New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-29
A ROLTER'S YEAR.

The result of the elections this year III
other States is such as to give great enc0ur-
agement 10 that class of voters to which we
daily appeal, who believe i'll electing men to
Office for their personal character ana htness'
and not with any reference to the ticket on
which their names appear. There has never
been such independence displayed by voters
before as has been made manifest by the
counting of the votes in Ohio and III Iowa. In
Cleveland, for instance, the prompt denuncla-
ton by one Independent newspaper OF two
Objectionable candidates, defeated them, while
the rest of the Republican ticket was
elected. And throughout the State the
scratching of tickets on purely personal
grounds was so general that the issue OF the
contest remained for several days in doubt,
and when the inteTlined and mutilated ballots
were all counted, it was found that the two
parties had each, in a partial sense, carried
"the State" In Iowa, the melee was still
more exceptional and its results more bewilder-
ing to the managers. They do not even yet
appear to have come to any general conclu-
sions in regard to the causes or the process
bv which the result was reached The ex-
PLANTATION which would naturally suggest itself,
that most men cared very little for the politi-
cal questions involved and so voted iCr the
candidates they preferred-is of course too
violent and revolutionary to be accepted for
moment by the people who live by politics.
Yet this is unquestionaby the explanation
of these anomalous election returns. There is
no especial reason why private citizen, who
holds no Office and wants none, should desire
or work for one ticket more than another.
He does not greatly care which side is to fling
out its flag or fire the village swivel over the
result. But there is one thing in which he is
very much interested, and that is whether he
shall assist III electing to Office an honest or
dishonest man. There Ia no great party
question pending. Gen. Grant is President
for at least three years more, and the Repub-
lican party has control of both houses of
Congress. Nothing can be done this
year TO change that arrangement, and
there is nothing, therefore, to prevent
any one from indulging in the luxury
of casting his vote in the interest of decency
and honesty. This is a matter in which all
men have o vital concern, and to which the
general attention has been peculiarly drawn
this year. 1t may safely be stated that no one
likes TO be robbed, and that most people are
inclined to resist robbery when they can do it
without risk. This season, it really looks as
if it might be done with impunity, and many
voters of both parties are disposed to try it.
If this determination causes the loss of the
one or the other ticket in certain districts
where it has been considered safe enough to
put knave upon it, it will not hurt, but may
greatly benefit the party which suffers the
defeat.
The managers, who, after all, are only men
with like passions and infirmities with the
rest of us, have recognized this state of things
in some districts and have seemed ignorant of
it in others. The Republicans in Putnam
County, for example. have nominated for the
Legislature Mr.. Hamilton Fish, jr., who is
precisely of the material which is most needed
in our Assembly. He is a young gentleman
Of good ability, and of character which
is a sufficient guarantee of q useful and hon
orable career in politics. With dozen or 80
men like Mr.. Fish in Albany, the skilled
talent in the lobby would rapidly lose its eff
cheney. But in Erie County the Republic
cans have simply cOurted defeat. They have
nominated for the Senate Mr. Loran l.. Lewis,
who could not be better known as an under
taker OF jobs, il he carried placard to that
effect On his back. Against this man, with
his valiegated character, the Democrats, wiser
in their generation, have nominated Mr.. John
Ganson, whose presence IN the Senate will be
an honor TO it. 1t ia rare, in fact, that q man
of 20 much weight consents TO stand for orr
State Legislature. His service in Congress
was a credit to his district. and in every re-
lation, public and private, he is man above
reproach or suspicion. We shall not believe
il possible that the decent people of the XXXIst
District should hesitate between man
like this and one like Lewis. They should
allow Mr.. Lewis a monopoly of the votes Of