Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1884-11-13
4 NATIONAL CALAMITY.

zs..4 n NAllUNAL CALAMlIl.
lS view OF all the circumstances and the
political situation on the eve of the cleo
ton the Alert took occasion TO say on the
morning of the election that tho result
hung IN Il balance. Subsequent events
and returns have fully justified the pre-.
dletion though we do not claim any spe-
cisl endowment of foresight into the ,fu.
turc. AS was to have been anticl Yated,
New Icrk is the battle ground and its
vote will decide the contest between the
two grea, parties which has been fought
with the despt ration Of life or death by
both,
Whether the republican party il its
present namc and organization would sur.
vivc a national defeat may we'll be ques-
toned, 1t is only too plain that there are
disorganizing elements in the republican
party that will, if not at this time, prove
fs:si 10 its ascendapcy and success. These
distract,ng elements must be harmoniZed
or the party is doomed to inevitable de-
feat and dissolution at not far distant
day The name and fame OF its Lincoln,
it's Seward, its Sumner, its Chase, its
W ade, Its Morton, and its many other H.
lustrious standard bearers VIII sc tongues
are forever silenced IN death cannot NAM
tain tho party IN the support of the mass
cs of tho people agains, their repugnance
to demagogues and corruption which
have in many instances dishonored the
party. The party must be renovated and
and purified or 1t cannot hope 10 survive
another presidential election if it shall
this one.
The abuse Of its power called down
upon The democratic party in 1860 the re-
bukc and condemnation Of the masses Of
the people and whenever the republican
party deserves Ink, rebukc at the hands
of the people it may rest assured it will
get it. "
The national calamity IN the result OF
this contest is not in the election Of this
candidate or that one but IN the election
in the deciding state beng 80 close rs to
leave the result to some extent IN doubt.
We believe there IS patriotism enough
/ in each and both parties to submit peace.
ably to the expressed Will Of the majority,
be it ever 80 small, tut the misfortune is
that IN this case the majority is so small
that the two great parties may honestly
disagree as t. Which side the majority
belongs, and the impossibllity OF deciding
the question to the satisfaction 0: both
parties Is where the trouble comes in.
Either party would willingly yield it con-
vlnced, but nc,ther against their convic-
tions.
This condition OF affairs comes Of the
electoral system Of choosing the president
and vice president of the United States, a
system that makes one mans vote in
Rhode Island count as much in the cleo
ton Of president as four in New York.
1t is high time that this unjust and unc-
quail representation in the electoral COL
| leHc be remcdied. If Dakota with her
l53 600 square miles OF area aud 4OO, 600
population was in the union as state to .
day she would have no more voice in the
election of president than Rhode Island
with an area onc-third less than that Of
Stu,sman county and only 275,00O nopu-
lation. A system of electing the presi-
dent and vice president which admits
and results IN doubt as the present has
twice in the last eight years needs revls.
ing. If Two sets of returns should be
sen, 10 the United States senate from New
York, which IS not robatlc, they will 60
INTO the Lands of Senator Edmunas who
is the presiding officer, and as he has been
silent and indifferent, rather opposed to
Blaine, during the campaign the demo-
Gratis cannot fear his honesty and fairness
in the disposition of them so far as he
will have and exercise power TO control
them It's, however, 10 be hoped that
the official count will settle the ques-
ton beyond dispute and doubt.
!
THE twenty -four O'Clock craze has been
given new impetus by the recommends
ten of its adoption by the Meridian con
ference which recently held a meeting IN
! vD ~ rI t,,,,n hnnornI