Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-04
Mr.. rRrAn AND rEK YORK.

MN bhIdN AM NhH Aehh
The claims of over-enthuslastic dem
ocrats that Mr.. Bryan can be elected
without New York is not easily econ
ciled to existing political conditions of
the country. II is true that It would be
a fine feather in Mr.. Bryan's cap If he
could be elected without aid from the
enemy's country" but there are some
stubborn facts that loom largely in the
path as obstacles to the consummation
OF such hopes.
The total vote in the electoral col
lege is 476, OF which 239 are neces-
sary to a choice. The problem Is for
Mr.. Bryan to find 2S9 electoral votes
within his reach outside New York.
He can accomplish it only with the en-
tire vote OF the southern and western
states. For electoral vote purposes,
let the states be classified thus;
Eastern StatesLConnecticut, Z; Delaware,
8; Maine, 6; Maryland, s; Massachusetts,
ls; New Hampshire, 4; New Jersey, y;
New York, 30; Ohio, %; Pennsylvania, "a;
Rhode Island. 4; Vermont. 4; total, $50.
Southern States-Alabama, IL; Arkansas,
8; Florida, s; Georgia, 1S; Kentucky, 10;
Louisiana. 9; Mississippi. 10; North Caro-
lima, II; South Carolina, 8; Tennessee. u;
Texas, IS; Virginia, u; West Virginia, Il
total, 40.
Western states-Colorado, 5; Idaho. 3;
Illinois. q: Indiana, 10; Iowa. 10; Kansas,
10: Michigan, "A; Minnesota, IL; Missouri
IS; Montana, 3; Nebraska, s; Nevada 8
49, - H. nAN WNzNA. a.. TTNaN
3; Wisconsin. 10; Wyoming. 8; total, 157.
Pacific Coast States-Callfornia, 10; Ore
gon, q; Washington, 8; total, 10.
Conceding Mr.. Bryan the solid
south, which is by no mean assured
to him this year, he would start with
14O votes to his credit, or SO short
Of the number necessary to an election
His friends admit that these votes
must have from the west. OF the
states designated as western and
Pacific coast" Mr.. Bryan in 1896 car
ried Colorado, 4; Idaho, 3; Missouri
II; Montana, 3; Kansas, 10; Nebraska
8; Nevada, 8; South Dakota, a; Utah
8; Washington, 4; Wyoming. 8, and
enc electoral vote in California
total, SO.
In 1900 all of these states slipped
away from Mr.. Bryan except Colorado
4; Idaho, 8; Montana, 8; Nevada, 3
and Missouri, II; total so. In 100
these four states vent into the repub
lican column, leaving the democratic
party, under the Parker leadership
without a vote in the electoral colleg,
from a state north of Mason ant
Dixon's line. Mr.. Bryan received 15I
electoral votes in 1900, of which bu
80 came from the states to which b
must. look this year for SO votes, ii
order to win the election without New
York. =
Allowing Mr.. Bryan the lao votes o
the solid south and adding the vote
of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah
Nebraska, Nevada, South Dakota an
Missouri, a total of AZ, he would hav
1877 votes, or So short Of a majorit
in the electoral college. Wisconsi'
and indiana are both republican, bu
the democrats profess to believe tina
factional fights in Wisconsin an
Kern's strength in Indiana will plac
both in the democratic column. Max
ing that change for the sake of argu
ment, Mr.. Bryan would gain 10 vote
in Indiana and 10 in Wisconsin, a tots
of 2S, which, added to his 1872, woul
give him 21O, or still 20 short of tn
required number. Giving Ohio I
Bryan. he would have 2S3 votes, Q
still 6 short, and even II Delawar
were thrown in for good measure, b
would lack 2 to give him a majorit!
/ AS a matter of fact, Bryan has on
the slightest chance of carrying II
diana, Wisconsin, Colorado, Utal
, Montana or Nebraska, while he is nj
2 sure of holding Missouri, Kentuck,
North Carolina and Tennessee. M
Hearst has made it practically imposs
: BILE for him to carry New York, an
9 without New York his chance of bein
elected is mighty slim.