The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-12-02
A BROAD VIEW,

A Statement of the Encourag fng Result
o. the November Election and the Good
Prospects of the Democrac y for 1888.
Every one naturally looks at the No
vember elections with a view to their
bearing upon the Presidency. There
are two ways of contemplating those
elections now in respect of the subjects
to be decided in 1888. One way is to
consider the comparative effect upon
the fortunes of candidates. The other
way is, to consider the comparative eff
feet on the voting strength of parties,
that is to say, the division which would
have taken place in the Electoral Col
lege if the Presidential election had
been determined on the basis OF the
vote cast during the present month.
There are 4Ol electoral votes in the
United States. OF the Electoral College
POI votes are majority. In 1884 of
these 401 electoral votes 219 were cast
for Mr.. Cleveland and 1872 for Mr..
Blaine. At the elections lately held
States representing 207 electoral votes
went unqualiiiedly for the Democratic
ticket, AMI of the original Republican
States, CommonwealthS aggregating
142 electoral votes went for the Repub-
ican ticket, without percaptible shrink
age. The remaining - electoral votes
in the college were cast by States
which are legitimately to be character
lied as doubtful in the politics of the
future, and which the result this year
was very close-so close that in sew
elal of the States official returns will
be required to decide for which party
a majority of their people have cast
their ballots.
1t will thus be seen that if all the
surely Republican States and if all the
doubtful States were given to the Re-
publican party. that organization would
even then have but 1874 votes against
207 securely held by the Democratic
party. The opponents of the Demo-
cratic party will perceive that they
must devise or discover some method
of carrying the State of New York be-
fore they can hopefully expect to elect
the President of the United States.
New York seems to be a permanent
stumbhng-block in the way of such
calculations. 1t has gone Democratic
over longer series of elections than
any which have passed cousecutively
to the credit of the Republican party
in this State in all the history of that
organization.
New York went Democratic in 1882,
in 1888. in 1884. in 1855 and again in
1886. The most elementary reasoning
leads to the conclusion that the State
should be expected to go Democratic
in 1887 and in 1888. because the pres
tige, the future and the inclination of
the party, victorious for four wears in
succession, will be enlisted in produc-
ing such n result, and because that
party is now and then will be in execu-
tive control of the Government of the
Commonwealth and of the United |
States.
The House of Representatives of the |
Fiftieth Congress viii be securely |
Democratic. We may be sure that the |
next House of Representatives will be |
moderate, busineSs-like and practical. |
We may be sure that the present House !
of Representative, in its final session |
during the ensuing winter. will be !
marked by a Christening sense of re-
sponsibility, which will lead it to act !
cautiously, prudently. slowly, doing /
little more than passing the necessary /
appropriation bills, and not trying to |
revive or unsettle any of these large !
questions which the people have pre-
ferred should not be brought to a de- /
cisiOn at the present time.
1t will also be seen that many of the |
losses in Congressman are due to local !
and personal causes Districts West |
South and East have got tired of voting
for the same men. There was a dis |
position in many quarters to have new
blood brought to the front. The result |
is seen in Congress which contains |
perhaps smaller proportion of re-
elected men and a larger proportion of
men new to public functions than any
which has assembled for twenty wears
in the United States.
Tho Presidents friends very spirit
edly maintain that any attempt to
hold the Administration responsible
for these local losses and for tbase set !