Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1883-11-01
Farmers DESERVING the Republican
Party.

The american Register saws among
the significant facts which the late
Ohio election has revealed, may be men,
toned the unexpected Democratic
gains in the country districts. This, to
the thoughtful student of politics, has
a deep meaning. The floating vote of
large city may be secured by lavish
expenditure of money, and the parade
and demonstration of an enthusiastic
campaign equipment, but no such out
side show or excitement avails much in
the rural communities. There the par
ty lines are more closely drawn and the
politics of voter better known. Shift
ing tides of public sentiment are rare,
and men may ordinarily make safe cal
culations of political results. When the
country sections of State like Ohio
show decided Democratic gains, State
with a voting population unusually
bright and well informed, it portends
causes deeper than the glance of the
politician.
1t indicates an awakening of popular
inquiry and the action of voters inf1u-
enced by public consideration. The
Republican leaders have been wont to
plume and pride themselves upon the
assumption that among the farmers.
where conservatism held away, the
party strength could not be impaired,
and that they had only to unfurl the
party banner, and the loyal and enthu-
slastic voters would at once rally around
it. The destruction of this oft-repeated
and generally successful maneuver is
the most serious blow which the Re-
publican party is now called upon to
endure. They find themselves losing
ground where loss was thought to be
impossible, and their voters becoming
converts to principles against which
they have warned them with the most
sober and serious concern. Defections
from the Republican party in sections
where they thought themselves impreg-
nable indicates great change of politi-
Cal sentiment, and is the most encour-
aging sign which the recent election re-
veals. The farmers are most numerous
body of our people, and to them more
than others are the question of public
policy and good government matters of
great concern. Their severe toll and
small gains, and the proportion of rev.
enue to investment, make them the
first to feel and the great est to suffer in
justice or inequality in the relation of
the individual to the action of Govern
ment. When, therefore, their ewes
We're once opened to the protligacy and
wasteful expenditure which a party of
political adventurers have been practic-
ing, the direct result of which is the en-
richment of the few and impoverish-
ment of the many, wealth for the one
and taxes for the other, it did not take
them long to discover where their in
terests lay, or for whom their votes
should be cast. Thus while the Repub-
lican orators preached from the same
old text against the dangers of Demo-
cratic principle, the voters We're indus
triously developing new facts and argu-
ments directly to the contrary, and it
came to pass that they discovered good
reasons why a change was necessary,
and voted accordingly. 1t may not sur
prise the Republican leaders that Judge
Hoadly should have won, but that he |
was helped to victory by the old guard |
80 to speak, of the party hope, must ex-
cite their wonder and astonishment.
so surely illustrates the growth
Of Democratic strength as this gain
from the best element of Republican
voters in Ohio. 1t may we'll give the
Democracy the greatest encouragement,
or 1t is an omen of the greatest inn
oortance.