Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1912-11-05

voters are casting their Dallots IN an
election unique in the nation.
Three Presidential candidates with
so great popular followings have not
gone before the electorate in recent
political history. The effect is to
tax the election machinery of the
country to the uttermost, for with
the three candidates are sure to be a
great number of split tickets with
associated difficulty in tabulation.
Moreover the heavy registration and
the weather mans promise of sun
shine over most of the &C ountry mean
an immense vote.
Every indica tion pointed to vote
that will break all previous records.
With three active organizations at
work. to say nothing of the Socialists
and Prohibitionists. Ia, 600, 600 Amer
lean citizens, it was estimated. would
90 to the polls.
This unprecedented activity, COM
bined with the days fair weather
conditions will come nearer, perhaps,
developing the full voting strength
of the American nation than has a
national election since 1860. That
year the intense excitement over the
slavery issue called out every voter
who could drag himself to polling
place. Four years ago the total vote
was a little more than Is, 900, 900.
Of that number Taft received 7,67S,-
908 and Bryan 6 ACE, ,l04. This gave
Taft popular plurality of 1853, ,S04.
The total Socialist and Prohibition
vote in 1908 was about $50, 900.
While feeling certain of a sweeping
Democratic victory in Maryland, the
party managers yesterday flooded the
city aud counties with kilograms and
letters urging the workers not to be
overconfident. The call was general,
and every original Wilson man was
urged to join hands with the organi'
zation forces and roll up an unprece-
dented plurality for the entire ticket.
With the election on Democrats
were more confident of an over
whelming victory than they havs
been at any time during the fight, but
they wanted Maryland to stand up il
the front rank of Democratic States
on the popular vote. This, they say
could be done if every mau took a.
active part in today's battle.
SILENT VoTE BIC FACTOR.
During the last few days party
workers and the original Wilson sup
porters have been making a quie
but effective canvass in the city ant
counties. They assert that the bull
of the silent vote, which has been 81
much discussed in this campaign, il
with Governor Wilson. This includes
they held, four-fifths of the indepen
dent voters, as well as hundreds o.
Republicans.
For the last several weeks the Pro
gressive managers had been claiming
the bulk of this silent vote, bat Dem
ocrats say chat their claims are base
less and were made to bolster thei
cause. In fact, the Democrats said
the supporters of Colonel Roosevelt
have been fighting in the open eve
since the campaign hogan and that j
was not difficult to guage the Colo
mel strength In the StaJe.
Few DEMOCRATS To TAFT.
The canvass also showed tina
claims advanced by Republicans il
which they asserted that Presiden
Taft would poll many Democrat
votes were absurd. As far as tn
Democratic party is concerned, it
better united in this campaign tha
it has been in any Presidential cam
paign since the Cleveland contest i
1892.
Although they do not publicly di:
cuss it, managers of both the Roose
Welt and TAFT campaigns concede
big Wilson victory in Maryland.
fact, they believe that the election @
Governor Wilson is as certain a
anything can be in politics. Thei
chief interest is over the fight for SCI
ond place. When asked for thei
views on the fight both sides invar
ably said that their candidate wi
run second not only in Maryland bu
in the entire country.
RESULT To BE KNOWN EARLY.
The first votes to be counted are
almost every State those for Pres
dent. In the years when the voter
have had to choose between two car
didates the people have known wher
the wind blew by 8 o'clock. Thi
year, when the counters have |
check up three candidates, the r,
turns will be perhaps an hour latel
In the event of a close election
where, for instance, Ohio is the pivotr
State-and there are many prophet
who say that this State may deciC
the choice the returns will be lat,
| still, for returns from Ohio are noto
iously late in coming in.
More than the presidency is
stake in the elections today. II
Republican forces concentrated the
efforts in doubtful states to prevel
an overtdrning Of local organization