Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1882-04-14
The Western Elections.

Hard upon the tidal wave" of Demo-
cratic gains in the rural districts of the
State of New York, which we chroniclcd
few weeks ago, came a similar and a
very decided manifestation from the cleo
tions in Ohio, Michigan, Iowa and Indiana
on Monday of last week. When one year
ago, the Republicans in Cincinnati were
beaten, it was said to be due to failure
of the Legislature to pass law restricting
the liquor Iraffic and now that they have
been beaten again, by double the majority
of the previous occasion, the defeat is
charged upon the enactment of just such
a law, which has been done in the mean
time In Cleveland the Republican ma
iority Of 5000 last year, has been replaced
by a Democratic majority of from 600 to
1000. Columbus shows similar results ;
and Toledo went Democratic by major
ity of 1900, and Dayton by 400 In Keo-
kuk and Dubuque, Iowa, the ely election
resulted in giving political control to he
Democrats. In the latter city. the Demo
Gratis. for the first time in twenty years
elected every alderman. In Indianapolis
the German and negr" vote is reported to
have been nearly solid'y Democratic. In
Richmond, Ind. a Democratic official
was elected for the first time since
the organization of the Republican party
A number of towns in Michigan swell the
list Of Democratic victories. Among the
number are Lansing, Marshall. Ann Arbor
Ypsilanti, Niles, Grand Rapids and East
Saginaw.
| The Baltimore San, always cautious, in
commenting on this result, said: The
signs afforded by 'otf years are apt to be
delusive. Still the murmurs of The Pacific
coast with regard to Chinese immigra' ion
and of the Mississippi valley with regard
to neglected economic reforms, cause every
incident to be ec'ed of being the straw
which shows the direction of the wind
The ''off years" have always heretofore
been a topic Of numerous indifference TO
the Republican manipulators. They have
always jocularly conceded Democratic
gains in these years; but it is apparent
everywhere that the recent portentous
manifestations have net been regarded
with indifference, but have carried con
sternation among the organized rascality
The point of their joke about 'off years,
in years gone by, has been thai, when the
national elections came around. they had
the Federal treasury to draw upon, 10y
means of the "spoils system" But the
point of that joke is now effectually blunt
ed by the uncompromising fac'ional an
tagonism in their own ranks, which has
grown out of the 'spoils system" Tn,
distribution of spoils now, going Us il
does exclusively to one faction of the par
ty, is only means ofincreased discomfort
So that another tidal wave may be look.
ed for in the congressional elections mex
fall, and the complete restoration Of thC
Government to Democratic control may
be reasonably expected to follow in 1884
1t has. indeed, always been an enigma
to US, that the great agricultural West
should so blindly antagonize lis true in.
teress by a continued support of the par
ty of prohibitory tariffs. 1t has always
appeared TO US exceedingly difficult to IN,
derstand why that section Of the country
whose chief and almost sole industry is
agriculture. should continue blindly 10
follow political organization whose chief
and favorite policy is to levy ran onerous
tax upon the agriculturist and consumer,
through the medium Of prohihitory tar
if upon imported articles and thus create
monopolies in favor OF few rich and pow
erful manufa curing corporations in the
Eastern States, under the fimsy and false
pretense of protecting American labor
This result has only been accomplished hy
a judieious distribution Of spoils
and the skilltully promulgated de
fusion that the Democratic party is the
party of disuaion. Now that the former
of these methods is no longer available.
and the latter term has lost its force, it is
but natural to expect The West to restore
its allegiance to the party which has ever
been the foe of monopolies and the friend
of the masses, and which, alone, promul-
gates doctrines and pursues policies OF a
truly national character.