The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-10-31
Incidents and Opinions
 Throwing Light on
 The National Contest

 for Bryan by a margin so large as to slide. If the State had voted thres. weeks ago 1t would surely have gone Tor Bryan. During the last fortnight made some gains, and they now feel much more. hopeful without being at The Democrats, on the other hand, feel sure they are to win, both on the Presidency and Governorship. There are so many uncertain elements at work that as a matter of fact no one the indications are as given above. The most probable outcome is a close elec- tion, something like that in 1899, when the Republicans saved all but one cleo tor by ,asplurallty of thousand votes.
 On tho other hand, certain factors which cannot be accurately measHeed pears upon the surface and throw the state to the Democrats by 30. 019 or Z0,- 900. The more optimistic Republicans, % recent years ea talk H of 75 S ooo to seNa iooooo for Taft, and even more for Harris. But a critical, non-partisan examina- tio nof the cinditions does not fad the ground for any such forecast. The plain. blunt truth Is that the Republi- cans are putting up q hard, driving fight against odds. They may win out sources and organization. And that Is the most hopeful view from their standpoint the facts warrant.
 A Campaign of Endurance. New York World.
 The closing week of the campaiRn sees both candidates for the Presidency eeolrtiHg e coiiapse In a senseless com
 Both Mir. Bryan and MT. Taft are strong men physically and mentally. though in such test of endurance long practice of public speaking give him the advantage. But the contest proves nothing. It is undignifed. dam speed laws from hall to hail, speak Ing scant i've minutes at each, is not campaigning. It Is not argument. It IS not discussion of the issues. The most momentous political debate in the history. of the country, that be- tween Lincoln and Douglas in Illinois in 1859, occupied the attention of the yet In nearly two months comparattve- ly few speeches were delivered. At every meeting each speaker occupied had time to marshal his facts, consider his points. consult his party associates. arrange his ideas. The speeches were well reported in the press and were day.
 had if instead of this orderly exercise of their intellects they had been bumped about in special trains walked at alf hours to make rear-platform speeches. imperiiled in speeding auto mobiles. pushed at the apex of flying wedges through crowds of curious aen- sation hunters and kept until 3 8. m. to make "all-night speechmaking re- cords7"
 There is no excuse fin these days of cheap mails, many newspapers and universal telegraph systems for drag ging candidates about to show them half dead or alive to the greatest pos sible number of persons in the least possible time.
 New York For Bryan. New York Herald.
 William J. Corners, chairman of the Democratic State Committee, gave out the following statement at the Kniek- erbocker Hotel last night:
 'T am thoroughly confident that Bryan and Chanler will carry the State day win come next Tuesday. My con hdenee is based on a complete can- yass of the State and on detailed re- every Democratic State committee 7 man. county chairman and prQmineHt> party leaders. These reports show practically solid for both the national and the State tickets.
 We will more than hold our own among the business men; and all sigrs ITS vote in the rural communities. l am in of estimates from every county in the State. based upon ex- fsting conditions, and thoroughly be- lieve that the Republican national ticket will have less than S9,000 plu- rality outside of Greater New York. and the Republican State ticket less than 67,000.
 "Bryan's plurality in the State will be more than 10000, and Chambers not less than 100, 900. These figures are Lieutenant Governor Chanler has made a strenuous and winning campaign. Mir. Bryan's visit to the State of New York has been productive of immense good to the party. He has made profound tm- pression. and we are many thousand votes stronger than when he began his tour of the state on last Satur- day.