Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-11-18
Analyzing the Figures,

Mr.. Blaines plurality In Pennsylva
MIA is 81 0l9, and his majority over all
presidential opponents is As go. I,
seems that the Democrats polled Is 6i5
votes less for Cleveland than for Han.
cock, while the Republicans cast 20 100
more for Blaine than for Garfield. The
total vote of the state was S99, ,32S
against Si7, 739 in 1ssG-an increase of
littleover per cent. a smaller per centage
than the usual quadrennial increase. This
phase of the figures is observable the
country over. 1t may have been in a
measure due to the miserably bad
weather of election day; partly to politi-
cal indifference and degree of dissatis-
faction on both sides aud, again, 1t is
not probable that there was the same in
crease of voting population from 1880 TO
1884 as during the four years preceding.
1t will be seen that there was larger
vote for congressman at-large on both
sides than for president. Gen"
Osborne had 2,450 more votes than
Blaine, and Gen. Davis had s 257 more
than Cleveland. In part this was the
result of the Democratic candidate's S
personal strength and of his opponents s
weakness there were likely few who
voted for congressman at large and not
for president, because of the larger local
interest In some places In the county
ticket but the difference is more
nationally explained by thecircumstance
of the Prohibition candidate for presi-
dent receiving 266 more votes than the
nominee Of that party for congress at
large, while in the Greenback Labor
party the disparity between the presi
Dental and congressional candidates
was 1913. 1t is obvious that a con-
siderable number who voted with the
side parties on the main issue followed
their old party predictions for CON
gresham -at-large.
The result in Pennsylvania was Ger.
tainly as much Of surprise for the
Republicans do it was disappointment
to the Democrats. While few of the last
named hoped for anything better than a
10000 to $4,000 Blaine plurality, the
most sanguine Republicans did not look
for more than 40 900, The high excess
of these figures is not easily explained.
The causes which wrested from the
Democracy staunch counties like West
moreland, Luzerne and Schuylkill, lie
below the surface. These special in
stances prove that the detection repre-.
sented and influenced by such journals
as the Irish World was more radical
than 1t had been gauged to be.
The general increase of Republican
majorities and the almost universal
abatement Of the majorities In Demo
cratic counties was IN large measure
owing to the very general abandonment
OF Rennsylyania by those in charge Of
the national canvass at the outset.
Very likely this was wise policy look.
ing TO the more decisive points of the
battle, but the organization In the state
and its various branches, felt 1t TO be
their duty to keep up the fight as beat
they could. and to compel the vigilance
OF the enemy here at home. The result
OF this policy was that while the Democ
racy Of Pennsylvania contributed more
ofmoney and speakers to the service Of
the national committee and received
nothing-as againet large aid in former
presidential campaigns--the Republic
cans were compelledN 70 reserve their
strength IN great measais for the contest