Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-10-22
HANCOCK AND CLEVELAND.

aANCOCh AND CLE V ELAND.
Democrats who are trying to console
themselves for the crushing Republican
victory in Ohio on the ground that "the
state always goes Republican in Presi-
dental years. will do we'll to recall the
influence of the corresponding state
election four years ago.
lD 1880 the Republican majority in the
October Ohio election was about 19, 900.
But the Presidential candidate of that
year was an Ohio man. Gen. Garfield
was beloved of his people to an extent
almost without parallel He was born
and reared in Ohio He had commanded
Ohio legions in the war for the Union.
He was the great ora or and statesman OF
his region-the Henry Clay Of the state.
Every sentiment of state pride, personal
friendship, and loyalty urged the Repub-
licans of Ohio in October, 1880, to poll
their greatest strength. Nor did they
encounter that year the obstacles which
were thrown in their way this year. The
state and the chief cities w,re in their
hands. The registration law was still in
force as protection against frauds.
There was no practical liquor issue to
plague them. In one word, the Repub,
licans had all the advantages on their
side in 1880 which the Democrats enjoyed
in the late state campaign. Under these
conditions it must be admitted that he
Republican majority this year is much
greater triumph than an equal majority
four years ago.
After the October election in 1880 the
Democrats contended, as they do now,
that they had a good fighting chance
The battle was to be transferred. they
said, to New York, and they entertained
great confidence in the personal strength
Of their Presidential candidate. Gen.
Hancock was certainly the most available
candidate they could have He was in
every resi- CT a s;roHg ma. He was
commanding figure in American history.
He had been a dashiDg and successful
soldier, and had LED his army corps to
victory. He was New Yorker by resi-
dence, and commanded the admiration
and support of the soldier element of
New York to great extent Nevertne
less Garfield, three weeks later, increased
the Ohio majority from 10000 to $4,000,
and Hancock lost New York by q, 200
votes after desperate contest.
The Democrats are in much sorrier
plight this year after the Republican
victory in Ohio than they were four
years ago, Instead of a Handbook as
tneir Presidential candidate, Of whom to
be proud, they have Cleveland, of whom
they are ashamed. Instead of man who
stood out boldly as national character
and enjoyed the respect OF the American
people, they have R local politician whose
private record is disgracefu and whose
public record is bad The fercest oppo-
siion to Cleveland is in his own party
and in his own state. Thousands of New
York Democrats are openly arrayed
against him and other thousands are
secretly knitting him. The Democratic
campaign has been conducted On party
basis, and the candidate has been ignored
as far as possible. The Democratic pub
lie speakers as a rule do not so much as
mention his name. Tilden in his recent
letter never mentioned him. Bayard,
in his Chicago speech the otner evening,
had no word of praise for him and dared
not make any apology for him.
All Democrats who want to look at the
situation inteIligentiy, then, should put
it in this way: If the struggle was lost
in 1880 with a man like Hancock as a
candidate after Ohio had gone 10000 in
the state election in which the Repub-
lcans had all the advantages from the
start, what reasonable hope is there that
New York eau be carried for man like
Cleveland or that Cleveland can be
elected after Ohio has gone Republican
by safe majority in state election in
which the Democrats had all the advan-
taees from the start? That is conun-
drum for,Democrats to work at Chicago
Tribune.