The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-11-10
TAFT'S VOTE
On Georgia Is Twelve Per Cent
Under the Average
OF REPUBLICAN VOTE

The Republican Leaders Are Badly
Disappointed--Georgia Still Solid
Iy Democratic-A Careful Analysis
of the Returns Shows Some Very
Interesting Facts.
Atlanta, Nov. 9.-The Journal,
which is staunch Democratic paper,
and one of the best newspapers in
Georgia, says the vote polled by
President-elect William H. Taft in
last Tuesdays election in Georgi t
was not the record-breaking Repub-
lican vote received by G. o. P.
candidate in the Empire State Of
the ''Solid South" although an inn
preston to this effect has been gath
cred by many people.
Mr.. Taft's vote exceeded by several
thousand the vote polled by Presi.
dent Roosevelt four years ago, it is
true, but the Republican vote in
Georgia last Tuesday was far below
the average for the nine preceding
presidential elections-from 1872 10
1904.
The average Republican vote Iii
Georgia for the period indicated was
47,123.5, so that Mr.. Taft's vote was
5,S31.5 under the average, or about
II per cent.
That the Republican vote in the
State was a disappointment to the
party leaders will be better appre
ciated when it is recalled that State
Chairman Clark Grier, of Dublin,
estimated that Mr.. Taft would re-
ceive at least 10000 votes in Geor-
gia.
He also placed Mr.. Watson's vote
at $4,000, so it appears he was
wrong in both instances. He over
estimated the Republican strength
by about 3S per cent, and the
strength Of the Republicans ally a:
nearly SO per cent.
In cpnnection with Chairman
Grier's estimate it is interesting to
note that in the county of Laurens,
where he lives, Mr.. Taft received
only 73 votes. President Roosevelt,
four years ago, pelled 800 votes in
Laurens county, and eight years ago
Mr.. Mckinley received in the same
county 395 votes.
The heavy Republican loss in
Chairman Grier's home county prob
ably accounts for his unfounded
prediction estimate as to the State
The reason was so many people
have been mislead into believing that
Taft's vote in Georgia was abnormal
for a Republican is capable 70 two
explanations, either of which is log
ical. 1t is probable that the two
together have served to deceive many
people.
In the first place, the Democratic
vote was particularly light, which
is explained by lack of interest, not
by the number of Democrats who
turned their coats. This assertion
will be more fully developed later.
In the second place, the Repu5-
lican vote in 1900 and 1904 was un-
usually small, even for Georgia. In
1900, Mr.. Mckinley received only
35,035 votes, and, in 1904 Mr..
Roosevelt's vote was only 24,003.
But in 1896 Mr.. Mckinley polled
60,091 votes against Mr.. Bryan's
94,232, and the Democratic plurality
was only 34,141.
Now consider the comparative
votes of Bryan and Taft last Tuesday.
Bryan received 1879.
Taft received 41,292.
Bryan's (the Democrats plurality
over Taft was 32,447 votes.
Thus is is observed that Bryan's
plurality in Georgia this year w.s
only 1854 votes, less than it was
when he first appeared in the arena
as leader of the Democratic forces
and this, in spite of the misrep-
reservations Of Thomas E. Watson,
and the further fact that Hearst's
party was actively in the field in
Georgia, attempting to break down
the Democratic party.
The Republicans, however, made
a decided gain in the number of
counties they carried this year. In
1900 and 1904 the Republicans car
ried IL counties. This year they
captured 27 counties.
Appling county, carried this year
by Mr.. Taft, serves to develop an
interesting point, which explains
this seeming inroad upon the Demo-
Gratis. Mr.. Taft received $50 votes
in Appling county, giving him plu-
ralty of one vote over Mr. Bryan.
In 1904 Mr.. Roosevelt polled 237
votes by Mr.. Parker, the Democratic
candidate. by plurality Of III
votes. He polled 354 votes.
In 1900 Mr.. Mckinley, in the same
county, polled 446 votes. yet Mr.
Bryan, then the candidate, had a
plurality Of 81, receiving 447 votes.
Appling county serves, then, to
strengthen the assertion that the
Democrats, for want Of interest, did
not vote. Mr.. Taft carried the coun- |