The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-28
Increase in Electoral College

Still another element will enter into the
election OF 1912, and that is the increase
In the votes in the electoral college. The
census returns of 1910 have added 40 ad
ditional votes to the college and the figure
that these additional votes will cut In the
final result will depend upon how the
states who get the increase will go.
The total popular vote for all candidates
for the presidency in 1908 was 1883, Az,
which was 100000 more with some to
spare than the vote of 1904. when Roose-
Welt was a candidate. One would nat
urally conclude that this was due to the
steady increase In population during
the period of four years intervening the
elections, but this theory receives rath-
err a rude jar when you compare the
popular vote of 1900 with the popular
vote of 1904. In 1900 the popular vote
for all candidates for the presidency
was 13,961.566, and four years later In
1904 the popular vote was 13.52S,o79.
difference of over four hundred thou
sand votes in favor Of the year 1900.
According to the census returns the
United States has voters to the extent
of 28,440,000 of legal age and who are
entitled to cast their ballots, provided,
of course, they comply with the election
laws of their several states. OF course
many of these are disfranchised under
and many from lack of interest or other
reasons do not vote. This being a year
of unusual political interest and actiyf-
ty IL may safely be assumed that the
vote will be larger than ever before In
the history of the country. and VIII
probably reach the enormous total OF
sixteen and one million votes, or more
Bryan States in 1908
In 1908 Mr.. Bryan carried the follow
ing states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colo
RADIO, Florida Georgia. Kentucky.
Louisiana, Maryland Mississippi, Ne
braska. Nevada, South Carolina, North
Carolina Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas.
and Virginia. with a total of 1872 cleo
oral votes. In the case of Maryland
Bryan received six of the eight cleo
toral votes of this state. 1t developing
upon the count that Charles Bonaparte
one of the republican electors and some
other republican elector received more
votes than the two lowest or the DEM
ocratic electors. and therefore Taft got
two Of the electoral votes of the state
Assuming that there can Re no question
but what these states that went demo-
cratic in 1908 will GO democratic again in
1872 and counting the increase in the
electoral college that these states are
entitled to, and assuming that we get all
Of Maryland's vote. we will have l73 cleo
toral votes from these sure democratic
states. and we will need only SO more to
win the election. Where are we to get
them? And in what states will the bull
moose be most effective, and consequently
of greater aid to the democrats In secur-
ing these.necessary 90 votes?
New York alone can furnish almost half
of the necessary number. In the election
OF 1903 Taft received plurality over
Bryan of 202.602 in New York This was
out of a total vote OF $50 for all can
didates Giving New York the same in
crease in popular vote that she gets in the
electoral college under the new apportion-
ment, her vote In 1912 will go over 1000
Oo0 Under the census rettirns the state
of New York has over 3.o00.000 voters.
Now, out OF total vote Of 100000 and