The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-11-15
rae POLITTOAL SITUATION.

II cannot be denied that the Republi-
can party has suffered severely IN this
falls el,cuous. Democratic gains are
the ''order of the day" The question
as to whether these defeats of the Repub-
iican party are only temporary, as were
those of 1859, or whether they are to be
repeated in the Great National struggle
next year, is ous of serious import
We confess our inability even to con
lecture What is 10 be the result. Oar
party seems TO be "going through fiery
trials, " aud thus far the effect is cheering
to the Democracy. The old craft must
light up little, or suffer from the break
ers that surround her on all sides.
One of the causes of the recsnt Demo
cratic gains. is The absolute lukewarm-
ness Of the Republicans. This is shown
10 many places by the falling eff OF Re.
publican votes. The defeats have not
come so much from actualincrease in the
Democratic "a Dks, IS from the inactivity
of Republicans. The causes that have
led to this inactivity are, tue long reign OF
the Republican party, and thereby feel
ing of security, together with unfortunate
nominations, and bad party management.
Congress is largely TO blame, undoubtedly,
for the Republican defeats They have
talked she country to death and done com
paralively nothing. fhey have shown,
in their dealings with Mr.. Johnson aud
the Reconstruction question, timorous.
weak-knssd spirit. That body is IN
questionably cbargeable with much of the
spirit ofinaclivity and lack of vigor on
( the part of the masses.
Another cause of defeat may be found
! ia the new issues with which the Repu5-
| Iican party has bad 10 deal 10 the last
year. 10 three States We have had a di
rect vote on Negro Suffrage. This is a
! question which came directly in contact
with our social and political notions and
ran against cur pIejudices. Il was hardly
expected that we could carry the mass OF
Republicans on this question, and it is
not surprising at all, that We are defeated
( in the first campaign on a question Of
such moment. Then there are the aues-
tons of Female Suffrage and Temperance,
! 10 Massachusetts the issue was License
and Anti-License. In that State. FORUM
atsly. the party is so firmly planted in the
/ affections OF the people that The Temper
ance question did not effect the party Sc
riously. But the struggle on Temperance
10 that State had it's effect outside.
10 New York the great question was
one of 6nsnce-one that touched the
pocket, and consequently one that obliter
ated party lines aud everything else.
Then there is large element of one idead
men in the party who are in favor of their
hobbies, even it the country should GO 10
ruin; while pleading their pet measures
from every stump, they have, so far as
they could, inculcated The doctrine among
their followers, that the so-called reforms
they advocated were Of more importance
to the country than any political party, no
matter what the issues before the country.
The new issues this fall were we'll calou-
lated TO cause thousands of Republicans
all over the country to falter and say
away from the polls, while they breatbed
into toe dead carcass of Democracy new
hope' aud sPurred them to one more des-
PeFats effort to get political coD.rol of the
country.
As to whether these Democratic victo.
ries shall be repeated next wear or not.
remains very much with the Republican
party leaders. On the Radical Issues Of
the party We have no fears. The defeat
of Negro Suffrage, for example, ia only
temporary. and as We said before. III.
proposition met With better success than
We had expected. If Congress sOts- wise.
ly this winter. and il the politicians show
their former phreWdnsss 10 bringing out
the right candidates for the Psssideuev.
. spirit OF buoyancy and new life viii axe
hold OF the Republican masses which
will sweep the country next fall: espsoial
! y will this b true If the distraCtisg Gle.