The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-10-14
Missouri Old-TimerS Fear
Bryan Will Have Serious
Setback.
WOULD BE SAD
FOR LOYAL ONES
Wheel Horses of Show Me" Days
and New Element Are to
Clash at Polls.
MISSOURI LETTER, No. I.
By TOHN SNURE.

/ lank visitor from Kansas. who had mi
! grated from Missouri in his younger
. Iays. dropped into a St. Joseph news
/ paper Office the other day md said he
/ had kick. II pertained 20 rebaJing by
! a railroad and he said ne wanted to
l tell the editor Of the Democratic news
paper about it. He was informed that
| there wasn't a Democratic daily in all
F. St Joseph. the papers being either Re-
publican or independent
/ Great suns. mister, amt there
+ Democratic paper here? WHats old
/ NizzCury comm tor he turned sadly
and went down the street mUrmuring
ard muttering: My God, what's old
/ Mizzoury comm top
/ That's the way tens Of thousands Of
/ Missouri Democrats felt four years ago.
/ the morning after election, when they
( read the returns and saw President
( Roosevelt had carried the ate. Ever
since. they have been determined 20
F.! wipe OF what they deemed the stain
OF Republicauism from the States es-
I cutcheon. They are working hard at
The job this fall and making the effort
I Of their lives 10 carry the State for
| Bryan. The chances are they viii sue
coed, but the situation is not looked on
by the Republicans as hopeless Most
OF them feel that the prospects for
Bryan TO get the electoral vote are bet
ter than TafUs, but they believe they
have q reasonable lighting chance OF
once more giving Missouri's electoral
strength 20 a Republican candidate.
and If work and organization will do 1t
they do not purpose to omit any oppor-
tunity.
Democrats Are Rooted.
In trying to capture Missouri from
Bryan. the Republicans are working
against heavy odds. in the first place,
missouri is normally Democratic and IN
1.-The second place, Bryan IS popular with
he great bulk OF Missouri Demo rats.
In 1896. Bryan carried the Slate by 9N.i-',
and in 1903 by $3.50 In 1904, President
Roosevelt captured the state from Par
ker BY a plurality Of 1851 President
Roosevelt got the electoral vote Of Mis-
souri. however. net by reason Of an IN
creased Republican vote. but because
CT a decline in the Democratic vote
i Cornpared with 1900. The democratic vote
for Prssldcn. IN 1901 fen OF over $500
votes. while The vote for Roosevelt IN
lIeo4 was less than $500 larger than the
vote for Mckinley N 300 Parker was
not we'll liked by Missouri Democrats
land thousands o. them simply stayed
|a.vav from the polls or cast no vote FOR
lhe head OF the ticket This year, the
/ Democrats calculate their forces are
well united. and that the Democrats
yEbn STAYED at home four years ago
will enable Bryan to carry the state
! Republican State Chairman aIJeF =
itcl1ie talks in most confident lasAlnu
OF the Missouri situation ana says inc
PepubIicans are going 10 carry tee
state Tor Taft NJ. Diclic is enthus-
lastiC. and is an effective Organizer ne
Is devOting every possible energy 70 me
c,.r1Daier and is no doubt Going all
itlat can he done 20 put the State In the
Republican column
Republican Orators Engaged.
i, A strong list Of Republican speakers
has. nbeen secured by Nj Dickie. among
them Governor Hughes. Of New York.
and Governor Cummins, Of Iowa MI
Taft himself has been through the
state and was accorded hattering re-
eeutions. Republicans more corserva-
/. live than Mr.. Dickie say the stat viii
rraBablv 20 for Bryan by plurality
considerably below ~ o',-lneh oy we
Peerless Leader n lSH6 and 1903. From
Is nl4 10 20.CJ1 is the estimate made on
Frvan's plurality 10y some well-adVisec
Rau-1FIiCans who have talked about the
situation. Democrats. especially N ?
more sauEGinc ones, are talking OF a
Bryan plurality Of 5000 to oo.coe IN the
state.
that Missouri is drifting away from
her Democrats moorlnES- Nj BTyaI'
viii apparently set the state. but Mis-
. souri, las ceased longer TO be the re-
liable Gibraltar Of Democracy That 1t
, Tbe causes for this pre- various. One
OF the most potent Otsfhcm is that Ms
+ souri, IS becoming developed and pros
n, r.us state. with a constant influx o.
s ton
/ Nany Republicans have dTifted into
, Missouri from the States to the North
. IN recent years. Iley nave bouSnl
farms and their influence has reached
into counties that IN years sone by
have been the very fountainheads Of
Jackzouiau Democracy
; Missouri IS coming 20 bs great farm
.-n4s state. and her farmers are pros
tnerous They have less reason t. fee
discontinued with political conditions
/ than formerly, ana the effect rs u
, sr.g-Et hCn the ..epunlc"n parry. uF-
z ither tNrn tnis. Missouri used L. be ne
elected ny the Republican national COM
The state was looased on as firmly
Z Democratic. and it cas- considered a
, waste OF money 10 try ~ Cap-i1Te it, Ii
was not .ltU four. years ago thSs the
ifuU possibilities Of what could he done
, ! IL the way of turning MtssoGTl nUt So;
< fFf. Democratic path were realized. TX
Secretary % the Treasury l. ". SnaN
Twas one OF ne fr5t 20 counsel the p
IDggllC2US 10 90 .dT4 W4sN IN 1I-SSOltl.
NowaGays. nothing that can De accom-.
I ul:shed i'm the way OF orr aniZation and
! / speakers Is neglected
| Bryan Strength Slipped
s. 1t is noticeable hat Bryan was 1895
| votes weaker i'm Missouri, in 1900. THAI
| Inc uas in 1896. while Mckinley in th5
| same time gained ..1oGt lo,Ge) votes
/ This would indicate some tendency foi
| / Brvan'S strength 10 decline here Dem
ocrats answer this d. saying that lb'
| / Democratic party this YEAR is mop
/ united for Iryan than it was IN 1856 u
| in 1904
Il II j. eruc. however. that n st. Louis
: in this City and IG Kansas city. -
: three chief cities Of the state. many
( I Democratic business .aef can be found
( who are opposed 70 Bryan, and vhC
( will support Taft. Here IN St. Joseph
( | Taft undoubtedly, has the support Of
( I1he great bulk Of the business elemen
{ When Taft was here, he was introduced
\ by Col. John Donovan, the general man
{ lcer of the 81 Joseph stock Yards
{ COMPANY Colonel Donovan is a Demo
: crat out VIII vote YOr Taft. ana viii
) have plenty Of company, from among
) other Democrats IN business circles. 81
} Louis aRd Kansas City conditions arc