People's Pilot, Volume 6, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1896 — BRYAN IS A WINNER. [ARTICLE]

BRYAN IS A WINNER.

FROM DEMOCRATIC campaign encouraging. Pulling Hanna’s Leg— That la What the Southern Republicans Have Been Doing in* the Most Artistic Manner — Silver Sentiment Continues. Chicago, Oct 8. —(Special.)—Convincing evidence is accumulating daily at National Democratic headquarters that Mr. Bryan will sweep the southern, western and central middle states in November. This claim is not based upon reports of enthusiastic politicians, but is the result of careful investigation, and very careful canvasses made in the debatable territory by national, state and local managers of the free silver campaign. The wild statements sent out during the past four or five days by the Republican managers, in which they claim certain western states by majorities so large that they appear ridiculous even to Republicans, is further evidence that they have nothing on' which to base their claims, while their only lies in making unsupported claims in the vain hope of bolstering up a lost cause. It is known, however, that inside reports obtained at the McKinley headquarters, are widely different from those given out to the gold press. For Instance, it is known that a Republican canvass x>f Nebraska gives that state to McKinley by only 3,000 majority. This report is clouded by the statement that, in order to carry Nebraska work must be done between now and November, a sure indication that the Republicans have no hope of carrying that state. A Democratic canvass of Nebraska shows that Bryan will carry it by not less than 25,000; the Democratic poll showing a Republican defection in every county of the state, including Douglass county, and Omaha, of from 20 to 25 per cent. The Republican managers are sure of this fact, and rely wholly upon wild and unsupported claims to keep up the courage of their followers. The same thing is true in Kansas, except that Republican leaders have actually conceded that state. This being the case, it is absolutely certain that Bryan will carry every state west of the Missouri river, clear to the Pacific coast. It is also known.that the Republican managers have privately conceded to Bryan every southern state. A prominent Chicago railway official, in close tpuch witlj Republican gatiorfal headquarters, has, witinn the past two days, made the candid admission that McKinley stood no more chance of carrying any southern state than he has of carrying Colorado; and he admitted that'Bryan would carry Colorado by 75,000 majority. This railway official, in the same private conversation, stated that any man who offered to bet $1 on McKinley was either a born fool or painfully anxiously to part with his money. He further stated that the talk about carrying Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina and other southern states for McKinley has been manufactured by a clique of southern Republican politicians solely for the purpose of “pulling Mark Hanna’s leg;” that they had succeeded in doing so, and that was all they expected; that not one of the states would fail in giving Bryan an overwhelming majority. This view, he stated, was obtained from a personal trip throughout the states in question. Reports from every so-called debatable state received during the past two weeks show that the silver sentiment is Increasing at a rate never before known since the inception of the movement. Republicans, everywhere, especially among the farmers and laboring men, are coming out boldly and joining the Bryan ranks. In many of the counties of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, lowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota there is a wholesale stampeae or Republican farmers to the support of Bryan. Instead of being on the wane, the silver movement is growing more rapidly than it has at any time during the past two months. One or two Instances will show this feeling. D. H. Harts of Lincoln, 111., reports that a careful poll has been made of CJay, Wayne, Christian, Logan and Sangamon counties, showing a net gain over all disaffected Democrats of, twenty votes to a precinct, making a total net gain of 4,000 votes in these, counties.

This, it will be seen, will make a difference of 8,000 votes in the majority, and will carry that congressional district by the largest majority ever known. Similar reports come from Ohio, Wisconsin and lowa.