Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-05-02
WHOLE NO. 1919.

UUU votes gave IaylOr majority @
1904 in 1873 and Mallory but LA:
10 1873. These reductions were no
caused by a light vote but were III.
results of increased ones ia boz
counties, which by all rule of polit
cal calculation should have increase
the mrjorities.
Mannitwoc county gave TAYLOR ,
majority of 1884 in 1873. and Nal
lory cut SOC in 1877.
Sheboygan's majority 1881 for
Taylor in 1873, was completely
wiped out and in 1877 the republi.
cans carried the county on the CUB
ernatorial ticket by 139 votes.
To the foregoing list OF representa-
tive democratic counties with Ger.
man population 1 add the republican
county of Sank in which democrat
ic ticket was never elected. Here
the republican majority was increas
ed from 435 in 1873 to 9O4 in 1877
on substantially the same number OF
votes polled. The result was every
where the same. Local causes in a
few instances afforded exceptions
but the rule was proven tcat the
German voters 10 Wisconsin wei ip
favor OF speedy return to specs
payment and were opposed to any
extension of the time already fixed
by law for that purpose. Their ad .
aerence to the democratic party had
been grounded on principle, trusting
to its past record as hard money
party. The Fond du Lac platform
was considered fraud aud an out
rageous imposition. 1t assumed
that they had either been knaves or
fools,a they resented it according.
ly. L. was the hot, honest indigna-
tlon of men who felt they were be.
ing trified with, and steps were i'm.
m ediately taken to give this convic.
tion expression at the polls. Some
voted the ticket under protest, pre-
ferring Judge Mallory to Mr.. Smith
and disregarding the platforms of
both parties. A very considerable
number lost all interest in the car.
vass, and could not be induced n
vote at ell. In some localities not
few openly voted the republican
ticket AZ the most effective way to
accomplish their purpose.
The Irish were q trifle more par.
tisan. On them the effect of partv
discipline was always visible. Elk.
cept on local candidates they we're
not 90 ready to vote. Many of them
denounced the greenback platform
as loudly as the Germans, but their
hatred OF the republican party was
such that on election day they gen.
orally deposited straight" ticket.
Consequently in counties having
large Irish populations the MAORI
ties were about the same as four
years before.
Crawford county would seem to be
rather exceptional, the democratic
majority of All in 1873 dropping to
2O2 in 1877, but this was probably
due to the Franco-German detection
than to o loss 10 the Irish
vote.
l few towns in Iowa, La Fayette
and Calumet counties showed soma
changes traceable to no other cause.
but in the main the Irish vote of the
state was cast for the democratic
candidates, in spite of their obiec-
ion to the Fond dn Lac platform.
The facts worth remembering
shown by the figures are these.
| Wisconsin is naturally repub-
ican state. but prior to 1877 the re-
publican majori,ies were, on the av-
arage, being steadily and sensibly
reduced.
2. The German voters of the state
are committed by political education
and past action to the policy of specie
resumption. and unalterably opposed
20 any irredeemable paper currency.
3. That the abandonment of it's
nard-money principles by the demo-
cratic party in state convention at
Fond du Lac alienated the German
vote of the state and cost that party
of votes at the last cleo.
lion.
4 That as this element of German
'uffragists holds the balance of pow
,r In Wisconsin with an ample mar
gin for all local side-issues which are
likely 10 arise, 10 combination of
'greenbackers" and democrats can
carry the elections in this state for
many years TO come.