Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-10-16
TIE WESTERN ELECTIONS.

THE WESTERN ELEC1iONo.
The reports from the Western elections
are not vet so complete as to give full anf
reliable returns. There seems to be nc
reason to doubt however that the demo
Gratis have carried the State tickets II
Ohio and Indiana and gained severa
members of Congress, probably four il
Indiana and five in Ohio. The cause o.
this Is pretty plain. In Ohio the republi
can platform endorsed the principle o.
prohibition, while the democratic platform
favored license. This attitude of the two
parties upon the temperance question dis'
affected the German republican voters with
the republican ticket and strengthened the
democratic ticket. Beside this the extreme
Temperance men put in nomination a tick
ct of their own for State officers, also Tor
members of Congress in nine COMPRESSION
Al districts, and thus divided the republic
can vote. Reduced by the detection OF
the Germans who are opposed to restric-
tons upon liquor selling, and opposed on
the other extreme by the radical temper
ance men, the republicans were compelled
10 fight a losing battle. The democrats
owe to this their increased majority on
the State ticket, also without doubt the
gain which they have made in members OF
Congress. The result agrees with the
predictions of Pendleton Of reputation
notoriety, who was reported by an inter-
viewer Of the Chicago Inter-Union as say
ing before election: I'VE have got the
republicans on the hip. They have killed
themselves by making temperance an
"issue."
In Indiana there was an Independent
ticket In the field. which drew all its sup
port from the republican party. The cur
rency question was the element of great
est disturbance, and of course the repub-
Ncans suffered most by 1t. Congress and
the President being held responsible for
too much or too little currency, as individ-
uals happened to feel about the matter.
Whether the republicans have a majority
Of the legislature as first reported admits
of doubt.
The calculations of the republicans con-
coded gains in both these States. The
elements were too much mixed, there
were too many side issues brought to bear
against the republicans, to allow a square
and honest party vote, and so the democ-
racy are temporary gamers in the result.
The Presidential election will straighten
party lines and retrieve the republican
losses of Tuesday.
Iowa has exceeded the hopes of the re-
publicans. 1t was considered almost GER
tain that we should lose two members of
Congress in that State. but the entire del
egation is republican, and the republican
State ticket is elected by the customary
large majority. The disorganizing ele-
ments were active in the State. but the re-
publicans were wiser than to be led into
any of the traps set for them.
Nebraska we have carried triumphantly.
NC VlCIOEy mSuICS u iCPuoiSah
United States Senator in place of the lib
eral Upton, now holding the seat.
Dakota elects a republican delegate to
Congress instead of a democrat.
The returns from West Virginia do not
settle the result in that State. Only one
regular republican was in nomination for
Congress.
The vote in Arkansas was for State Off
GERS and upon the adoption of the new
constitution. The republicans abstained
from voting. denying the authority of the
constitutional convention, and SO the con-
servatives. as they are called, had the
election all to themselves.
More complete returns will be necessa-
~ before the result in many COMPRESSION
al districts can be accurately determined.
The democrats have without doubt made
a small gain in Congressman, but the vic.
tory such as it is is feeble, and will
strengthen the republican organization in
future contests.