Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-11-08
TneSdaHIs Elections

the Legislatures, or for minor po-
sitions on the State Ticket. In Mass
achuSetts, Virginia. Wisconsin, Miss
issippi and Minnesota, Governors were
elected. The latest returns show the
Republicans to have carried Massa-
chusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ar
kansas, and New Jersey; and the OPP
positions which in the Western States
was generally n coalition of Demo.
Gratis and "Anti-monopolists"
York, Virginia, Maryland, AID Wis
consin, while the result in Kansas is
still in doubt. In New York the
Democratic majority is about 10000,
and the Republican majority in Mass
achusetts is about the same. In the
other States the majorities are gene
rally small either way. Commenting
upon the situation, the Boston Jour
nal says;
It must be confessed that there is
nothing very exhilarating to Il Re
publican in general survey of Tues
days ell .ctions, neither Is there any
thing discouraging. The year after
Presidential election has always
been recognized as low-watcr season
to the predominant party. In the ma
ture of things the tension and disci,
pine involved in carrying through q
great, triumphant campaign must re-
lax into comparative apathy when The
necessity for extra exertion is over.
Then all the personal disappointments
and grievances, all the local issues
and new schemes come forward an |
make themselves heard in the absence
of national issues. Thus 1t happened
to 90 no further back-that in 1860
and in 1869 the Republican majoritics
were generally light, and in some
cases there were severe rererses.
This year there was even more reason
than usual to anticipate the recurrence
Of this periodic dull season. The Re.
publican party has now attained to,
q great age, rs modern parties 60.
and it has had life OF remarkable
prosperity, continued triumphal
progress, as we may say. 1t is no
wonder, therefore, that abuses have
crept into the organization, that dis
sessions have weakened it in many
places, that arrogance and reckless
ness may have grown upon some Of
our politicians, and that q temporary
apathy has settled upon many who,
though true as steel in any real ext
gency feel that no harm will come
from letting matters drift at present.
The natural result Of this state of
things is light vote everywhere, and
n relative anti-Republican gain. We
say anti-RepublicaA rather than Dem
ocratic, because it expresses the fact
more accurately. If we look over
the several States which have voted
thus far we shall find that the falling
off of Republican majorities is quite
independent of TIE fact whether the
Democracy have kept up their organ.
ization or not. In Ohio and New
York they did so; in Virginia they
appeared as conservatives; in Iowa,
California, Wisconsin and Kansas
they merged themselves with the
Anti-Monopolists or Farmers and
yet the general result to the Republi-
cans was the same in all the States.
On the other hand, the good degree
of triumph enjoyed by the Rcpubli-
cans in Minnesota and Arkansas at
the west, and Maine and Pennsylva-
MIA in the east. was regardless Of the
attitude of The Democracy. These
facts show that the Republican falling
off is not q Democratic gain, to any
thing like a corresponding degree.
Rather, the Republican lose more than
the Democrats, and this is about all
there is Of significance of these cleo
tions.
Of course, the Democratic organs
will not represent it in this light.
They will shou: that the great reac-
ton, SO long predicted, has at length
come. Bnt will they be able to poiEt
to single Democratic issue which
has visiOly gained upon the country
during the last year-even if they are
able to designate any such distinctive
Democratic issue cXtant? Will they
be able to show where the Democracy
have made positive gain over their
Presidential vote of last year, or
over general strength Of the last half
dozen years? viii they be able to
give we'll authenticated instances OF
any Republicans voting this year
with the Democracy, except for per-
sonal and temporary purposes! ii
not-and we are sure that none OF
these things can be done-the story
Of the great Democratic reaction
might as well be postponed to latcl
date. The truth is, the Republican
strength remains intact, but it is il
abayaEce this year for causes, some
of which we have given above. Il
may possibly DECLINE hereafter, the
present apathy may become fixed ant
fatal but that will only be because
the organization isNnmindful Of thes'
perfectly plain lessons now unrpleC
before it-a degree Of faulty whicl
we certainly shall not anticipate.