New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-05
THE CONNECTICUT ELECTION

The Republicans of Connecticut, though de-
feated in the result of the election on Mon
day, have great reason to be encouraged nj
the success of what was really political
experiment in the State, in nominating Their
best men for office, adopting an honest and
outspoken platform, and without humbug
or clap-trap. or undue use OF money,
or of any of the artificial stimu-
lants to enthusiasm now so much III
vogue, simply asking the votes and the support
of honest men. The candidates on their State
ticket were men of the highest character. who
conferred honor instead of receiving it at the
hands Of the party, and VII? were sought by
instead of seeking the Offices for which they
were named. Their platform did not gloss
over the offenses for which the party had been
held responsible, or pay blind worship to the
powers that be; it made an end Of the nonsense
Of pointing to the past with pride, and was
content with the expression of convictions of
present duty, and q manly statement of its
purposes for the future With the action of
the State Convention in putting this ticket
and platform in the field there came an end
too-and let us hope it is fnal-to tho practice
which has for twenty years been growing
and which has become an evil of the most
alarming proportiOns-of carrying elections
by the use Of money. During these
twenty years vast sums Of money have been
spent by the successful candidate for State
honors, and the disbursements of Cows. Buck
ingham, English, and Jewell for election
purposes when they were candidates reached
figures which neither of these gentlemen would
have cared to make public as the price paid
tu oh n
question Of tho longest purse and most liberal
expenditure, and under that system the evil
grew each year, till the understanding
prevailed on both sides that to be
merely candidate for Office was luxury
only men Of the largest fortunes could afford.
This year the twenty committeeman
whose practice has been to divide among them
selves the sums contributed by or assessed
upon candidates, for the ostensible purpose of
working up the district" and who it Is gen.
orally supposed contrive to pay themselves
fairly for their time and labor out Of
the same, received barely enough to pay
| the expenses of printing, &c, which
have heretofore been the smallest items
of campaign charges. The effect of this, as
remarked in the correspondence of The
| TRIBUNE, was a lack of interest among the
party workers, and something like apathy in the
party. And yet notwithstanding this state OF
! things, and the adverse circumstance of a
stormy day to keep voters from the polls the
Republicans of Connecticut have the satisfac-
ton of seeing the majority against them re-
! duced from 6,548 last year, to between two
and three thousand on the popular vote.
So that upon the whole it may be consid-
cred as established in the first place that 1t Is
not necessary to nominate wealthy candidates
and food the State with money to bring out
the honest and intelligent Republican vote
and second, that the people of the State can
! be depended upon to recognize and respond to
| ANYTHING that seems like determined and
sincere effort to elevate the standard of
official purity, cleanse politics, and put
the best men in office. 1t should be said on
the other hand that Gov. lngersoll and his
associates on the Democratic ticket are equally
free from any imputation of having put large
sums of money into the canvass to influence
! the result in their favor. SO far as they are
concerned, any suspicion to the contrary would
be unjust. The Republicans do charge, how
eyer-with what foundation does not appear
! that ex-Gov. English did contribute very large
] sums, and that his money was used freely IN the
rural districts and the close and doubtful
towns to secure Legislature in his interest
AZ candidate for United States Senator And
| Il must be confessed that it is a singular il
not significant fact thet while the Republicans
b.vo made gaiur IN the lQrpcr cities and towns,