Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 63, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 November 1916 — WILSON LEADS IN STRAW VOTE [ARTICLE]

WILSON LEADS IN STRAW VOTE

President’s Popular Vote Shows Remarkable Gain. HAS 281 ELECTORAL VOTES Nation-Wide Straw Vote Conducted by Rexoll Stores Shows Wonderful Strength of the President. In a nation-wide straw vote being conducted by the Rexall drug stores, composed of 8,000 stations throughout the United States, President Wilson is showing remarkable strength and yesterday noon was nearly 100,000 votes in the lead of Hughes. The straw vote shows that President Wilson will carry sixteen northern states with 106 electoral votes, while Mr. Hughes will carry seventeen of the northern states with a total of 250 electoral voteß. Added to the vote in the northern Btates, President Wilson is conceded fifteen "southern states with 175 electoral votes, making him a total of 281 votes In the electoral college, where only 266 votes are required to elect. The total popular vote shown yesterday was 336,455 for the President and 244,917 for Mr. Hughes. The thirty-three states classed as northern gave Mr. Hughes a popular majority of 7,000 and 250 electoral votes to the President’s 106.

Ohio, which has been considered a doubtful state, gives the President a clear majority, which indicates that he will undoubtedly carry that state. Wisconsin is also in the Wilson column, with the President’s majority there increasing with each return. In New York state more than 75,000 votes had been cast, and with practically every large newspaper supporting Mr. Hughes and urging Republicans to cast a straw vote, Mr. Hughes was six votes ahead, the total vote yesterday being: Hughes 36,387 and Wilson 36,381. One significant fact in the Rexall straw vote is the remarkable gains shown by the President In the past few days, and this in spite of the fact that Republican newspapers all over the nation are urging members of their party to go and vote. The Rexall straw vote is as impartial as any ever taken in the United States and can have but one meaning, the re-election o| President Wilson next Tuesday. Several of the leading Republican papers have started taking straw votes In the past two weeks but not one of them has announced the rej, suit, which can have but one interpretation, President Wilson received a clear majority and they dared not make the result known.