The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-11-06
aefclAL PAPER Of cnoUrEAU COUNTY
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 6, 1919.
THE VOTE or MONTANA.

The registration of voters In the
several counties indicates that The
Montana vote this year will be nearly
l00, 900, compared with the total vote
OF about IS, 100 two years ago. There
ore liz. 1872 registered voters in Mon
tsns, but 1t usually happens that quite
. percentage of the qualified electors
fail to 20 to the polls.
In the congressional election OF two
years ago, Charles N. PRAY, republi.
can, received q vote of $3.50; Charles
Hartman, democrat, 2S,07l; Mr..
Msbie, socialist, l5,1S4-s republican
plurality Of 4,448.
In the presidential election of four
years ago, the Montana vote was 3d..
375 for Taft electors, and 29,431 for
Bryan electors-s republican margin
Of 2.944. At the ssme election, Con.
gresham Pray received a vote of
32,603, while his democratic opponent,
Mr.. Long, scored 29,024.
During the twenty-three years that
Montana has enjoyed the privileges
Of statehood, there have been six cleo.
tions Of which q governor Vas chosen,
and on I've occasions the democratic
nominee was successful o. the polls.
Some Of these elections took place
under exceptional circumstances, but
the record is regarded by political
prophets % . reason for classifying
Montana % . doubtful state.
The election of 1892, when Harrison
and Cleveland we're the presidential
candidates. Of their respective parties.
wss the first national contest In which
the Montana vote:wss . factor. The
result gave Q majority Of 1,270 for the
sepublican electors, the total vote Of
the state being about $4,000.
In the election of four years later,
with the free oliver question as the
paramount issue and Bryan as the
candidate Of the democratic party,
Montana voters were stsmpeded by
appeals to what yer alleged to be
their personal interests. Mr.. Bryan,
on that occasion, wss the fusion can
didste OF several political parties, and
the vote for presidential electors was;
Bryan, 43,680; Mckinley, 10, 1900
democratic or fusion plurality of over
$4,000. The total vote OF the state was
about 81. 600.
In 1900, when the free silver agita.
ton had to some extent subsidized, and
Bryan and Mckinley we're again the
opposing presidential candidates, the
Montana vote resulted: Bryan cleo
tors. 81, l46; Mckinley electors, %, 1873
"a democratic plurality of IL, 773
The Montana election returns of tina
year showed a total vote of about g.,
500.
The presidential election of eigh
years ago, with Roosevelt and Parke,
as the nominees of their RESPECTIVE
parties, put Montana In the republi
q column by q decisive vote. Th,
result a Roosevelt electors, 81. 932
Parker electors, 2l,773-a republica,
plurality OF 13, 159. The total vote o
the state In the presidential election o
1904 vas about 81, 500.
The large influx of new settlers dur
ing the past two years ia regarded b,
republican politicians % favorable t.
their prospects of success. This CLAIM
10 conceded to some extent by politica
prophets of the democratic faith, bu
they point to recent results in so Gale,
safely republican states as evidenc
that nothing is sure until the vote
are counted. The third party move
ment, also, adds to the uncertainty Q
the result of this years election.
JAMES S. SHERMAN.