The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-10-25
WALTER WELLMAN DECLARES
TAFT HAS A BETTER CHANCE
FOR VICTORY THAN BRYAN

Mr.. Bryan himself is said 10 be the
only prominent Democrat who believes
Iowa is coming over this year. FROM
first TO last SIR. Bryan has mann
tanned that Iowa would be with nm.
this time and nothing seems to snake
his faith The prevailing opinion, !
find among both Republicans ana
Democrats at the two headquarters Is
that Iowa will remain in the Repuo-
lican column but that the plurality
may drop below that indicated by inc
Record Herald poll, possibly to 2O,oOV
or $4,000. This is pretty small COM
pared with four years ago, but the Re-
publicans say ii does not matter. so
long as the margin Is on the right side.
In fact. there is no disguise among
the Republicans in their frank mo-
ments that they are in for some
dreadful losses Of pluralities through
out this whole western country. Their
own reports, as well as those of the
opposition and the newspaper polls,
show a high percentage of loss from
the Roosevelt vote 10 Bryan i'll almost
every state. The Republicans confess
that so far as pluraiities are con-
cerned the figures are coming down to
the 1883 basis. But if one moves to
amend that and say that it looks
more like 1892 they instantly resent
the insinuation. No waiter what the
Republican leaders may say for publ
cation, / happen TO know they are well
aware of the closeness of the vote in
many states. For example, they talk
of 100000 for Taft in Illinois. Their
actual expectation is less than half of
this. They talk of 100, 600 in Wiscon-
sin, but they really look for about
40, G0G Iowa they regard as perfectly
safe, but they are not Boosting of the
size of the plurality. Kansas they adj
nit is close, probably not more than
10, 600, which is too close for comfort.
Nebraska is so uncertain that the Re
publicans who talk sense and drop
rainbow chasing say they will be con-
tent if they squeeze through with any
thing 10 the good. In the mountain
states losses of electoral votes COM
pared with four years ago are ex-
pected. Colorado is uncertain Wyom-
| ing is admittedly doubtful. with Taft
having the best of it under the able
| leadership of Senator Warren. Mon
| tana is probably for Bryan. although
Senator Garter reports that he has
| fighting chance and could surely win
out if virtually all of the labor vote
/ in Butte had not gone pell nell TO
! Bryan. Carter says he can lose Butte
by 5000 and still save the state by
$500. but ether Republicans are not so
]
I Butte and surrounding region are
pretty solid for Bryan, the Repub-
licans have named for governor a man
very popular among the miners, Ed
| Donlan. and that helps some The
! general expectation is that Donlan is
the only Republican on the ticket who
will carry the state.
Utah is Republican and Idaho also
/ by reduced but safe pluralities. Neva-
/ EuI, HI nc
say. as Hearst has gone in there with
his ticket, splitting up the Democratic
vote and leaving a chance for the Taft
electors to squeeze out a bare plu-
rality. All these are inside facts at
the Republican headquarters from
confidential reports.
1t is on the Pacific coast that the
Taft cause is in best shape. At one
time the Republicans had fears the
Bryan wave might run strong out
there. but their latest information,
ready to lay before Chairman Hitch
cock tomorrow, is that California is
absolutely safe by 10000, Oregon by
20 900. and Washington by very large
plurality, so large that not another
moments concern need be given that
state One of the interesting items
in the confidential reports of the Re
publicans is that Jasobsen is going to
beat Governor Johnson in Minnesota
In summarizing the best obtainable
information as to the region west OF
Chicago we find also everywhere re-
duced plurallties, but small losses
either actua; or threatened. on the
electoral vote. Compared with foul
years ago. Bryan will probably wiz
Colorado. Nevada and Montana, a TO-
tai of eleven votes. He may win the
eight votes of his own state and pos
sibiy, but not probably. the three OF
Wyoming. The Republican scare of Z
month ago about the west has disap
peared