Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-03-10

first splash upon the shore comes with
rush and roar that reminds one of
the old times Of Republican victories
In the Keystone State. Philadelphia
was last week carried by clean sweep
and the Republicans score to their
credit and majority of $4,000 in
vote of $4,000, sixteen magistrat tes
out of twenty-four, twenty-five Select
Councilmen out Of twenty-nine, fifty.
five Common Counclmen out of sew
enty, not to mention School Directors
and Assessors in the same ratio. Lan-
caster, which was about tie last year,
elects Republican Mayor by 454 ma
jority, and the Republicans carry
nearly the entire Council and School
Board, and this in city which the
Democrats usually carry. The old
Democratic city of Reading, which
gave Democratic majority of 800
only four months ago, turns somer
saut, and comes up smiling with 300
Republican majority. Harrisburg
which has been doubtful city for a
long sime, and gave a Democratic ma
jorlty last fall, returns a Republican
majority of $50, and has broken up
the whole Democratic crowd by elect
ing seveu out of nine Select Council
men, eighteen out of twenty-one Com
mon Councilmen, six out of nine
School Directors, all of the city and
nearly all of the Ward officers. 1t
was route Of the Bourbons, horse,
foot, and dragons. Allegheny, which
was about equally divided last fall,
elects Republican Council, and Pitts
burgh also, which gave a Democratic
majority in nearly every ward in No
vember, and changed the political COM
plexion Of the Legislature. The Pitts
burg Commercial reports that the news
from New Castle, Meadville, Erie, Ii
tusville, and Wilkesbarre, and such
county seats as Allentown, Easton,
Norristown, West Chester, Lebanon.
Pottsville, and Tyrone, shows that the
Republicans Of these and other cities
and towns were wide awake and sue
cessfullY earnest IN maintaining their
local supremacy.
Now, there must be cause for this
sudden change in the state of Pennsyl-
vania. The towns reported above are
not simply Republican towns, accus-
toned year after year to cast RepubIi-
can majorlties, but some Of them are
Democratic strongholds and others
''doubtful,' and others, formerly Re-
publican, which only four months ago
gave Democratic majorities. The
cause Of the change can be discovered
The pople of Pennsylvania, like the
people of almost every other State, re
solved last year that there must be a
change. The Republican party had
to some extent, lost its hold upon the
public by reason Of the revelations
made in the investigation of Credit
! Mobillers, aubsidies, and land-grants,
and had become demoralized with But
lersm, carpet-baggery, and misrule in
the Southern States. In addition to
these, times were hard, trade was dull
a panic had extended over the country
involving widespread financial disaster,
manufactures were closed up or run
min on short time, mines were un-
worked, and there was a general want
of confidence in every business com
munity. The Democratic leaders took
advantage Of this condition of things,
and promised remedy if intrusted
with power which was to bring about
good times, tighten taxes, and pure To-
| cal Government.
The people accepted the promised
remedy for two reasons, first. that they
might apply salutary discipline to the
Republican party leaders and wipe out
the demoralizing principles of Butler
SIN, and. second, because they hoped
that the. promises held out by the
Democrats might in some degree be
fulfilled. The discipline was applied
very thoroughly, not only in Pennsyl-
vanla. bat even in Massachusetts.
The salary grabbers were everywhere
chastised; and in Common Councils,
in School Boards, in Legislatures, in
Congress, Republicans took back seats
and 'Reiormers' came to the front.
The reforms however, didn't come
The promises were not carried into eff
feet In Pennsylvania, the Reform
Legislature has done nothin It's
session Of three months has been as
fruitless Of good as that of the Illinois
"Reform', Legislature. 1t has out
ragged the public sentiment of the State
By the election Of ballot-box stuffing
politician TO the United States Sen
ate. 1t has corrected no abuses, stop
ped no Treasury leaks. retrenched no
expenditures, cut of no frauds, and
has failed to inaugurate any reform
The thousands Of Republicans in
Pennsylvania who voted the ''Reiorm"
Democratic ticket last fall are now
heartily disguised at the broken prom
ises of the Reformers and have return.
/ ed to their sGrst love - and tba <rao,,lt r