The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-03-11
The New Hampshire Election -
Checx and Warning to the De-
mocrncy.

| mocracy.
The complexion of the news as given by
later reports is somewhat different from the
first returns published yesterday. 1t is toler-
| ably certain that there is no election Of
Governor by the people; but there is no
room tor doubt that Cheney, the repub-
l,can candidate, has conc considerably
nearer to an absolute majority this
year than Weston, the democratic candidate,
did last year. Instead of new gains the dem
ocratic party has experienced losses In the
opening election of the year. This untoward
result is in spite OF great advantages 1t is
the tendency of political revolution TO in
crease in strength as rivers broaden in their
onward flow, unless the causes to which the
revolution is attributed cease to operate. But
is it the democratic sentiment that the repub-
ican party has amended within the last
year? On the contrary, the democratic
organs have been daily avowing that
it has gone on from bad to worse,
constantly doing things which should more
and more ALLEVIATE the respect and undermine
tho confidence of the country From demo-
cratic point of view-and, indeed, from
every correct point Of view-the action of
the beginning of the late session have out
stripped and overtopped all the preceding
blunders of the administration party. The
'banditti'' policy in Louisiana and the bold
military interference with its Legislature
reused general indignation, and eminent re-
publicans, Like MIR. Bryant and Mr.. Evarts,
came before great public meetings to de-
nounce it. The Force bill, which passed the
House and failed in the Senate only because
the democrats stood ready to defeat the APP
preparation bills by filibustering against it,
and which would have been signed by the
President, who unequivocally favored it, is a
bad measure, to which the party stood COM
mitted, and which the democratic press has
held up to public odium as subverting
the most sacred principles of the
constitution, should naturally have dam
aged the republican party. We will not
proceed with the list of recent republican mis-
deeds against which the democratic party has
sought to rouse and agitate the country.
Judging from the tone Of its newspapers, the
republican malversations since the meeting of
Congress ought to have given new and irre-'
sstble impetus to the great political revolution
set in motion last year.
Even apart from these fresh topics of denun-
citation, the reaction should have gathered in
creasing strength. The effect of great party
victories on subsequent elections is, perhaps,
TIN most strongly marked feature in our poll
tics. The overwhelming democratic successes
in the autumn elections last year should
naturally have borne fruit and have made splen-
did democratic triumphs this year COMPARE
lively easy. Now, how are we to explain the
extraordinary. the almost enigmatical fact
that with all these great advantages in its
favor, the democratic party has lost ground in
the opening election of the present year? How
does it happen that a rising party, with every
element OF success apparently in its favor, has
forfeited such magnificent chances?
The explanation is not difficult In places
where the democratic party has gained power
it has not made a wise use of it. When the
country has become dissatisfied with one
party it is disposed to give Its rival O chance.
But if that rival has character to redeem the
people watch it with sleepless vigilance. They
do not wish to Jump out of the frying pan
into the fire. When the democratic party
got control of the New Hampshire State gov
eminent last year they acted in the narrowest
spirit of debased politicians. The action of
their Legislature last June was public scam
dial. When party acquires power only to
abuse it it justly forfeits every title to public
confidence The uses which the democracy
have made of their ascendancy in other States
has not inspired respect. Even here in New
York, where the party won its greatest tri-
umph, it has not satisfied public expectation.
The people do not see that they are
better off under Governor Tilden and
Mayor Wickham than they were under
Governor Dix and Mayor Havemeyer
There is no improvement either in the State
government or the city government. TIE
State Executive and city Executive go. once
into muddle and are so at loggerheads as to
create a notorious deadlock between Albany
and New York which turns the '.home rule''
OF their platform INTO derision. The Gov
ernor refuses to approve the Mayors removal
of Corporation Counsel Smith because he
wishes to control the appointment of Mr..
Smiths successor-a matter in which the law
gives him no shadow of authority to inter-
NEEDLE. The Mayor wants to gel rid of
Comptroller Green, but the Governor fears
that his consent would injure his Presidential
prospects, and ''home rule" in this city is
made subordinate to the national campaign Of
1876 The Mayor gets chance to make an
independent appointment by the resignation
of Commissioner Van Mort and he illustrates
his singular devotion to the principle OF "home
rule" by importing resident of New Jersey
to dispense the patronage Of the most i'm
portant Office in the city government In
stead of extending his political view
over the whole fed of national nolitics