Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-04-06
The Western Elections.


Municipal elections were held in many
western towns on Monday Cincinnati elect
ed Democratic mayor by about 1, 700 ma
iority. The Republicans elected some Of the
minor officers Dayton went Democratic,
and Cleveland elected mayor Of the same
party by nearly 1000 majority. In Toledo
the Republicans elected a mayor by SO ma
iority, and the Democrats many Of the other
officers In Dubuque, Iowa, the entire Dem
ocratic ticket was elected. In Chicago the
election for mayor on Tuesday resulted in a
majority Of about 10000 for Garter Harri-
son, the Democratic candidate and present
incumbent These elections are insignificant
in themselves and they only acquire import
ance through the fact that, by a sort Of tacit
understanding between the leaders on both
sides, it was agreed to regard the result Of
the elections as a sort Of test Of the relative
strength Of the two parties With regard to
what the results show, when judged from the
standpoint of the leaders, the New York
Times speaks thus frankly and sensibly
IF the elections of the I'd inst. we're real
ly the test of strength which they are de-
scribed as being by the politicians, we might
accept them as the tumbling Of the first
brick in the line, which will be followed by
others until the Republican party is PROSTATE.
With all due regard for the Rstuteness Of
Ohio politicians, we decline to draw any such
tremendous conclusions from such slight
premises. We are perfectly willing TO con-
cede that the Ohio and other western man
ayers have been beaten in their tussle with
their Democratic rivals, and that If the sue
oapp ~ vofiora1 IQaruilioa r,farn dnnnndnd ttra-
on them and their tactics for the next year
and a half its prospect would be gloomy
enough. But it does not depend upon them
or on men like them. It depends upon the
great body Of Republican voters throughout
the country upon their sincerity courage,
energy, and good sense upon their capacity
to see the situation Of the country as it real
ly is and to Join in sustaining national
policy which shall be broad enough, explicit
enough, and sufficiently vital to command
the confidence Of the majority Of the Amer
lean people. II the mass Of the Republicans
still believe that their party can be made the
best instrument of good government in the
United States, and can unite to take that
control of its action which has too long been
usurped by band of Office. holders and Office
seekers, the party can regain possession Of
the national government II can put for
ward its best men as candidates 1t can
make the reform Of the civil service the OBJ
jective point Of all its action. 1t can de
mand the continued, conservative, but steady
reduction of the revenue until taxation restt
as lightly as possible upon the productive en-
ergies of the country. 1t can insist upon tn,
strengthening Of the national credit and tn,
publication Of the currency. Doing this, i
can win, by deserving the cordial and conf
dent cooperation of the majority of the indie
pendent voters of the country. II the part!
falls short OF this standard and is contenteC
to intrust to the ordinary machinery OF part!
its selection of its candidates and the enun
citation of its policy, it can only be save,
from defeat by the blunders of its adverse
ries, and promising as that reliance usual.
! is. II is not q atrong one inst now.