The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-19
SPIRIT or THE PRESS.
uDrroR1AL oPIEIoEs OF THE LEADING JOURNALS
uPon CuRRKET ToPICs-ooMPILED EVERY
NV RON rHE EVENING TELEGRAPH.
-. co,ntn0 PennsyIvRuia State IEioc-
INV tiSn- Ehe Prospect.

N T.
Tho late signal defeat of the Republicans in
coIifornia and the heavy cutting down Of
tbsir majority in Maine, have inspired the
Democracy throughout the North with some
toit, IN the resurrection, and in Pennsylvania
and New York with lively hopes of success in
tbe;r coming State elections. The fight, which
UviIl he very apt to determine the result in
NV York in November, is to come off in
PENNSYLVANIA in October. We shall have,
therefore. stirring battle in "the old Key
stone - especially as upon the issue will hinge,
9o q Great extent, the prospects of the opposi-
fion elements for the grand Presidential con-
test of next year.
what is the prospect, then, for Pennsylva-
,,io In this coming October election There
is nothing more important than Judge of
tbe State Supreme Court to be chosen by the
General vote Of all the counties in this cleo
fiou: but this will do as a test OF the popular
voice on the great national issues OF the day.
IF the Democrats do as well as they have done
in Maine, they will gain decisive victory; for
last wear, upon the largest vote ever cast in
the Commonwealth, running hard upon six
hundred thousand, General Geary, favorlte
soldier, upon the popular platform OF the
Constitutional amendment submitted from the
Thirty-ninth Congress, carried the State
against an unpopular candidate by only seven
teen thousand majority. Looking, therefore,
at the recent results in California and Maine,
there is a very fair prospect for Republican
defeat on their new radical and revolutionary
platform of universal negro suffrage and negro
supremacy.
From 1910 down to last October the political
fluctuations of Pennsylvania have been very
remarkable. In 1886 the overwhelming Demo-
cratic Keystone majorities rolled up in the
name of Andrew Jackson had been cut down
to less than five thousand for Van Buren,, Old
Hickory's anointed successor. In 1910 Van
Buren's financial disasters turned even Penn
sylvania against him, although it was by the
tight fit of three hundred and forty y-nine ma
5Ority for Harrison. But that suficed to break
the charm of Democratic inYincibility. In
1874, against Henry Clay, however, the State
was regained for "Polk, Dallas, and the tariff
Of 1892 by six thousand majority. In 184S
the scale was turned again by Van Burens
detection, and General Taylor carried it by two
thousand votes over the combined vote of Cass
and Van Buren,. In 1852, on Clay's great COM
promise measures, poor Pierce carried the
State against General Scott by twenty thou
sand, and had poor Pierce and the Democracy
held fast to that adjustment, they would, per-
haps, have had unbroken reign in Washington
to this day.
From 1852, however, in consequence of the
violation of their pledges TO the country on
the slavery question, the Democracy began to
60 down hill rapidly. In 1856, even with
Pennsylvania's favorite SOM as their candi-
date, and with the opposition elements clash
ing and distracted between Fremont and Fill
more, the State was saved to Buchanan by
only a thousand majority on the total vote.
In 1850, from the grand smash-up of the
Democracy at Charleston and Baltimore, the
Republicans, with tn ir popular champion,
Abraham Lincoln, carried Pennsylvania (no
more extensions of slavery by the astound-
ing majority of sixty-seven thousand over all
The broken Democratic fragments counted
together. That was the practical beginning of
the political revolution which eliminated in
the total abolition of slavery.
In 1867, on account of the misfortunes and
blunders of Mr.. Lincoln's administration, in
the war for the suppression of the Southern
rebellion, New York and Pennsylvania went
by default for the DemOcracy-the latter State,
on deficient vote Of one hundred and fifty
thousand, being carried by three thousand
democratic majority But in 1863 the Repub-
ncans, on pretty full vote, regained the State
oy hfteen thousand. In 1854 Mr.. Lincoln held
II by twenty thousand; and last year, as we
nave said, on the largest popular vote ever
cast in the State, and with a favorite soldier
and platform which left the issue of negro
suffrage to the several States where it pro
PeIAy peAOnBs, Ihe hepuDncanS held theiI
ground by seventeen thousand majority.
The Tobacco Trade and Public Revenue
From 1e ~ Y Times.
The feeling in the tobacco trade against the
taxes now laid upon it is widespread and very
strong. 1t found vent in late meeting in
this city called to consider the order regarding
bonded warehouses, issued Sept. 10, and more
recently in the Tobacco Manufacturers Con.
Vention at Cleveland.
In 1860 the crop of tobacco was the largest
ever raised in the United States. It was up.
wards of 429,OOO,OOO pounds. In 1864 il
amounted to only 1877 OoO, 900 pounds, and the
returns have fallen still lower since then
According to the last report of Commissions
Rollins, the production of taxable tobacco II
1863 was, in round numbers, twenty -thre,
and half million pounds; in 1854 it was sixty
three millions in 1865 it was thirty-six and
half millions; and in 1866 it was only thirty
i've and half millions.
With the great decline in the trade indi
Gated by these figures, there has been falling
on in the profits of all engaged in it who at
tempt to deal honestly with Government AM
the public. Tobacco frauds, almost as giganti
IN every respect as the notorious whisk
FRAUDS, nave operated to the serious detrimen
OF the honest manufacturer. BY the more eX
Iensive use OF the leaf in its natural state an
ny nlegal manufacture and sale, the Govern
ment loses about one-half of the whole amoun
1T might raise on this article. The Select Com
mlttee on internal Revenue Frauds, which re
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