New-York tribune., 1878-11-23
BOW To IyFLEENCE VOTERS.

10S electoral votes the latest clccllOnS ledNe
the balance of power with the GreenOack
faction. In all these States the Republican
nartv had a plurality. If three tickets were
in the field, and the votes were divided as a1
the last election, all these States would choose
Republican electors. But 1t would De Ioily
not to take into consideration the 1acJ thaI
the votes will not be so divided at future
election. for the Greenback strength VIII either
increase or melt away; it will either be sue
cessfuIlv united with the Democratic vote
and cease to exist as n separate 1orce' OF
will gather to itself a large part ol 'ila'
vote and become the chief opposition to
the Republican party. Whether one result
or the other shall come to pass, VIII dcpehu
mainly upon the degree of vigor ana hdeh'S
with which the Republican party performs
its duty. As matters now stand, that party
is in a minority in Maine, Connecticut, New
York. PENNSYLVANIA, New-Jersey, Michigan,
Illinois and Wisconsin, and has but slender
and insignificant majority IN Iowa over the
Democratic and Greenback vote combined.
It ought to have, and can unquestionably Sc
cnre n majority in all these States, but IL
will make a fatal mistake If 1t supp0ses tlat
the work is already done which 1t has yet
to do.
Taking those votes in each State which ap-
near to indicate most correctly the division OF
parties, we find that 3,173,OOO votes III the
nine States named were divided as follows ::
Republican, 1,475,0O0; Democratic, l,24I-
600 Greenback 451, 900. But the GreenDack
vote is really little larger, because all the
votes cast for Smith of New-Jerscy ana
Wright of Pennsylvania are here counted as
Democratic votes. More than 10 per cent OF
the whole vote cast was for the GreenDack
candidates. The Democratic and Green
back vote together exceeds the Republlcah
vote i'm each of the States, and by Z2i'-
600 in the aggregate. 1t ls certain that
the entire Democratic and GTeenback vote
can never be united, but the Democrats could
lose over 100000 hard-money men by the
union. or about one in twelve of their whole
number, and still have majority OF votes
and secure enough electors to make their
success in the Presidential election qul'e GER
tain. The vital questions, therefore, are
these: Can the Republicans secure larger
proportion of the honest-money Democrats,
in event of such "a coalition. or recall by faith
ful teaching of truth those Republicans who
have been drawn away to the worship OF
false gods.
II is believed by many that any coalition OF
Democratic and Grccnback forces Is imprac-
ticable, but the election returns give differ
ent impression. More than twO-thirds OF the
Grecnback votes were cast by fOmo~ Demo
Gratis. A careful analysis, based upon the
best information attainablc at this time, leads
L. 81. IL. I,1 ont nf II Elll t,rppnhack
votes, about 149.5OO were cast by former
Republicans and 100000 by former Demo
Gratis independently Of the congeniality OF
opinions on the money question, the majority
of the Grcenback voters would naturally
favor an alliance with the party to which
they were formerly attached. But the pre-
yailing opinions of these parties are 30 con-
genial that 1t is a palpable waste OF opportunl-
ties for them to divide The tendency, alter
resumption has been accomplished, Will be
even stronger than il has been hitherto to con-
solidate all enemies of the public credit, all
foes of the National banking system, all fam
ishcd spectators who long for cheap money,
and all believers in fiat money, i'll one compact
array.
These facts teach that the Republican party
must expect overwhelming defeat unless it does
two things:
|. 1t must deserve the confidence OF all
friends of honest money and public faith, by
strict fidelity to every National obligation.
III. 1t must make earnest and systematic
efforts to inform voters upon financial ques-
tOns.
If the Republican party should hesitate or
palter, it would certainly fail to get the con-
fidence or support of the sincere and uncOm-
promising hard-mOney men among the Demo
Gratis, and would at the same time encourage
the spread of soft-moDss heresics among its
own members. But Iigid fidelity in action
is not enough The Republican party did
not come into existence without pa
tieDt and long-continued effort to inform
and arouse public opinion. 1t cannot hope
to continue existence, If it leaves prcva-
lent errors to pass uuchallcngcd. suffers the
grossest errors to spread without resistance,
and tries to shirk the discussion of financial
questions wherever the heresies have gained
a footing. The work Of education, moreover.
cannot safely be left until after a political
campaign has aroused the prejudices, interests
and passions of men.
The most effective of all agencies for COM
batting error is the press. If the Republican
party would cause TIE TRIBUNE to be sup
piled now to 1O0, 900 voters who are in doubt us
to their duty, or are misled by financial errors,
it might rest assured that ii would not have
much occasion to spend money in "A costly and
heated canvass in 1880, in order to insure
it's success and the triumph of the public
faith,