Evening journal., 1912-09-12
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Hitherto UnrepOrted Incl
dent Of the Election Of 1876
BY Holland.

At midnight on election day in 1876
the election OF Samuel ] Tiiden by
the Democratic party as President Of
the United states was conceded by
every newspaper in New York city
with a single exception. 1t was also
conceded by almost every other news
paper In the United States On the
morning after election practically the
entire press Of the country. with the
single exception of the New York
Times, conceded the election Of Gov
ernor TIden.
The New York Times claimed tho
election Of Hayes, the Republican
candidate, by majority Of one in
the electoral college That claim was
/ subsequently verified. Governor
I Hayes was declared by the Electoral
/ Commission at Washington in 1877
4 90 have received a majority OF one
! vote In the electoral college, and was
/ therefore elected.
II is a matter of common knowl-
/ edge that the chairman OF the Repub-
lican National Committee, zachariah
Chandler, at that time United States
Senator from Michigan, himself priv
ately admitted at m dnight Of cleo
ton day that Tildon had been elected.
Two hours after midnight Senator
Chandler received word from the New
York Times office that it's returns
showed that Hayes, instead OF Ttlden,
had carried three Southern States
South Carolina, Florida and Louis
II. Il ..r
States, added to the electoral vote OF
all the States Hayes was known to
have carried, would give Hayes a
Toa iority Of one in the electoral col
lege.
Senator Chandler instantly accept
ed as accurate the news he had re-
ceived from the Times Office, and he
caused a telegram to be sent to all
parts of the country to the effect that
the Republican National Committee
claimed Hayes's election.
This much IS published history. I
am able TO tell. however. a hitherto
unreported incident which explains
why Senator Chandler unhesitatingly
accepted as accurate the news he re-
ceived from the New York Times.
In the presidential campaign OF
1872 General Grant was the candidate
OF, the Republicans for reelection and
Horace Greeley was the candidate Of
both the Democracy and the Liberal
Republican party. In that year North
Carolina held a State election on the
first day OF August. Political leaders
all over the country we're convinced
that the North Carolina State election
would furnish an accurate forecast
Of the result Of the presidential cleo
tion in November
The first returns from North Caro-
lima on election night indicated that
the State had cone Democratic. There
was general rejoicing in all PARTS OF
the country by Liberal Republicans
and Democrats on account of this re-
suit However, one newspaper IN
New York reported that North Caro-
Ina had not gone Democratic. but in
stead had returned Republican
triumph. That newspaper was the
New York Times. then in the control
Of the late George, Jones who. with
Henry G RAYMOND. had established
the paper. Two or three days after
the election in North Carolina semi
official returns showed that the New
York Times was right.
The accuracy with which The
1 Times had collected this news mao
greatly imnressed Zachar'ah Chand-
Ter. Therefore. when. on election
night, 1876 word was brought to him
from the New York Times o@ce that
/ It's own private returns showed thai
Hayes had carried South Carolina
Florida and J ouis'ana. Senator
Chandler said: THE Times was righi
about North Carolina in 1872; ii I
was right then 1t is sure to be right
now, and J. am going to accent this
Information as accurate ard send GU
the announcement that the Republic
ans won the national election yester
day"
Copyright. 1912. by E. J. Edwards
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell o
The Preconventon Work That De