Omaha daily bee., 1884-09-11
The Situation in Wisconsin.

Western democrats and democratic or
gans are silly enough to pretend that
they hope to carry Wisconsin for Cleve'
land in November and secure O legiEla'
ture that will elect a democratic successor
to United States Senator Cameron. They
base this idea upon that mythical politi
cal quantity-the German "bolt." Re
ports from Wisconsin through democratic
sources affirm that the Germans are
going over to Cleveland Sin a body, "and
that there is mo doubt whatever" thai
the detection will be strong enough IL
connection with the prohibition side
show to wrest the state from the repub.
Leans. What nonsense! There is not q
safer republican state in the West in a
presidential contest than Wisconsin. On
Off years when republicans do not turn
out as they ought democrats sometimes
gain temporary advantage, as
in congressional and Legislative
gains, but never yet in a national cam
paign has " isconsin ever wavered in the
faith. She gave GaYield a majority in
1880 over both Hancock and Weaver OF
81, 1888. The very next year-an off year
she gave Governor Rusk a plurality OF
12, 500, and that too when the republi-
cans polled but little more than half the
vote of the year before. Since that time
there has been no general election, but
democrats lay great stress upon the cir
cumstance that in 1882, in the congress
sianal election, the democratic vote by
districts exceeded the republican vote by
something like 5000, and that they
elected six congressman QUO of nine.
That was the tidal wave year., however,
and is utterly WORTHLESS as a basis of cal
culation. In her national and state cleo
ton this fall Wisconsin may be regarded
as perfectly safe for a republican
plurality of 10000. The Boosted
German detection, If it exists at
all, will not involve more than 5000
votes and that will he largely otfset by
the Fish and labor detection or. the
other side. The pyohibitionists can
hardly hope 10, poll more than the
Weaver vote of 1880, which was 5000.
Indeed they do not claim to be able to
poll more than 10000, and 1900, OF
them they expect to get from the demo
Gratis. Give the democrats all the bolt,
ing Germons, 1000, and the republican
prohibitionists, 1900, ana add 10 them
LOCO 'dudes and pharisees" of the
Pound stripe, and they are yet abort
3 1000 Of overcoming Garfeld's plurality
of 1880. 1t is idle to TAX of danger il
Wisconsin, and il will be regretted il
Republicans allow themselves to be scared
by such zlamor. The state and n~at;ona.
tickets are safe enough. Il the repabli,
cans want to insure completeness of vic,
tory. however, they want to oon'
gresslonai and legisl&tive tickets
There are thres congressional diA iricts
now held by demoorets under 6he tida.
wave that must 10 redeemed. Thele are
the FirsS Third and Seventh. The First
has a natural r~epubliOsn majority Of
about $500, but two years ago., owing tc
the unpopular machine msthodsof Charles
g. Williams, one Winans, a democrat,
captured the district bK a few hundred
Williams, has now emig-ated to Dakotf
and is 40 longer a disturbing factor. Thar
district must be- redeemed. Tha ThirC
dlstrics was lost two yaars ago, because
the republicans %quarrsled and ron two
csndi lates, thus opening the door wide
for the present Congressman Jones. Thil
year ihis breach has been heale aand Their,
will be but one republican in the felc
against Mr.. Jones. 2he district is gooe
for 1000 republican majority when tn,
latter are harmonious. The, seventh dis
trict was lost two ysars to the, republi
cans by ths activity and popularity q
the prohbition candidate, who polloS
200 voAss. This year thars will ba
tremendous canvass of that district. a
La Crosse, which is tho homo Of bstl
Senator Cameron and Governor Rrsk
is the center OF tine district, and bh,
pride OF both VIA be aroused to redeem
it. These three districts are the onl
ones in which the republicans have
chance to plant their banner. Ths otr
er three in which there ia fighting gsoun
are hopelessly democratic.