Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-10-31
WILSON CONTINUES
MAKING BIG GAINS
ALL OVER COUNTRY
New York Herald Comedies
Race Now Neck and Neck
Wilson's Gains During Week
Wiping Out Hughes Lead

New York, Oct. 2s.-The New York
Heralds political canvass, published to-
day, shows a neck and neck race as
the poll is neared in the presidential
race The Heralds summary of the
results Of its work:
Copyright 1915, by the New York
Herald company-all rights reserved.)
Entered upon its final lap, the race
for the presidency is still a neck and
neck contest.
The President has been making gains
in the Herald national straw vote, but
the Republicans assert that the Wilson
tide reported its highest point several
days ago and now is falling off.
In the total vote published today,
per cent, and Mr.. Hughes shows a loss
of one and one-tenth per cent.
During the week the President made
gains, large and small, in eighteen
states. Mr.. Hughes made gains in
eight. There were no important changes
in the totals from nine states.
GAINS IN NEW YORK.
In New York City the President
gained. Up state Mr.. Hughes made ad-
yances.
The drift during the week was I'M
questionably in the Presidents direc-
ton. In the opinion Of both Republi-
cans and Democrats the campaign hung
a dead decree several days ago. The
Republicans declare that since that
time the swing has been in their direc-
ton The Democrats do not contend
that there has been a continuation or
the mark of the drift two weeks ago,
but feel confident that the strong cur
rent driving in their. direction up to
the time there came a lull was suf-
ficient to overcome any back drift which
may be started by the Republicans.
If gthe tide continues to run in the
Presidents direction at the same speed
that has marked it during the last
three weeks, Mr.. Wilson will be in a
fair way to sweep away the big normal
pluralities upon which the Republicans
have relied.
The Herald's straw vote campaign
first drew the attention of the country
to the fact that the struggle for the
presidency was of the 1883 variety,
or possibly more uncertain, and the
developments from week to week have
borne out what the straw votes first
with the Democrats having the advan-
tage of a strong popular sentiment
which loudly voiced its preference and
the Republicans being fortified by the
ponderous strength of their party and
safeguarded by the so-called silent
vote, which is the deciding factor in
many presidential contests.
In the total of 204,599 test votes tab
ulated in today's issue, Mr. Hughes
leads by 722. Last week he led by
3,727.
LOSSES IN OWN PARTY.
If but one-thlrd of the top-heavy
California vote of 21,414 is used for
the computation-and it is hardly a
fair basis to use the whole vote from
that strongly Republican state-the
President has a majority of 6,793. Last
week, figuring in California on the re
duced basis, the President had a lead
of 355 In the shifts from party to
party and in the division of the Roose-
welt vote of 1912, Mr.. Hughes has suf-
fered losses which appear possibly
more formidable in the aggregate than
they do when considered individually.
In the straw votes cast during the cur
rent week, AIr. Hughes received IA
per cent of the Roosevelt vote and Mr.
Wilson received 24.6 per cent. In the
first straw vote tabulation, Mr.. Hughes
received nearly 81 per cent and the