The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-06

Inc democrats won IN Connectcut yester-
day what will pass in their PARTY organs for
q great victory They have elected their
State ticket, majority of the Legislature and
three Of the four Congressman. Barnum
(democrat) is reelected In the Fourth dis
trict Hawley republican, defeated in
the First and Kellogg republican, de-
feated in the second Stsrkweather in the
third district being the only republican Con-
gresham elected The democratic majority
on the State ticket is somewhat smaller than
ii was year ago. The gain of Congressman
does not count as compared with the election
4 Of last year when members of Congress
were not chosen. Two years ago, when
members Of the Forty-third Congress
were elected in Connecticut, the reaction
set in, and a comparison of the Congressional
vote throws no light on the question whether
the political current continues to move in the
same direction and with the same force as it
did in the surprising revolution which cleo
trifed the country last autumn. In the spring
Of 1873 President Grant had just been inaugu-
rated q second time, after a triumphant
ing under the great Greeley defeat, was in
state of prostration; business seemed pros
porous, the panic not occurring until nearly
six months later, and the republicans had ac-
cordingly every advantage in the April cleo
ton that year in Connecticut A gain of
Congressman now, under circumstances SO DIFF
ferent, proves nothing respecting the state Of
public feeling in 1875 as compared with 1874.
1t is only by gains or losses between this
year and last that anything can safely be in
ferred as TO the growth or decline of parties
and the present drift Of political sentiment.
AL comparisons are idle except those founded
on the vote Of 1874, when no Congressman
were elected We must compare State ticket
with State ticket, and 1875 with 1874, to find
whether the Connecticut democracy is IN a
state Of progress or decay.
It appears by the returns thus far received
that the democratic party very nearly holds
its own as compared with last year Eighty
one towns which last year gave Ingersoll q
plurality Of 1908 over his republican COM
pesitor give him this year plurality Of
1854, and if this ratio prevails through
the State the democratic loss from last
year is not serious. There is
much fuller vote than in 1874, but the gains
By both parties are nearly equal. In the
eIghty-one towns already referred to the
increase OF the democratic vote is 2,27S,
and the increase of the republican vote
2,507-a neck-and-neck race so far as
mere gains are concerned According to
the natural progress Of political rev.
olutions the democratic party should
have made great gains instead of trifing
losses. The splendid victories in other States
last year ought to have helped them; the
recent military interference with the Louisiana
Legislature should have brought them adj
ditional votes: the republican blunder Of run
ming servile supporter Of Grant for the Gov
ernorship gave them an advantage which
ought to have increased their majority And
yet, instead Of gaining thousands, they
have not held their majority Of last
year. They stand where they did, or rather
not quite as well as they did, one year ago,
when the "tidal wave had scarcely begun
to move. They are entitled to rejoice over
the defeat Of Hawley and Kellogg for Con-
gress, but that is only a gain as compared
with the spring Of 1873, when the republican
party had just elected President and was in
the full tide Of undiminished success.
The arrest Of democratic gains in the
opening elections Of tbs year is fortunate for
the party-fortunate, we mean, if il shall
have the good sense to accept the valuable
lesson it teaches. The democratic party
has been under a hallucination as to the
causes Of its great victories last year.
The checks to its progress, first in New
Hampshire and now ia slighter degree in
Connecticut, ought to dispel illusions. The
mistake has consisted il attributing last years
successes 10 a reaction in the public mind in
favor of that type Of democracy known
as Bourhonism, which learns nothing
and forgets nothing The republicans who
assisted tie democracy last year BY staying
sullenly away from the polls. o. who strength
ened Il by voting Tor the democratic candi-
dates. did not renounce, and never meant to
be understood a. renouncing, any principle
for which they commended during the war o.
tie great reconstruction controversy which
absorbed public attention for the ensu-
iI8 nft VI NA3 gtnArs IL NbAlbS
for democratic candidate last year, or
in giving them indirect support ~
declining 10 vote, the dIssffected republicans
still ''kepi the faith to which they were
pledged by their sntecedents. The direct
support of the democracy BY some Of them
and the indirect support BY others had
double object. TWAS one part Of their inten-
tion ID give warning to the republican
party aud teach it the necessity Of
reforming abuses If il expected to
retain il hold On the country. This
vas the view Of those republicans who
simply abstained from voting. The other
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