The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-16
ELECTION NEWS BY WIRELESS
OLDER GENERATIONS WAITED WEEKS BEFORE THEY KNEW
RESULTS OF THE BALLOTS.

n he dropped Out when the final
decision fell to the house Of represent
tatives? Owing to the wide diversity
OF election days. about a month clap
sed before it was known that Louis
lana. which had been expected to vote
for Clay. had split between Jackson
and Adams. thus throwing Clay ON;
OF the race. In this instance. as q
vice president had been chosen az
ready. and nothing remained but q.
me house TO choose a president, tn,
decisive vote was cast for Adams on
February 9. hut it was the 18th. or
a scant fortnight before the inaugura-
ton. before some of the pretty-well-
settled neighborhoods learned what
mad beer done in congress.
-Four years later. although the popu-
larlty OF jackson had developed in
the meanwhile had made his election
almost q foregone conclusion. 1t wa.
had been closed before Niles Regis
ter. then regarded in the political
world as an %authorit., ventured j
guess tina the result Of the election
would probably" be l7s electorai
votes for jackson. 1t was still tc,.
DAYS later that Jackson wrote a. lette;
dlellning a tribute which 1t had beer
to pay him in one of the
cities through which he was invited
10 pass on his from the Hermitage
TO Washington. because of the uncer.
talntE OF the result even at thai date:
adding that. by the time the truth
eould be definitely ascertaned. it would
os Necessary for him to take the most
the capital by March 4.
AS lately as 1874, railroadine Was
sun IN its infancy in the United States.
and the only telegraph line was III.
governmental one from Washington To-
baitimore h steamboat had mean.
"nlle becom a well-recognized means
OF transportation. and had reduced {.
some extent the difficulties and de-
Not till 1s4s occurred the 7rst re-,
%utiilzation Of the telegraph in an.
nouncing the outcome of the pres
Dental contest. and the National ~
I!~eiilsencer. an influential politica
journal Of Washington. was able =,
collect returns from enough importat,
four hours of the closing Of the nnils
that Taylor had undoubtedly been
elected. This was partl. a clav.,
guess, OF course, warranted BY learn.
ing that certain nonslavc states in
when violent opposition had been
i9oked for had gone for him, for this
nom indicated the drift. II
was, nevertheless, hailed as q
ful feat Of journalism.
MOI a little OF the credit for it was
aHe 70 the fact that. three years be-
fore, congress had passed an act MAX.
ing tne cate for presidential elections
UNIFORM throughout the ~country--the
nrst tuesday after the first Monday
Noyem pHem0er' It fell that year on
tnal figures, from five states Of Some
consequence could not be nnh,ishaS
WI November IS, while as late AZ ne.
eemoer 2 the Intelligencer could give
only an approximate estimate NJ Tho
electorai strength OF the respective
candidates. p1''Ne
In 1882 Pierce's victory over sco..
was positively known within fortvt
cignt hours after the closing Of the
polls, but this was because enough h;e
states within easy Geographic reach
OF the news centers had declared for
Fierce to make evident the landslide
"nlch later was shown t have taken
place. IT was on that occasion that
the Geographic bulletin board M.
,lrst brought into play. II cut no
large figure then. but was received
with such acclaim as to make g..
of time. 'oeo''oh
In New York it is within the reco,.
r.,on o. some OF the younger gen.
eration or voters when the division ~
partisan sentiment between Manhattan
island and the rest OF the state ,,sod
10 be so marked that it was the com.
mon saying that S%o-and-So could win
II he could come down to HarIem
Bridge" with such-and-such a ma.
Jori,y; But at a considerably earlier
period the bridge which held so fate.
fnl a place was further up the state.
Sel"een 1881 and 1870 New York
mao 1orty-two electoral votes, and
hence exercised an enormous influence
IN a contest for the presidency.
IN inc days when Jackson and Van
3 !; We're mos conspicuous in pub
nc affairs New York city and the east.
ern counties could usually be reck-
dmGd on to support them or the can
didates known to represent them. On
the other hand. the western counties
We're ~anti-Jackson stronsholds. and or
them the opposition depended to roll
up ma5orities large enough to over.
come those of the east. Out Of the
situation grew the phrase. wait for
me news from Cayuga Bridge!' be-
cause 1t was over this bridge that the
news from the western counties must