, 1875-11-24
THE HERALD ON THE RESULT
OF THE LATE STATE ELEC-
TIONS IN THE UNITED
STATES.

The elections which took place yester-
day end Now prove that the so-called
tidal wave" has been arrested and that
the democratic party is not 50 strong IN
the country to-day as it was one year ago.
In the October elections the democracy
gained nothing and lost Ohio. In the
November elections it has lost Pennsylva-
MIA it has lost Massachusetts; it has
lost quite a proportion OF its strength IN
New York The returns leave no doubt
that the democratic State ticket is elected,
but the majority is so much reduced that
the victory can justify no eXultation An
other such victory, another victory at an
equal cost If democratic votes, would
leave the party powerless, even in New
York. The new Senate vii shave a re-
publican majority, and If the Assembly Is
democratic it will Sbe by SO narrow a
margin that the party will be crippled
and humillated.' Il is something to have
saved the State ticket, but this cleo ion
shows that the democratic party has no
such secure hold of the State that 1t may
not lose 1t next year.
A broad survey Of the political field In
the light of these elections is not necessa-
rily discouraging to the democrats, al
though it bctokens a closer Presidential
contest than the democratic party would
have had any reason to fear If it had kept
all the States it won last year. The re-
lapse of Massachusetts is OF little conse-
quence. Governor Gaston's election one
year ago having been merely a surprising
accident, Of which a repetition could not
have been expected in so strong a repubIl-
can State. But the loss of the two great
States, Ohio and Pennsylvania, is a more
serious master. The democrats might
have entertained reasonable hopes OF hold
ing both Of these States, after having once
wrested them from the republicans. But
the. loss of Pennsylvania and Ohio makes
a great difference in the prospects OF a
political party whose opponents have a Sc
cure hold on a considerable number OF the
other States. The republicans control
States enough to enable them to elect the
next President, with the aid of New York,
aud the result of yesterdays voting is not
such as to take New York out of the list
of debatabIe States next year. The Pfesl-
Dental election will be a more equal and a
IdI ulOIC AOuUIIul COulCst GIldu II C"C NN''O
cratic party had continued to hold ali the
ground it gained in 1874.
The certainty of a close contest will
have a salutary influence on both parties,
for neither will think it safe to make bold
experiments on public feeling when a few
thousand votes in some OF the doubtful
States may turn the scale. The re-
publican party will not be SO anxious tor
President Grant nor the democratic party
to make an imitation platform, nor will
either party dare to present candidates
whose character for integrity is not impreg-
nable against all assaults. A near. APP
proach to equality in the strength OF
parties is about the best guarantee OF
good government we can have under insti-
tutions such as ours. When q political
party become SO strong that it has no rea-
500 to fear its opponents, and its nomina-
'tions are equivalent to an election without
regard TO the character of the candidates,
the gates are flung open for the entrance
Of c0fruption, The most wholesome state
Of politics in a country where universal