Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-11-12
History Records a Mass Of
Peculiar Facts On The Races
(BY CRANSTON WIILIAMS)
(BY CRANSTON WILLIAMS

The intense interest manifested in
the recent national election over the
electoral college and many references
in the news dispatches to split
states" and other incidents of historic
campaigns cause doubt and lack OF
| knowledge concerning some of the
great presidential battle since the
foundation Of the republic.
The only state which divided its
vote in 1912, when Woodrow Wilson,
1.-THE Democrat, defeated William H.
Taft, Republican, and Theodore Roose-
welt, Progressive, was California, with
a vote of Roosevelt Il; Wilson 2.
This was brought about by an intense
internal fight on the liquor question.
Two Wilson electors defeated two
Roosevelt electors because of the vot-
ers of the state casting their ballots
without regard to strict narty lines,
and more Interestingly with regard to
the attitude of the several electors on
the various tickets on the matter of
prohibition.
A state divides its electoral vote
when electors on one ticket defeats
other men on opposite ballots.
In 1908 when William H. Taft, Re-
publican, won over William J. Bryan,
Democrat, Maryland, split its vote
with Democrats, 6; Republicans, 2.
Maryland also split it's vote in 1904,
when Roosevelt defeated Alton B.
Parker, Democrat. Their electoral
vote then was Democrats, z; Repub-
licans, l.
1900 saw no split states in the cleo
toral college, when William McKin-
ley, Republican, won over William J.
Bryan, Democrat
In 1896 when Mckinley was elected
for his first term, and over Bryan, too,
Kentucky split its vote registering Re-
publican, ~; Democrat, /.
1892 saw large number of split
votes, and this was the year when
Grover Cleveland, Democrat, was
elected over Benjamin Harrison, the
Republican president, and by this re-
suit Cleveland became president for
the second time. That year witnessed
acknowledgements, 8; Republican,
l. the difference of their vote then
and now being caused by a re-appor-
tionment under the census each ten
years, which often allows increase in
congressional representation. Michi-
gan gave Republican, 8; Democrat, 5.
North Dakota cast her first ballot as
a state, and voted Democrat, 1 Re
publican 1. Ohio was Republican, %;
Democrat l. Oregons vote was cast
Republican 8; People, 1. The Peoples
candidates in this year were James
B. Weaver, of Iowa, for president, and
lanes G. Field, of Virginia, for vice
president; and this ticket received %.
votes in the electoral college.
Neither 1884, nor 1888 saw any
splits in the vote of the college. In
1880 California split her vote, Demo-
crat, 5; Republican, l. In this year
Garfield, the Republican, defeated Han
cock, the Democrat.
In 1876 Colorado voted for the first
time after becoming a state, and her
electors were chosen by the state
Legislature, they being selected as a
whole for the Republican nominee,
Rutherford B. Hayes, over the Demo-
cratic candidate, Samuel ]. TildeN.
This is the famous year of American
history in which Hayes defeated TIL
cen by one vote. There was a dispute
over the electoral vote of Florida,
Louisiana, Oregon and South Carolina,
the matter being referred by con-
gress to an electoral commission, COM
posed of eight Republicans and seven
Democrats On the matters arising,
the commission decided by a strict
party vote in awarding Hayes 1873
votes. and Tilden, 1874.
There were no splits in 1872, in 1868
the electors of Florida were chosen by
the legislature. Mississippi, Virginia
and Texas did not vote in this election
because of conditions following the
War Between the States.