St. Landry democrat., 1880-05-01
The Presidential Outlook.
New Orleans Democrat.

Tt is the part of wisdom to measure
the strength of our enemy and to un-
derstand the nature of the ground upon
which we stand. While we are far from
desiring to dispirit any Democrat, In
view of the present outlook, we are
equally opposed to uttering any sentl-
ment which would tend to create too
much confidence i'll our success in No
vember next. 1t may as well, then, be
understood that the electoral system,
and the practice which has grown up
under it of States casting solid votes for
President, will make against the Dem
ocracy this year. This is proven by the
fact that at last elections held the Dem
ocrats had majorities in each of the
Southern States and also i'll Oregon,
with total of 141 votes and pluralities
in New jersey and Indiana, with twenty
four votes more, making a Democratic
strength of 1855 votes. The Repu blicans
| had at last elections majorities in Colo
| RADIO, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Mi
cligan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada,
New hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
Vermont and Wisconsin, with 1875 votes,
and plnralities in California, Connect
cut, Illinois, Maine, New York and
| Rhode Island, with Stvtnty-nlne votes,
making IL total Of 204. The ratio then
on a plurality basis is equal to about
nine Democrats to eleven Republicans.
| But if 10y any combination OF political
elements, parties should be compelled
! to choose electors 10y ma jOrtieS, the
| Democrats would be reduced to 141 and
The Republicans to 1875, and the ratio
would be something like twenty eight
| Democrats To twenty-five Republicans.
But it should not be forgotten that of
the al Democratic votes, only three
! Chose of Oregon) are doubtful while of
the 1876 Republicans votes, those Of New
| Hampshire, Massachusetts, Ohio and
| Colorado (43,) are very doubtful. Then
with majorltits necessary to elect, the
Democrats start with 1873 assured votes
and the Republicans with eighty-two,
the ratio being about as five Democrats
to three Republicans.
Therefore Il union of opposition ele-
ments is something that should engage
general attention at this time, for such
a union cannot fail to drive the Repub-
licans from power. The chief elements
opposing the Republicans are the Dem
ocrats and the Greenbackers. The
latter have not less than 100000 votes,
and they hold the balance of power in
Maine, Connecticut, New York, New
Jersey, Indiana and Illinois, with ninety
three votes. 1t shold not be forgotten,
in this connection, that the Abolitionists
cast only 1900 votes in 1874, of which
they had 1872 in New York, which was
the pivotal State, and the Abolitionists
holding the balance of power in that
State they turned the scale. And in
1913 the $4,000 Freesoil voters in Con-
necticut and Massachusetts could have
given those States to Cass, and that
would have made a tie, and the House
then being Democratic, Cass would
have been elected.
With these facts before us, the three
quarters of million Greenback voters
are not to be dispised. Their influence
on the politics of the country is felt in
the Seventh District of Indiana, repre-
scented by Mr.. De La Matyr, who was
elected by a fusion of Democrats and
Greenbackers. Without such fusion the
Republicans would have to-day a ma
jority of the Indiana delegation, and
twenty States on a vote 10y the House
for President. Fusion between oppo-
sition elements in Michigan, reduced
, 1876, to 5000, in 1879. Fusion beat the
, Republicans out of one Representative
in Congress from Connecticut, two from
Iowa, one from Maine, one from New
Jersey aud one from Vermont.
Undoubtedly the Democrats, by pro-
per efforts, can secure the votes of all
Greenbackers of Democratic anteced-
| ents, besides many old line Republicans
: who have been cooperating with the
Greenback party. The Greenbackers
know that all against which they are
fighting is the result of Republican
legislation, and from the Democrats
only have they received any sympathy
7 or countenance whatever. They may
fuse with the Democrats, but not with
, the Republicans.
: Itrests with the Cincinnati convention
! to devise some means by which all the
opposition to the Republicans may be
united against the party in power. We
have written SO much only to show that
, with fusion of opposition elements
t the power of the Republicans may be
) easily broken, white a divided opposi-
ton gives the Republicans great ad-
} vantage.