Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 November 1886 — The Electoral Vote in 1898. [ARTICLE]

The Electoral Vote in 1898.

There is a good dejfl of speculation about the relation between the elections this yefcr and the Vote for Presidential electors in 1688. Many Democratic papers' have prepared tables which prove to their own satisfaction that if the States* had been \ oting for President this yeAr, a Democrat would have been elected by n large majority. Tbish inference .by no means follows the showing of the returns. It is safe to say that the States in which Republicans made suoh gains on Congressmen, as to show a wide-spread change of feeling on national issues, would have been carried ontire foraßepublican President, 'making an aggressive campaign on national issues. It is more satisfactory to study the returns as an indication of what is likely to be the political status of the gever.il States two years hence, judging by the causeß that operated in bringing about this year’s results. Without attempting to forecast, at this tiitie, the political complexion of every State in 1888, a number of States may be safely classed as doubtful, with the others divided between the two parties, with little chance of change, as follows: Safely 'j" Safely DoubtDSffipcratic. | Republican. ful. Alabama lOilllinois 22 Colorado 8 Arkansas.... ? lowa 18 Connecticut.. 6 Delaware B|Kansas OjC’aliforuia.... 8 Florida 4 Maine ti New Jersey.. 9 , Georgia., ~,,12 Michigan ... .18 New York... .36 Kentucky... .131 Minnesota ... 7jN. Carolina. .11 Louisiana..,. 8 Mass ll| Virginia 12 Maryland .... filNebraska .... 5 Indiana 15 Mississippi .. 9|Ohid.... ......23 W. Virginia.. 6 Missouri. .. ..16 0reg0u....... 3 Nevada 3 S. Carolina... 9 Penn. ........30 Tennessee.. , r l2!Vermont 4 T0ta1.... ..109 Texas ,13 | Wisconsin ...11 —iNew hamp... 4 Total.., ...124|R. Island .... 4 . i Total. ■■...168 This division gives to the Democrats 124 votes that, under present conditions, they can depend upon, although with a strong protective policy, the Republicans may be able to break the solid South sufficiently to take one or two States that are now classed as safely Democratic. There is not a State in the Republican column that the Democrats can Hope to gain. They made ga ns in Minnesota this year, because the Republican party (here was thoroughly demoralized by its cowardly and insincere position on the tariff. But there is no reason to expect that in a Presidential year, the Democrats could come within 25,00 U votes of carrying it. The Democrats would need to take from the doubtful column seVenty-seven votes in order to have a majority of the electoral college. The Republicans, with 168 votes in all probability secure, will need but thirty-three from the same column to give them a majority. New York alone would furnish all that was needed, or Indiana, California, New Jersey, and Colorado would be sufficient, taking none of the Southern States. But the result of this year’s elections shows that the two Virginias and North Carolina are good, fighting ground for the Republicans, with many chances in their favor. While the States in the far West, California, Colorado, and Nevada are classed as doubtful, there is little doubt that a Republican like Blaine, or any other candidate who is as sound a 3 he on financial and other questions of interest there, could carry all of those States easily. So that the study of the probabilities in 1888, iaj the light of this year’s elections, is full off promise and encouragement to every Re- ' publican. —Den Moines Register.