Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-07-18
If, without disrespect to The National party

III, without diSrespect to The National party.
1t may be compared in ' ew of its relative
size and order of development, with the tail
OF an imaginary dog whose body is made I'D of
The other political organizations, doubt NAV
properly be suggested as to the correctness of
DundTeary's conclusion that a dog must wag
his tail, because the tail can't wag the dog
The latter operation seems to have been sue
cesSfully performed in California, and not a
lew other states are anxiously waiting to be
assured that they shall not witness a similar
performance within their own boundaries.
An interesting fight may be expected in Mass
achuSetiS, If General Butler, who manages to
see good deal in his ODlique glanceS through
the political gTindStOne, has not lost his
shrewdnesS, and entirely miScalculated the
strength of the Massachusetts Nationals The
General would take great pleasure in holding
the balance of power in his state and in
debating the way in which its offices and
hOnOrs should be divided. In PENNSYLVANIA
there is delightful uncertainty in the politi-
cal struggle. The election of perhaps half a
dozen Congressman apiece by the two leading
parties may be counted on as certain but in a
majority OF the twenty-seven districts the re-
suit is doubtful. This chaotic condition of
affairs, together with the hot weather. is eX-
pected to cause an alarming mortality among
the Pennsylvania political prophets. Candi-
dates, also, will be in distracted state of mind
until the drawings are made in this grand
political lottery. The figuring in regard to
IuZerne county, whose vote is put down. lust
now, as the factor which will decide the con.
test, will give an idea OF the data from which
calculations as to the result must be derived.
In 1872 with a total vote of 26,77I, the demo-
cratic majority was 2,O92; this majority de-
creased In 1878 and increased in 1876 In 1877 out
OF a total vote OF 20,3gS the democrats obtained
only AIS, the republican vote being 6, i05 and
The Nationals sweeping the districts with li,575,
AS this result may be changed at the next cleo
ton by the ballots of more than ten thousand
registered voters in the county who failed to
get to the polls last year, and as The most con-
Trajectory estimates of the strength that the
nationals have retained are made, it may
safely be asserted that it is impossible to de-
termine what will happen at the polls of Luz
zerne county next autumn. And if, as assert
ed, the result of the Pennsylvania election
depends on the decision of this county, We
must hrmiy refuse 10 point out the next gov
ernOr of that state. In both Ohio and Indiana
the managers of the two great parties have
gone "a wOOing' to the national party and it
is not yet evident which is the favored sutton.
In New York, too, it has been seen that proml-
nent state officials are not Indifferent to the
new conner among political organizations, and
the nationals of that state may congratulate
themselves that they have at least made many
politicians decidedly uncomfortable. But
II is unnecessary to multiply instances
where the growth of the new party is spread
ing CONSERVATION. The avoidance by the ma
tionals as party of the errors into which
there is danger that they will be led by some
shouting demagogues Will make the fears of
the old parties well founded; and it is this
alone which will cause the increase of the new
party to be other than mushroom growth like
that of other political organizations which
have temporarily cut figure in the history of
this country, and quickly passed away.