Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-11-05
ODDS ON HUGHES
ARE SIGNS OF WIN
Democrats in New York Run to
Cover and Practically
Admit Defeat.
WHAT BETTING SHOWS

New York, Nov 4.-(Special Tele-
gram. Rank and file democrats are
conceding the election OF Governor
Hughes and the defeat of President
Wilson, The presidents campaign
managers are still keeping up their
shouts of optimism, TO be sure and
making as big claims as ever or per
haps larger but their followers know
that it is only rainbow chasing, and
decline to join further in that kind OF
amusement
Hughes is elected, and the demo-
Gratis know it. The size of his ma
Jority in the electoral college, or OF
his plurality in the popular vote, is
not material. Those things are mat
tiers of interest, for the morning of
November 8, but the principal fact is
well determined today and It will be
n next Tuesday.
n What They Do.
II 1t is what men do, and not so much
that they say that reveals exactly what
they think. The democrats who have
been backing their opinions with their
money have revealed by their acts just
what they think of the democratic
campaign and of the presidents
chances for reelection The very best
they hope for is six chances out OF
sixteen. The prospect OF Mr.. Wilson's
election, rated in terms of the betting
fraternity who make it their business
to know the facts of any political stu
money, is only fraction more than
half as good as that of Mr. Hughes.
Rating Hughes as one, they put Will
son at six-tenths, and all Wilson sup
porters will put up with Hughes
man is six dollars to win ten. Every
Wilson man who is willing to risk any
money at all on the result is today
demanding such odds, and in demand
ing those odds he is conceding that
Mr.. Hughes is almost twice as good
a risk as his own candidate.
This is extremely significant at this
junctufe, owing to the claims made
by the democratic managers a little
earlier in the campaign. 1t is only
within the last few weeks that any
betting has been done. For long
time the offer of Hughes money in
the usual betting places brought no
response in the way OF democratic
cash. The democrats were wary and
/only by offering odds of two to one
could republican 5ettersA get any
wagers. a. r.l ,
Then, when the democrats began
their campaign drive, they stimulated
their friends to come into the betting
market and make some wagers for the
effect of such action on public senti-
ment. They brought out all the Will
son, money they could, and as a result
the odds changed From two to one.
the odds shifted gradually, with more
and more Wilson money coming out,
until for two days last week it was
possible to get even money wagers in
small amounts. That was the height
of the democratic campaign, and they
made thermost,sofait the way ef'
shouts and claims - !.
That was the exact point at which
the republican drive began, right
where the democratic drive had
ltdGutu It's liSSl, dIu CNSIg udy SliilC
then has seen Metropolitan wave roll
higher and higher, while the demo-
cratic wave has been sinking away,
and#as that happened the democratic
betters have been keeping steps with
their demands for increased and in
creasing odds. Back down the road
they have fled, from even money to
ten to nine, then ten to eight and
half, then TEN to eight, then ten to
seven and now ten to six. Tomorrow,
if you want to bet any money on
Hughes, you probably will have to
give. two to one, just as you had to do
at the beginning of the campaign.
Even at ten to six, the announced odds
of today, it is" almost impossible to
\ get any money down. Democrats who
ARE demanding such odds as that are
not willing to bet when they get them.
The democratic managers will issue
claims for 325 electoral votes, but if
you ask them what money they have
to back such claims, they will either
run to cover altogether or demand
odds Of at least ten to six.
1t is a confession of defeat, not in
words, but in actions which speak
louder than words. And that has been
the main trouble with the Wilson ad-
ministration. its words have contra
dcted its deeds. That is the chief
reason why today's betting odds are
ten to six on Hughes.