The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-06
The state Elections To-Day.

DennSylVauiii, Souncctlcut, new Jersey, IL
ginia, Maryland, Wisconsin, Kansas, Mime
sofa, Nebraska and Mississippi. 1t would be
bewildering to follow such multitude in
minute detail, nor is there any reason why
readers should be tired with particular
discussion of transient phases of politics
which have only local interest. Except to
the citizens of each State it's politics mean
nothing beyond its own boundaries unless
they have an obvious bearing on tho general
politics Of the Union. We may therefore
lay out Of view, as intelligent read
crs will in perusing the election re-
turns, the greater part Of these twelve
States. Mere statistical details relating to
the ordinary course of elections in distant
States are ''as dry rs the remainder biscuit
after a voyage" and should be left to local
journals which address the limited public,
which alone takes any interest in them.
We accordingly pass with bare mention
the States whose elections have no national
bearing or significance. In Connecticut,
New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia and Mis-
sissippi it is so much o matter of course
that the democrats will elect their tickets
that q New York journal would put the
patience Of its readers to q needless
test by recital Of the names of
men who are running for local Offices and
by description of petty features which
would bore readers who are not residents of
those States. The same remark applies
with equal force to local elections in States
like Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas,
where the success of the republicans is be-
yond question. There are but three of the
twelve States in which elections are held to-
day where the results can be Of national
significance. These three are New York,
Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. We will
bestow hasty glance upon these in the
order in which we have just named them.
In all Of them the broad interest Of the re-
suit, beyond their own limits, lies in their
bearing on the question whether the policy
Of President Hayes is Endorsed by the
people and by his own party.
To begin. then, with New York There
is no other State in which tho policy Of the
President has been SO contomptuously
fouted by his own party as it was in the.
Republican State Convention at Rochester.
After that strange performance there is no
reason why Mr.. Hayes should feel that tho
credit Of his administration is in any degree
staked on the result Of the New York cleo
ton. The State did not support him last
year, but gave Mr.. Tilden majority Of more
than thirty thousand. Even if the Presi-
dent had been strongly Endorsed at Roches-
ter there is no reason why he should be
mortified by repetition Of that democratic
victory To have lost his own State of
Ohio, which gave him majority in
the Presidential election, was, no doubt,
keenly felt as a personal and political
humiliation, but for New York to 60 now as
it went last year need not hurt Mr. Hayes
pride or sensitiveness. even if Senator
Conkling had permitted him to be Endorsed
by the State Convention of his own party.
But, considering how strangely the Roches-
ter Convention acted, we do not see that
President Hayes has any interest in the re-
suit of the New York election. An indorse-
ment of Conkling would be o plain con-
demnation OF the President, but, on the
other hand, democratic success cannot
ried by more than four times hts own ma
jority in Ohio. The republican vote
of the State may fall of, but the dem
ocratic vote will also fall of, both
parties losing by the lack of interest
in an unimportant election. If there
should be q larger proportional decline in
the republican than in the democratic vote
it might be accounted for either on the
ground of republican dissatisfaction with
the Presidents policy or as an expression Of
republican disgust at the insulting attitude
of the Rochester Convention toward Presi- |
dent Hayes. The last Of these two explana-
tons will be thought quite as plausible as
the first. and we do not see that Mr.. Hayes
needs to concern himself about the result Of
the New York election. There is almost q |
certainty that the democrats will elect their
State ticket but their prospect is not nearly
so good for securing the Legislature. Al
though the Tilden electoral ticket last wear
had a majority of 32,73s the republicans
elected handsome majority of the Assembly.
The State is SO districted that the democrats
have not q fair chance to elect the Lcgisla-
! ture. Since the State census OF 1865 New
York, Brooklyn and other democratic
ssrongholds have gained largely in popula-
ton, and just reapportionment, according
to the census Of 1875, should give them as
good a chance to elect q Legislature as to
elect State candidates. But the republi-
cans have for two years inexc usably neg
lected to reapportion the State, and tho
democrats are under great and unjust dis
advantage in voting for members of the
Legislature. II is altogether more impor-
tant for the democratic party of the
State to elect the Legislature this
year and secure an honest apportion-
ment than it is TO elect their State
candidates. II they should be fortunate
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