The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-01-17
Politics Of the Opening Year.

2s5, $40, sis, s57 and ssss pounds.
Politics of the Opening Year.
The Congress which Is to be elected thi.
year win be in session when The votes for
President are counted. Ifthree candidates
should be run the election NAV devolye
upon she House, and il viii be Just as com
petent for Ii 10 elect the lowest Of the three
as the highest. Judging from the present
outlook and tendencies, il will be for the
interest Of the Republican party to have
three candidates 10 the field, If it should
happen to possess such a majority in the
next House as would enable it to elect the
President If there should be no choice in
the Electoral Colleges. The two great
wings of the anti-monopoly opposition tend
to consolidate but their combination re-
quires time, patience, and courtesy, and Is
not likely to be eoRsummated during the
present year The Republicans win exert
all their art and craft to obstruct it, and
If they succeed in getting control of the
next House, they can afford TO reinforce a
third party by large voluntary eontribu-
tions Of their own NUMBER The next
House being once secured, the most dex-
ferrous and polite thing they could do
would be to defeat choice in the Electo-
raj Colleges. Their party is so certain to
decline in popular strength that its reten-
ton Of power is staked on its success in
the Congressional elections of this year.
If they attain that, they viii be safe In
making a calculated split, giving up enough
of their leaders and voters to encourage
the hopes of third party, andprevent the
opposition from consolidating. But should
they find themselves too weak in the next
House 10 elect President if the choice
should deyolye upon that body, it then
becomes their interest to keep their party
together as well as they can, since its only
hope would lie in getting a majority in the
Electoral Colleges.
If, US every indication shows, the Re
publican party is in state Of rapid deca-
dence, it is all-important that its remaining
strength this year should not enable it TO
defeat the popular viii BY running the
Presidential election into the House. To
Illustrate such attempts and calculations it
viii not suffice to reduce the Republicans
to minority of the members of the next
Congress they must be reduced to a MI.
nority Of the States, For when the elec,
ton Of President is carried into the House,
each State has but one vote; Oregon or
Florida having precisely the same weight
as New York. If the Republicans should
elect q majority Of tho members in ma
jority Of the States, they will hold all the
trumps and can afford to give away many
Of their minor cards. But If the opposi-
ton should gain this advantage, It will
be easily consolidated, leading to square
contest between two parties and an election
by the people. This is the great adyan-
tage to be fought for in the Congressional
elections Of the present year.
In order to promote this the consolida-
ton of the opposition should be considered
as an adjourned question. The West is
not ripe for it yet, and ultimate success
would be impeded BY prematurely pushing
it. There are several Of the smaller and
one or two Of the larger States which the
anti-monopoly Farmers can carry this year,
and the Democratic party cannot, Let
the Farmers have their way in all States
where the probabilities bear in that direc-
ton, and let Democrats everywhere bid
them God speed. The great point is to
take away from the Republican party all
hope Of electing Prcsiden. in the next
House of Representatives This point
gained, there will be no motive for defeat
ing choice In tho Electoral Colleges, and
no strong incentive to run three candidates.
The necessary result viii be a complete
consolidation Of the opposition at the ap-
proach Of the Presidential year. Demo-
Gratis must do their best in all Congress
districts which they have good chances Of
carrying; and where the chances Of the
aptl.mopopoly Farmers are the better, let
them select the candidate, and Democrats
take care that the Republicans do not
succeed through divided opposition. If
the Congressional elections are managed
in this spirit, there is every reason for
hoping that proper exertious will reduce
the Republicans to minority of the mem
bers elected from majority of the States,
and preclude great amount of demoraliz-
ipg intrigue,
bpt so important result eau be accom-
plished only by great amount Of hard
work, begun early. The most fruitful
part of it belongs to this month Of Janua-
ry, and consists in well-directed efforts to
extend the subscription lists Of Democratic
journals. We do not say this merely for
The World Though we Of course wish to
increase its circulation, for We believe the
local Democratic papers are, in their re-
spectiye spheres, the most useful advocates
Of Democratic principles, There are null.
tltndes OF frugal citizens In every county
who subscribe for but one newspaper, and
that one should always, by our advice, be
their local paper. But there are also great
numbers who desire fuller aud more varied
information than the local press supplies,
and who do not mind the expense Of two
or three different Journals. The World
asks consideration Of its title to the first
preference after the local Democratic pa
per Of each vicinity, But VIC are not
speaking nov for ourselves but for the In
terests Of the party, which can in no way
be 80 etiectually promoted as by vigorous
concerted Efforts, throughout this month,
to enlarge everywhere the audience reach.
ed BY Democratic newspapers during the
present ycar.-N y Hord
A geeeral strike ef the engineers, train
men and track hands on the New Jersey
Southern Railroad, begun on Monday
evening, when the engineers quilted work. !
All the engines are at the shops in Man
chester, and il was found they we're partly
disconnected and cannot be got out, The
tack sf the road was also torn up 10 yari- !
Gus plaees, 30 as to prevent the running of
trains. The trackmen who tore up the |
rails took the precaatiou Of posting signals
to prevent accidents. Not only the bust