Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-12-05
TILE ELECrIoN FIGURES.

Three weeks aLLor INC VObine w
have for the first time something
like a satisfactory tabulation OF the
figures of the national election. That
40 many of the figures even now
are unofficial, and that in some I'M
portant instances information Is so
deficient that the Associated Press
tabulation wholly omits considerable
parts Of states for all candidates,
ana some Of the figures for whole
states as to the minor candidates,
furnishes ground for some serious
reflections. Among other things, II
tends strongly to confirm the con-
yiction that, whatever its faults, the
existing method Of electing the pres
by the solid votes
of the respective states has enor-
nous advantage over any other
method 30 far as regards the avoid
ance of dangerously disputed cleo
lions. In q close presidential cleo
ton, II every state whose returns
were in doubt were of importance
for the result, an almost intolerable
situation would be created; under
the existing situation, even in close
election, 1t is at most only very
few states whose returns have to
be watched with anxiety.
The total vote of the country, as
nearly as can be estimated from
the figures before us, will prove to
have been about 14,6OO,OOO, as
against 14,90O,OOO -FOUR years ago.
IA falling off of more than 100000
votes took place between 1900 and
1904. but to do justice to the facts
this year it ought to be noted that
in California and Washington wo-
men have had votes for the first
time, and that consequently the to-
tai vote of these two states has been
increased by more than 100000. II
allowance be made for this fact, the
true falling off in the present vote
has been zoe, OCO; and this in spite,
of course, of a large increase in pop
ulation. Roughly speaking, the
Democratic party lost 100000 votes;
the Republican party and Progress
sive parties jointly polIed 100000
less than did the undivided Repub-
lfcan party four years ago; and the
Socialist party gained about 100000
votes, nearly doubly its total of four
years ago. It should be noted, how
ever, that something like $4,000 of
these 100000 Socialist votes gained
must be ascribed to the new women
voters of California and Washington.
AS a matter of percentage, the DEM
ocrats share of the aggregate vote
cast for the leading candidates was
Just a shade higher this year than
in 1908; Bryan polled as per cent
of the Bryan and Taft vote four
years ago, and Wilson polled ASA
per cent OF the Bryan, Taft and
Roosevelt vote this year.
Mr.. Roosevelt's vote surpassed
that of Mr.. Taft by the handsome
of $4,000: but there is
prevalent probably very erroneous
as to the universally of
the Colonel's ascendency over the
president. In no less than nineteen
of the forty-eight states Taft beat
Roosevelt in popular vote; and these
are by no means rotten borroughs,"
the list of them being Arkansas,
Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Ken
lucky, Massachusetts, Missouri, New
Hampshire, New Mexico, New York,
Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee,
Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Wis
consin and Wyoming. In some of
the most significant of these states,
too, Taft's plurality over Roosevelt
was very great, and in hardly any
Of them was the vote at all close as
between the two men. New York
gave Taft a lead OF 10000, Ohio
$4,000, the little state Of Connecti-
cut $4,000. Taft's vote there being
a trifle more than double that of
Roosevelt. It may be further noted
that Mr.. Roosevelt's total lead over
Taft more than half comes from the
twbl'states Of Pennsylvania and nli-
nois---k10. 900 from Pennsylvania
dndssliifS 900 from Illinois. Thus,
while the achievement Of Mr.. Roose-
I9elt and hls newly created party
Ias certi "a extraorainary pho-