The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-10-05
Ii the Union was worth fighting for il is
wcrth ying for.
The October Elections,

The first of October elections has been
held, that in Colorado, and the result of it is
very encouraging to the Republicans. Bnt
it is only skirmish. A great battle is to be
fought next Tuesday, the outcome of which
will go far to indicate the political complex.
Ion OF the next House. On that day four
states, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa and West Vir-
ginia choose Congressman to the number of
forty five. Unless all political calculations
are set at naught by the growing strength of
the Nationals the proportion of members re-
turned by the Republicans and Democrats
respectively from those states will show the
relative gains made or losses suffered by each
since the fall of 1876. Iowa has now solid
Republican delegation. Indiana is represent
ed by nine Republicans and four Democrats,
Ohio by eleven Republicans and eight
Democrats, and West Virginia by three Dem
ocrats. The Democrats entertain great ex-
pectations of gains in Ohio because of the un-
just redistricting of the State in their inter-
est, but there is good reason 10 believe that
they have overreached themselves as they did
in the case of the Colorado representative, and
will lose by their wrong-doing. In Indiana
the prospect is good for Republicans. In 10.
wa the Democrats have no hope of electing
representatives, and so have merged their
identity with the Greenbackers. The West
Virginia delegation will probably remain un.
changed.
1t IS altogether improbable that the Demo.
Gratis will make material gains. Indeed the
prospect is that they will be gobbled up by
Greenbackers. Through all the West they
are surrendering their organizations and
going over bodily to the ranks of the Ma
tionals. Their intention of course is to in
jure the Republican party, and they will sue
coed as in Maine, only in committing suicide.
Their scheme of sending their people over to
the Greenbackers on errands is a complete
failure; the boys forget to return or hire out
at higher wages with the new party. 1t
would not be surprising to find the Democracy
standing third on the poll in many of the
Congressional Districts of the West For
the tendency of the party there is toward the
new organization. The majority of the
Democracy in that section of the country
sympathiza with the greenback doctrine, and
have come to believe that their leaders
are trifiing with them. So they can
easily step into line with the Nationals.
With these, those Republicans who are COM
mltted beyond recall to the soft-money
heresy will strike hands. There will be left
Tor a time small body of Straight Dsmo.
Gratis, believers in currency based on and
redeemable in coin, who must in the end
ind their place in the organization that de-
tends sound currency system. The imme-
dlate result may be reverse to the Republi.
cans, but if that org,niz ation only holds to
Its admirable position on the currency ques-
ton, it must win at last, for it appeals to the
sound common sense and discretion of the
people.
The result Of the elections this fall will be
awaited with deep interest; for if it leads
to the formation of Democratic National
solt money party, as some aspiring politicians
IN this section anticipate, it will also necessi-
tate the formation of Democratic Republi-
can hard-money party.