He was himself so much better advised that months ahead he prefigured very near the exact vote.

The afternoon of the day of election one of the group of friends, who even thus early had the Presidency in mind, found him in his library confident and calm.
"What majority will you have ?" he asked cheerily.
"Any," replied the friend sententiously.
"How about fifteen thousand ?" "Quite enough." "Twenty-five thousand ?" "Still better." "The majority," he said, "will be a little in excess of fifty thousand." It was 53,315.

His estimate was not guesswork.

He had organized his campaign by school districts.

His canvass system was perfect, his canvassers were as penetrating and careful as census takers.