St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-19


Now that the campaign is ended and polit-
zeal tranquility restored calm review can
be taken of the events of the past few months.
The Democrats have not won by such de-
cisive victory that they need to plume them
selves overmuch, and, except that IL turns
them out of control, the Republicans have
not been defeated by so decisive u vote that
they need TO feel very much disheartened.
The certain states on either side we do not
take into consideration. II was no especial
endorsement for Blaine 10 carry Minnesota
by forty or fifty thousand. and it was no es-
pecial endorsement for Texas TO give Mr.
Cleveland hundred thousand majority.
The four pivotal states were New York,
New Jersey, Connecticut and Indiana, for,
though there was an October contest, Ohio
has not been q pivotal state on the presi-
dency for quarter Of a century. In those
pivotal states the margin was too narrow for
good health. In Indiana and New Jersey II
ranged from FIVE 70 seven thousand, aud in
New York and Connecticut only a trife over
one thousand. When the great population
Of these states aud the degree of intelligence
is considered. the margin becomes exceed
ingly Insignificant.
The campaign was hard and well fought
on both sides. Though in the sgonies OF de-
feat Republicans cry out against Mr.. Blaine
as weak candidate, he was, nevertheless,
their strongest man in a campaign. Vulner-
able in many respects, his record did not
damage him with the masses Of his party,
while his bold and aggressive personal cam
paign won admiration and inspired his fol-
lowers TO redoubled exertions. But for Mr..
Blaine's personal campaign in Ohio, the
battle would have ended In October by the
loss OF that state 10 the Republican party.
There were other agencies, such as the col
oniZatton Of voters, the use Of money, the
machinery of the q. S. marshals, ETC.,
but it was the personal effort Of
James G. Blaine, thrown in the
scale, which carried Ohio in October
and gave the opportunity for q victory in
November, which was only lost BY such a
trile that six hundred votes would have
turned the scale the other way. Arthur
would have been handicapped In the doubt
full states by the same element which, by re-
fusing to vote. gave Cleveland his great ma
jonty over Folger, and Edmunds would have
fallen on his party like Greeley expedition
to the North pole
On the other hand the Democrats did not
nominate their strongest man In some re-
spects he was their weakest, because his nom
ination awakened antagonisms in New York
which others might have avoided,
and without New York Demo-
cratic defeat was a certainty. It wa
the glamor Of 1872, 600 majority over Folger
for governor, which gave Cleveland the nom
inston at Chicago. The GLOBE pointed out,
prior to the nomination, the fact that this
majority did not come from Republicans 90
ing over to the Democratic party, but because
the Republicans absented themselves from
the polls in disgust. This was proven by
incon trovertible figures, which showed that
while Cleveland had 1872, 900 majority, he
only received some 500 votes more than Gen.
Hancock in 1880, when Gen. Garfield had
$1,000 majority in the state. The GLOBE
pointed out that the Republicans would
not remain at home in the
Presidential year, and they did
not. They came TO the polls in force, and II
twenty thousand Of them had not voted for
st. John. Blaine would have carried New
York by as decisive a majority as Gen Gar
field did. Senator Thurman would have
been far stronger man than Gov. Cleve-
land. He would have escaped the local an
tagonisms which any governor Of New York
who does his duty is sure to arouse, and be
would have secured Democratic victory in
Ohio in October.
As a consequence the success of the Dem
ocra:ic party over the stronest man in the
Republican ranks, aided by the entire pat
ronage of the government, and the lavish
contributions Of millionaire monopolists, be-
comes victory of immense proportions,
though secured by a margin alarmingly
narrow.
The Republicans have no occasion for self
reproaches. They can feel that IL they could
not have won unner the circumstances as
existed they could not have won under any
other. They.would have encountered still
greater obstacles by any change Of candidate
or policy, and they should accept the inevi-
table with good grace and four years hence
pick their flint and try again.
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