The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-10-18
OHIO AND WEST VIRGINIA.
The Republicans Narrowly Escape Defeat
in the Former and the Democrats
Achieve "a Brilliant Victory
In the Latter.

The Republicans on Wednesday, as usu-
al with them on such occasions, crowed be
fore they were out of the woods, Their
average October majority in Ohio for the
past twenty years having been over 10000,
even their own papers had admitted that a
majority of less than $1,000 on Tuesday
would be equivalent to defeat, When
therefore, on Wednesday morning the As
ISOLATED Press, as it nearly always does on
such occasions, sent out its lying dispatches
that Ohio had gone Republican by 10000
mojority, that the Republicans had elected
l6 Of the 81 congressman, and the result In
West Virginia was doubtful, the Ottawa
Republicans had right TO feel jubilant
and order out their torch bearers and dude
corps and hold jollification. In the midst
Of their rejoicing, however, more reliable
dispatches were received, showing that the
Republican majority in Ohio was less than
half what was claimed that majority of the
congressman elect were Democrats, and that
West Virginia was Overwhelmingly Demo
cratic The jollihcation meeting broke up
rather precipitately, and the congratulatory
speeches of Mayo and McDougall lost all
their vivacity and spirit.
The actual footings In Ohio, on which
both sides are substantially agreed, show
that the Republican majority is just 1861.
Considering the herculean efforts of the
Republicans to secure brilliant and de-
cisve triumph in that state, and this is the
miserable come out! They had brought
Blaine and Logan into the state and made
them perambulate from point to point like
a huge menagerie. They had flooded the
state with money, orators, strikers, profess
sional repeaters, with hordes of negroes and
bummers from the adjoining states; and
they had the help of Steve Elkins in per.
son, of Pension Commissioner Dudley,
with his bags full of deferred claims
with which to bride the soldiers, and they
had the aid of the infamous Johnny Daven-
port, of New York, to arrest and imprison
Democratic voters by the hundred ION sus
pcion," to rob them Of their votes.
And with all these efforts, state that
has heretofore been reliably Republican by
10000 majority, was barely saved with
10000.
That the popular tide which has set in
against the Republicans all over the Union
and showed itself in Vermont and could
not be overcome even by the most eXtraor-
binary efforts in Maine and Ohio, is NOV
ing on with irresistible force, we need only
point to the result in West Virginia. Even
here it was hardly a fair test, as both Logan
and Elkins had made extra efforts and
scattered barrels of money through the
mining districts Yet, even against such
odds the Democrats have carried the state
by at least 1000, over the combined vote of
Greenba 3kers and Republicans--the larg-
est clear majority by which they have ever
carried the state.
In every aspect, therefore, the outlook
from Tuesdays elections is in the highest
degree insplriting and encouraging, They
insure Democratic success in New York,
Connecticut, New Jersey, Indiana and Cali
fornia, with every southern state, and leave
Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan debatable
ground. With the election of Cleveland
thus assured beyond any reasonable doubt,
shall we not also achieve glorious victory
in Illinois? We can do it if every Demo
crat stands to his arms Then up, boys,
and at them!