The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-01-05
A LESSON FOR REPUBLICANS.
A Reorganization of the Causes that Led b
Their Defeat In New York.

Reorganization of the Causes that Led 70
Their Defeat In New York.
Philadelphia Press
New Years day will witness ceremony ia
New iorks stately Capitol at Albany in which
probably few Republicans will feel inclined to
participate, The Democrats will inaugurate
Governor whose term Of Office will extend to JAN
l, 1889. 1t will not be pleasing ceremony for
Republicans to contemplate. nor will the know
ledge that they contributed their share in bring
ing about the event add to their complacency
Nearly two months of calm reflection has not
changed the conclusion reached on the morning
after election last November that had the Re-
publicans done their duty, New York would have
much different sort of Governor during the
next three years, and that the Democrats would
not be able to begin the campain of 1888 from
the vantage ground they now occupy. The Of
fetal returns aud every fact AID figure brought
to light since Nov. force this verdict
The New York Republicans met in State con-
ventlon last fall and constructed sound plat
form, and placed good candidates upon it Had
this action been supplemented by systematic
not David B. Hill. would sit in New Yorks exec
utive chair after Jan. l. The whole set of the
political current was in favor OF the Republicans
and the blunders OF their opponents added to
their advantages. The 6rst mistake was made
when the word was passed around that organized
work was unnecessary, as victory was lin the
air." Then they listened to a siren who sang Sc
ductively Of the invincible numbers of the self
sufficient political nondescripts IL the canvass
was put into their hands the mugwumps prom
ised to show waiting Nation how to do it
They would make the campaign $50 English.
you know" Accordingly, the constituted au-
thorities virtually abdicated their duties aud
the men who had deserted their flags only few
months before were placed in charge of the Re-
publican army.
The first command of the mugwumps was that
the Republican candidate for Governor should
ignore in his letter of acceptance the most vital
issue OF the campaign. and the next that nearly
every speaker who could have uttered an in-
spring word must be kept out of the State, lest
he might wound the feelings Of q CARLOAD Of
free-traders. Under such management the life
went quickly out of the campaign. IL needed
much less sagacity than Governor Hill Is cred
tied with to apprehend the blunders the Rcpub-
licans were making. and to devise means at once
to take advantage of it. A still-hunt for Demo-
cratic votes was begun all over the State. The
result appeared upon the registration lists Of the
large interior cities, such as Albany, Troy.
Utica, Rochester and Buffalo. On the morning
before election the Philadelphia Press showed by
figures that the registration in all these cities
was larger than it had been In the year before
when President was elected. But even this
demonstration OF Democratic industry conld not
arouse the Republicans from the sef-complacent
apathy into which the mugwump siren had lulle6
them.
This fatal confidence continued until the polls
were closed Most Of the Republicans voted
from Iorce OF naUlt OUT Others trusting to the in
vincible mugwump, went shooting or attended
the opera. The mugwumps strutted their brief
hour until the returns began to come in and
then the Republicans discovered they had
thrown away governorship and got back about
as many voters as can be packed 10 nn elevated
railroad train during the commission hours in
New York city So passed the glory of the mug.
wump. 1t was costly lesson for the Republic
ans but it is to be hoped it was we'll learned. 1f
they will study the figures of the official returns
they will see that in these counties where the
party's principles were upheld and mugwump
conceit was ignored, Republican gains were
made, aud find Republican losses where diff err
emit policy prevailed. But perhaps the blunder
committed is clear enough without mathe-
NAUTICAL demonstration. It will be sufficiently
evident next Friday, at all events, when the
Democrats go up to Albany to inaugurate a live
Governor, aud the Republicans can only sit at
home and ponder on the hollowness Of mugwump
promises, and repeat with the poet: "Of all sad
words of tongue or pen the saddest of oil are: IL
is, but it hadn't ought'er been"