Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-10-17
Last Weeks Elections.

As we stated last week the recent elections
resulted in the success of the Republicans
in Iowa, by about the usual majority, while
in Ohio the democrats have achieved sub
stantial and unusual triumph, by majority
the precise magnitude of which we are wait
ing quite philosophically to learn. For the
last ten years Ohio has been doubtful
state in the off years, carried sometimes 10y
one party, sometimes by the other. 1t seems
to be on these off years that the voters OF
the state indulge in their little festivities
which lead them all up to the proper voting
point al Presidential elections, when they
are always sure and steadfast for the Repub
lican principles and candidates
1t is useless however, to deny that this
result is disheartening to those Republicans
who have believed in the course. pursued by
President Hayes, and had hoped for vic
tory in his own state. The causes Of this
reverse are, however, tolerably plain. 1t is
clear that the movement of the workingmen
added very serious complication to the
election. The natural presumption would
be that such demonstration would divert
from the democratic party at least as much
as from the Republican party. But in Gin
cinnati it seems to have drawn very much
more from the latter than from the former
and to have cost defeat at the very point
where the Republicans counted on success
The one unwelcome truth which stands out
too plainly to be disguised is that the Re
publicans suffer heavy losses in the very cita
del of Republican strengthen the st. Law
renee of Ohio, the faithful Western reserve
which has always been true from the very
beginning of the struggle for freedom.
The fact is the unwise treatment of the
labor question in the Republican platform
of that state, as well as the injudicous ut
terances of the Republican nominee fol
governor upon the same subject, had thor
oughly disguised the better element of the
party in that state as was evinced by the un
precedented staying at home of the Repub
lican voters on election day. They would
not vote the democratic ticket, and they
could not stomach such nonsense so they
stayed away from the polls, and thus rebuked
such demagogery. 1t is the last time We
trust, the Republican voters of any state
will be called upon to repudiate such dose
Then, too there were five tickets in the
field-the Republican, democratic, radica
workingmen, greenback and prohibition
each of which received liberal slice from
the Republican ranks. The decentralization
of public sentiment in Ohio upon the cur
rency question is another cause for which q
majority of the leading politicians on botl
sides are responsible. Two years ago Gen
eral Hayes was elected governor of Ohio
after campaign of remarkable vigor. But
the Republicans had no demagogism il
their platform and little in their speeches
They made square, manly fight for sount
doctrine, and had the warm sympathy, es
pecially on specie resumption of the part,
elsewhere. The letting down has been mos
astonishing. The silver mania has be
devilled the whole state. But the devotee
of folly knew that the Republican party wa
at heart insincere in its favor to error, Will,
the sounder Republicans must have been dis
gusted with the attempt to conciliate thu
heresy. If anything is to be made by har
boring demagogism, the democrats are sur
to make it. Competition is useless
As it is, we have lost a Republican Sen
ator, when the Senate stands so nearly tie,
that every vote is sadly needed to veto tn
foolish and partisan legislation which tn
democratic House of Representatives vii
undoubtedly indulge in. This is a seriou
loss, and the only consolation we can deriv
from it is that the party will be relieves
from the load which Stanley Matthews ha
proved to be to the party during his brie
sojourn in the Senate, It's an i'll wind tina
blows nobody good.
OF course the opponents of the President
policy will claim that the result is stag
gering blow to his policy. We do not be
lieve this is so. 1t is most probable that tn
state could have been carried more easl
than it was two years ago by similar mani
fight. If Ohio was doomed to an apparen
acquiescence in financial heresy and con
munistic nonsense, it is better that it be don
in the name of the sham democracy. If tn
lesson shall prove effectual to prevent an
more such fooling, perhaps it is worth all
has cost.