The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-11-15
THE REPUBLICAN POLICY AS TESTED
IN THE ELECTIONS.
From the N. Y. Times.

In Judging of the significance of recent
elections it is necessary to discriminate be-
tween the results relating to national issues
and national parties, and those which indi-
cate the operation of causes purely local in
their character.
The triumph of Tammany in this city has
no conceivable bearing upon the action of
the national administration, or the pro-
gramme of the party to which the admins
tration owes its existence. The contest
through which we have passed was local in its
nature. An organization with all the re-
sources of the city government at its COM
mand had q hard fight for existence. 1t put
forward no pretense of principle. Not one
of the questions which divide the two ma
tional parties entered into its calculations.
Its triumph has nothing whatever to DO
either with the administration or the pur-
poses of the Republican party. Taking the
State into consideration, the verdict was fa-
vorable to both. Tammany dominated in
New York, and New York dominated in the
State. Left to itself, the State would have
pronounced in favor of the Republicans.
Wherever in other States the Democrats
have gained advantages, an explanation of
the fact may be found in causes in no manner
affecting the national standing of the two
great parties. In Massachusetts,, the attempt
of one-idea fanatics to exact compliance with
their demands only rendered more complete
the triumph of the Republicans 1t reused
the spirit of the grand old commonwealth,
with manifest advantage to the Republican
ticket. In this State, the fanatics were not
merely powerless-they were contemplate.
Outside the city, the contests for Congress
and the Assembly were here and there pre-
JUDGED by paltry feuds, by unworthy nomi-
nations, and by combinations in which prin-
ciple had no place. Michigan teaches the
same lesson. The only obstacles encoun-
tered by the Republican party were of a per-
sonsl and local character. They might have
been avoided altogether had more care been
exercised by seme of the nominating conven-
tions. Illinois speaks yet more emphatically
on the same point. There, more than in any
other State in this latitude, the Republican
cause seems to have suffered. Defeats in
some cases, hairbreadth escapes in others,
and reduced ajorities in all, attest the pre-
sence of influences inimical to unity. But
these influences proceeded neither from ap-
proval of the Democratic position, judged
on its merits, nor from any abatement of the
beartiness with which the Republican position
has been heretofore sustained. Apathy in
some districts took the place of enthusiasm
but it was an apathy which might have been
| dispelled by more discreet nominations
Jealouses and dissensions impaired strength;
and the introduction of prohibition as a side
issue operated injuriously to the Republican
ticket.
| But neither in Illinois nor Michigan, in
Missouri nor New York, can any reverse be
traced to disapproval of the policy with
which the Republican party is identified.
The triumph of Gratz Brown in Missouri is,
after all, the triumph of principle to which
the National Republican Convention of 1868
accorded cordial Endorsement. The losses
in Illinois and elsewhere are the conse-
quence-not of disapproval of the party s
policy, but of complications that we're made
formidable by the predominance of personal
and local questions over the larger questions
on which national policy rests Wherever a
candidate, in other respects acceptable, has
stood upon the broad platform of the Chicago
Convention, he has been successful. Wher-
pivotal party issues-upon the Con-
grsssional action in reducing tax.
alton and in cutting down
expenditures, OF upon the actisn OF
the administration in respect of the collec-
tion Of the revenue, and the introduction OF
fidelity and efficiency into the public service
the Republican ticket has come out victo-
rious. The occasional weaknesses and defeats
in every instance-excepting only the city of
New York-indicate departure from Repub-
lican principles, an snwise adhesion to ex-
traneous issues, or degree of diss nsion
that would be fatal to any cause. The ihfu-
ences that have achieved the mastery here
are understood. The influences that have
demonstrated their existence in other places
have been strong or weak, in proportion to
the closeness of their connection with the re-
coenized Republican policy, as evinced in the
measures of Congress and in the general
course of the administration