New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-02
THE DTTY TO BE DONE.

THE DUTY TO BE DONE.
The campaign of 1885 has not ended, as
many re inclined to suppose it is only about
to begin. For the decisive struggle this year
must be on election day. Stay t-hOme voters
will decide the result in some States, and frauds
in Others if the Republicans do not make I'M
usual exertions from this time until the ballots
have been counted and returned. In Virginia,
the danger is chiefly from the systematic frauds
on which the supporters of "Cleveland and
reform rely. In this State, the danger Is
mainly from the men who only get lifted to a
faint comprehension of their duties as citizens
about once in four years, and then only by the
faithful and painstaking efforts of others, who
are inside politics only because they are
never lazy enough or unpatriotic enough to
get outside. About so, 600 men failed to vote
in Ohio this fall, or fraud would have had no
chance. About $50, 900 failed to vote in this
s tate at the first election after the victory OF
1880. and about 229, OO0at the first State cleo
t1on after the Presidential contest of 1876,
and if as many neglect their duty tomorrow,
no one can tell what the result may be.
The Republicans can elect their ticket that Is
beyond a doubt But they cannot do it by
" Hill will be beaten anyway"
The Republicans of New York have peculiar
reason this year for full vote and an unusual
effort to stir up their laggard neiGhbors. Po-
litically they have TO recover the ground lost by
the defeat of last year, and that cannot be done
unless they have enough attachment Tor their
principles to cast full vote. The advantage
of position is with the party III power, III the
State and the Nation. Some knowledge OF the
nature and effect of a Democratic AdmnlStra-
ton has been gained during the past year.
MANY thousand men who were willing to try
the experiment year ago will be among the
foremost this year to rebuke the conduct OF the
party and candidate they then mistakenly
trusted. Governor Hill, too, has made himself
better known to the people. They know now
what sort of demagogue he has been and OF
what corrupt rings he has been the tool, and if
they elect him this year, or allow him to be
elected by their negligence, they will do so with
their eyes open. What is meant by "rcfOrm
at Washington the people now know. Those
who did not mean to lift unpardOned rebels to
honor, or to turn out faithful and trained pub
lie servants and put in incompetent scamps, OF
to give complete success to the law-defyine
vote stealers of the Southern States, have OPP
portunity this week TO show that these were not
the " reforms " they wanted.
1t was boosted by Democrats, after the cleo
ton of Cleveland, that hard times and the prom.
Use of better times had put down the Repub-
lican party at last. No doubt the honest
belief that change of Government would
bring better state of things did influence a
great many voters, and change OF 600 would
have elected different President. More than
six times as many men, who were employed by
John Roach, have been turned cut by one
shameful act of injustice since this Democratic
Administration came into power. Twenty
times as many were turned out Of other en-
poyments in this one State within three
months after Cleveland's election, because o.
the closing of shops, mills and mines which
| that election caused. A year has passed. ant
these people find no substantial Improvement
excepting that the volume of business is now
! a little larger than it was during the stagnatiou
and intense political excitement of a year ago
| Congress will presently assemble and if the
| Democrats are then encouraged to take thu
course they have constantly threatened, the
prOstration of business will certainly be greater
than it was after the election last year. /
rests with the voters of New York by thei
votes to encourage or to warn the party Ii
power.
But no good citizen can do his duty by lcav
ing somebody else to do it and then grumblin!
at the result. The duty of every good citizcl
is not only to vote himself, but to do all tina
he can to induce others to vote, and to vot'
right THIS day and tomorrow, given to The
interests of the Commonwealth and the cOun
try, will do something to restore confidence ii
the industrial future, and in the maintenance o
that Republican policy under which the countr.
50 greatly prospered.