The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-11-02

country for months past will be set.
tied to-day, though the result may
not be known for sone time.
Whether Hancock or Garfield il
elected, the country is reasonably safe
to have su average administration;
bat there is still difference: II Gar
field is elected, he goes into the
White House with the stigma at
tsched to him that be is q man who
has been false to public trust; If be
is defeated, while many will rsgret, q
majority o! the people will feel that 3
just rebuks bes been given to q man
who had not sufficient honor 10 keep
spotless public trust repossd in him.
Should Hancock be elected, willis he
may make no better President than
Garfield, all will admit that the Char
acter of the man cannot be assailed;
if he Is defeated, a vast numbsr viii
regret that the people OF this great
country haYe go far forgotten the
teachings of their forefAthsrs as TO
reward and encourage official corruP-
ton in preference to Official integrity
and personal honor. As regards
ability, il we take the political
speeches of Garfield az a criterion,
Hancock ia head and shoulders above
him; snd he gives evidence Of one
thing sorely needed in these days,
which is executive ability, to which
Garfield can begin to lay no such
claims as bis opponent. The whole
campaign has been conducted on q
pettifogging principle, and the repub-
licans, perhaps because the generous
Associated Press agsnts have given
more Of their trash than any other,
have been guilty Of the great
est amount OF the small
est nonsense. Live issues, il
there we're any, have been
avoided. The republicans started out
with the inevitable bloody shirt, and
finding it was a failure, the southern
brigsdier general and War claims cry
wzs raised. It also fell fat, and
about two weeks before the Ohio
election the tariff question WsS raised
and has been held to with bulldog
tenacity ever since. Nothing could
be moro absurd than the position
leading republican politicians and
their small fish have taken on this
question. They cannot have believed
their own arguments;but succeeded in
Ohio in convincing unfortunate voters,
unfortunate In not having sense
enough to perceive the absnrdity Of
the doctrine, that democratic. victory
meant decreased prosperity through
a changed tariff system. The demo-
Gratis, while right, and knowing they
were right, were afraid TO speak out,
hesitsted and were punished as their
coWArdice deserved. The victory of
the republicans in Ohio and Indiana,
By these means, has given them
and made them posi-
tive of the success Of their ticket.
The result is by no means certain,
however. Republicans Of NeW York
sre now willing to content themselves
with 10000 majority, a very trifipg
amount for that state, and 8 great
citing down in the majority hereto
ore claimed; while democrats are
,fering bets that New York and New
Jersey will go for Hancock and Egg
ish, and they are lIksly to be right.
Connecticut is acknowledged to be
.lose; Nevada is almost conceded to
he democrats, while California ia
democratic beyond question. These
tates, with ell the southern states
ure for Hancock, would give the
democrats the presidency. With all
heir boasts the republicans are not
without cause for fear, cause just as
troDg as they need desire, and which
nay have the effect OF making them
olerably sick yet. However, to-day
will determine the vexed question
md set at rest, it is to be hoped, the
everish excitement which has in
reased with the approach OF the day
n which the contest will take place. |
Whichever aide wins, 1t can claim no |
.lory for itself for the manner in |
which the campaign has been con-
Iucted.