will carry tns
State according TO estimates OF reliable
/ men of both parties, by from 10000 "a
$1,000 This seems heavy falling on
/ from the Roosevelt plurality. but, on
! the other hand. there are various causes
1T work. the tendency of which al inns
l time is TO detract from the Republican
vote and to increase the vote for Bryan
I These causes We're summed up today
by one OF the best informed and m0S'
reliable politicians Of the state as FOL
/ lows First. the guarantee OF bank De
pOSits. which Is strongly iudOrSed 10y
! the masses in Minnesota. second. dis
satisfaction with the Republican plat
] form in a number or parlcuiIr,s, l.lIt I,
/ the strong tariff revision sentiment IN
I the State, and the belief amOnk many
| advocates Of revision that tho RcpuD'
/ liCau leaders do not propose genuine
/ tariff reduction.
La Toilette a Factor.
/ In order 20 understand the sentiments
| of a good many Minnesota Republicans
il must be remembered tina: Senator l.
/ Toilette Of Wisconsin has a powerful
| following here. Many think he would
/ have had the Minnesota delegation q
! the Chicago convention, had not tho
| strong loyalty 10 the Administration
and the active efforts Of the President
impelled support 10 Taft. At any rate
many Minnesota Republicans were sore
and disgruntled when they heard from
! Chicago about the abrupt turning dOwT
Of the Wisconsin planks. and many OF
them will not forget their soreness by
| election day. Republicans Of this sort
who would be listed with the haltbreed:
if they lived over in Wisconsin, locH
favor than they do on the one adopted
at Chicago A new name has become
current for those who call themselve.
p Republicans. but Vet stand ready &C
vote for Bryan. because Of their dislike
{ Of the Chicago platform They are
called Bryan Republicans a Bryan Re
! publican club. so-called. has been organ
+ lied among the students OF the state
/ university at Minneapolis. II number;
! several hundred members This organi
ZlIiOu is composed of young men who
are GcVOtces Of la FOLetteism. They
will not vOt,, for Johnson and they say
they are Republicans. but they are
! going TO vote for Bryan in this cam
paign
/ No doubt Senator La Toilette could
. change some Of the voters Of this type
and get them to support Taft if D.,
should stump the State. But there i
little reason to suppose he will be able
10 spend enough time in Minnesota Il
appeal effectively TO anything like al
OF them. Il IS possible such speeche
as he viii make in Wisconsin, urEin;
his followers TO fight for reform with
in the party, viii have large effec
here
Guarantee Plank Popular.
The indications are that the issue o
Government guarantee of bank deposit
will cost the Republicans a good man
votes I'm Minnesota. That the idea g
popular here may be judged by the fac
that Senator Rnute Nelson last white
introduced an amendment to the Aidricl
currency bill for the Government guar
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