, 1886-04-29

Richmond and Manchester. Great
interest and excitement was mani-
tested, and the vote was as large as
in the presidential election. Prohib-
ition is a live issue in municipal, state
and national elections in many parts
of the country already, and it VIII
rapidly become more general from
this time on.
A knowing eastern prognosticator
says the action Of the democratic
party on the tariff question IS likely
to break up the solid south, and
may result in giving the republicans
dozen or fifteen congressional dis
tricts south of Mason and Dixon's
line. We have no faith in any such
delusioa. Now and then a democrat
down there viii talk pretty loud. but
when election time comes they viii
all be in line.
The vote on Senator Eustis' amend
ment to our admission bill providing
that only male voters should exercise
the elective franchise in the new state
shows pretty clearly that democrats
-in congress are generally opposed to
equal suffrage for the sexes, while
republicans are favorable to it. The
smendment was rejected by vote of
25 to Il. Senator Ingalls, was the
only republican who voted 10 dis
franchise our female voters, while
Senators Butler, Call and George
were the only democrats who voted
in favor of letting our citizens decide
who of their number should vote and
who should not.
Our friend of the Olympia Stand
ard upholds Alex. Montgomery in
his opposition to statehood on the
ground that the new state would add
to republican national forces. He
says that the end will fully justify the
means in the eyes of those who be-
lieve that the highest good to the
country can only be secured through
maintenance of democratic control.
He has not yet, however, explained
hcW all this talk can be reconciled to
she persistent and earnest claims of
the democracy in the last Territorial
campaign that it was enthusiastically
in favor of admission. All we ask is
that there may be a fair understand
ing. Il the democratic party is op~
posed to statehood, we do not OBJ
ject, provided there is no hypocrisy
about it, but for party to claim one
policy and act another is a deception
chat cannot be tolerated, and will be
exposed as long as truth-loving jour
Aals exist to expose shams of every
form. The Call, Of Port Townsend,
says Montgomery's sentiments are
generally repudiated by democrats
throughout the Territory. Perhaps
the Olympia journalists twenty years
service for that party does not entitle
him to speak "as one having author
ity." We would be glad to hav ethis
matter made more clear
That both great parties are warm
ng up for the contest next fall is
apparent. The democrats are brac-
ing themselves for an effort to main
tain control of the House of Repre-
sentatiyes, while the republicans are
going to make bold strike to break
the ranks of the dominant party, In
she republican congressional cam
paign committee, just appointed,
such names as those of Gen, Hawley,
Of Connecticut, Senator'S Sewell, of
Kew Jersey, Dolph, Of Oregon, Steele,
Of Indiana, and many others of equal
prominence, indicate that red hot
contest will be waged al along the
Line. Since the advent of the present
administration, democratic forces
have been IN process of disintcgra-
tion too palpable to be concealed.
Whether the efforts from this time
on to mass their forces will be sue
sessful or not, depends very much
upon the action of party leaders in
Congress and out In many locali-
ties, democrats have not the heart to
work Tor the success>~ of their party
- fos>fear the result wilfsbe construed
TO mean an endorsement eef the civil
service policy OF the aduinissgation.
They want 1t distinctly un6ersssed
that if the President is going to stand
between his party and the offices
there is nothing much LETT worth
fighting foT. IN many southern
states there is a widespread and
growing disaifeetion in favor of re
publican protective polioy and alto
gether the signs are decidedly iudi-
estive ofan eff year for the democrats
at least they have not been more faV-
oTable for republicans for long
tims.
James G. Blaine is the Gladstone
Of American politics Never has the
popularity OF an American been SO
widely and Enthusiastically demon
strsted as that Of Mr.. Blaine has been
during the past few months.
The popularity of Webster and Clay
was phenomenal, and their grand
powers on the floor of the Senate
fully warranted the hold they had