Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-11-09
Late Reports From Doubt
full States Bring
Surprises
PARALLEL CONTEST OF 1876
Political History Enriched BY
Amazing Swing Back and
Forth of Returns in the
Presidential Election.

New York, Nov. 8.-American politi-
cal history was enriched by the amaz-
ing swing back and forth of the
returns for Hughes, again for Wilson
and for Wilson and again Hughes.
First returns available, showed Wilson
leading. Then came Hughes sweep,
with tremendous lead in New York
and reports of big plurality for the
G. o. P. in Kansas, Massachusetts,
preliminary reports added to the Re-
publican candidates growing list.
But again the swing changed. A
Wilson drift set in. Ohio went I'M
mistakably Democratic.
The shift in sentiment was exempli-
fed by the shifting headlines in the
New York papers. The New York
Times (Dem), after conceding the
election of Hughes, issued an extra
saying, at looks as if Wilson is
elected
The New York Tribune Republican,
after announcing the election of
Hughes in a clean sweep Of the coun-
try, described the situation in early
editions as follows: Hughes leading
in close race.
Upon doubtful States from which
the returns were slow coming, de-
pended whether Mr.. Wilson was re-
elected or whether the next President
of the United States was Charles E.
Hughes.
Republican Chairman Wilcox claim
ed every state generally classed as
doubtful and counted 1923 votes for
Mr. Hughes
Democratic Chairman Mccormick,
in a statement, declared President
Wilson surely would have 304 votes in
the electoral college. The actual com
plete returns gave President Wilson
260 votes and Mr.. Hughes 23S.
On the votes of California, Delaware,
Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota
New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon,
Washington, West Virginia and wv
oming, the decisive result of the Presi
Dental election turned-total 81 votes
There seemed to be no doubt that
President Wilson had safely carried
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado,
Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Mon
tana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Caro-
lima, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and
Virginia.
In the Hughes column were counted:
Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maine,
Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey,
New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, South Dakota, Vermont and
Wisconsin.
From the doubtful states the returns
continued to point first toward one
candidate and then toward the other.
From the doubtful states the returns
came in slowly. The chairmen of the
Republicans and Democratic commit
tees both claimed victory for their re-
spective candidates.
The Republicans seemed to have the
host PROSPECTS in Indiana, Oregon and
West Virginia. In the other states
listed as doubtful except California,
the Democrats appeared to be leading.
The latest returns did not show that
the Republicans have overcome the
CCIloSl HdJOIlJy III tHC I1Ou6G CI
representatives nor in the Senate.
With about 100 congressional districts
to be heard from, the Republicans
made a net gain of eight members in
the House, but late returns from New
York indicated that two of these might
be reversed. With a net gain of
eight it would leave the House with
Democratic majority of seven.
Frank Hitchcock, original Hughes
booster and political expert of the Re-
publican camp, declared that the cleo
ton of Hughes depended on the results
in California or Minnesota.
Democratic national headquarters
claimed 270 electoral votes for Wilson
as absolutely certain Their claim in
Guided California.
IN the Senate the Democrats showed
losses from New York, New Jersey
and Maryland. The indications were
they would lose the two senators from
Indiana, one from West Virginia, and
possibly one each from Ohio, Montana
and Arizona
The Dem ocrats gained three sena-
tors from Rhode Island, Delaware and
Utah. Conceding all the probable Re-
publican gains it would give a net Re-
publican gain of seven in the Senate
and leave the Democratic majority at
two.
Aside from the uncertainty of the
result, the most remarkable thing
about the election was the sudden
wiping out of the Hughes majorities
piled up in the East by the returns
coming in from the West. When the
Republican landslide in New York be-
came known and was quickly followed