The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-09-12
VERMONT GIVES THE ALARM!

An analysis of the returns OF the
Vermont election brings little COM
fort to the republicans who are IN
trepid enough to apply them TO
states more important and less re-
publican than Vermont.
Although the total vote cast IN
Tuesdays balloting in Vermont was
more than 30 per cent greater than
it was in the presidential election OF
1908, the republican vote showed a
decline of SO per cent, while the
democratic total climbed up to 70
per cent.
This is an alarming contrast. NO
platitudes from Messrs. Hilles ana
Mulvane can gain say it.
And while the republican decline
can largely be ascribed to the Bull
Moose activities, the fact that the
democratic vote showed such an in
crease, despite Mr.. Roosevelt, seems
to indicate that the dem ocrats, too,
cut far into the republican strength.
Except for their inroads on the re-
publican totals the Roosevelt forces
have little ground for rejoicing in
the showing they made.
But the Wilson people can point
WIFI pIlQe W Nel lllOll, duo Oil op
plication of the Vermont percentage
to other states gives gloomy forebod-
ings of Mr.. Taft's prospects in Nov
ember.
The decrease of So per cent in the
republican vote, if applied to New
York, for instance, would turn
Taft's majority of 100000 over
Bryan in 1908 into Wilson major
ity of $1,000 over Taft in 1912. And
could Wilson add IS per cent to the
New York democratic vote-the Yer
mont percentage-his majority over
Taft in the Empire state would run
far beyond the 100000 mark,
though this, of course, is preposter-
Gus.
In Ohio a SO per cent decline in
the Taft figures of 1908 would turn
the Taft majority of 10000 for that
year into a Wilson majority Of 121,-
900, even if Wilson merely dupll-
4 Gated the Bryan figures of 1908.
In Indiana such decline would
turn the Taft majority of 10000 into
a Wilson majority Of 10000, even
though Wilson polled only the Bryan
total.
The same computation would give
New Jersey to Wilson by majority
of about 5000 instead Of the $4,000
majority which Taft had in 1908 and
which Wilson turned into Wilson
majority of $4,000 two years ago.
In Illinois a detection of 33 per
cent of the republican vote-even
though the democratic vote were
kept at a standstill-would convert
the Taft majority of 10000 into a
Wilson majority of 10000.
If the democrats of the nation
could maintain the enormous per-
centage of increase shown in Yer
mont, and the republicans suffered
everywhere the percentage of loss
they suffered there, Wilson would
have the unanimous vote OF the cleo
toral college for president of the
United State-except for the four
votes of Vermont.
Even the famous Taft majority OF
almost 100000 in Pennsylvania in
1908 would be turned into a 273,-
900 majority for Wilson.
Comparison with the figures OF
1910 is even more menacing to the
republican hopes, because in that
year the democrats swept the state
elections of New York, New Jersey,
Ohio and Indiana, to say nothing
of such New England states as Mas
sachusetts, Connecticut and Maine.
Here is cause for alarm at Taft
headquarters. In other words:
The Vermont election shows that
unless Messrs. Hifles and Mulvane
bestir themselves at once, cease talk
ing incompetent nonsense about
quiet and "dignified' politics and
begin Immediately a real republican
campaign they are likely to find
themselves ten week hence not only
politically defeated but politically
dlsgraced.-Chicago Inter-O n
(Rep.)