Evening star., 1886-11-04
WHAT CAUSED THE SLAUGHTER OF
DEMOCR ATlC LEADERS?
Curious Anomalies In the Result-The
Tariff Had Something to Do with
1t-But Federal Pat r0naSe Dug Their
Graves.

Ihe defeat Of Speaker Carlisle, II he has been
defeated, is a loss not only to the democracy,
out 10 the country at large, and there are thou.
sahos OF republicans who will unite In the ex-
preston of regret at the retirement OF such .
man. But 1t is somewhat OF an anomaly In
poiitics 10 seq political party maintain Its
Ascendancy in an election that strikes down its
rlson is surely defeated, Carlisles fate hangs
upon the official count, Holman In doubt and
springer gets back by very narrow margin.
ihese men have all been able and earnest
democratic workers, aud there is certainly
n,otnlng a,g In their party records which would
single them out for punishment They have
maintained that tariff reform was u cardinal
princlpie OF democracy, aud In that position
Congress. Yet, willie apparently in accord
,V WIN their party upon the leading issue OF the
time, these men have suffered. Aud the fact is
not 10 be lost sight OF that only 'Iree traders "
tso-called) have met with unexpected reverses.
Mr.. randall and the several democratic mem.
oers VINO were his iieutenants in aiding 10 DE-
ieat tie Morrison tariff bill are returned TO Con-
gresS with perhaps increased maiorities. Nc
:Adoo, OF New Jersey, and Stahlnecker, Of New
hork' as Well as Randall, were confronted in
their canvass with the open hostility OF demo-
cratlc organs. These organs appealed to the
oenocratic voters OF the respective districts to
renuke the "treachery" OF their party candi-
dates by voting tor republicans for Congress;
but despite such appeals the democratic pro-
.ectiou.sts come NY smiling while the brilliant
Restricting tue view to tue late OF democratic
tree traders and prOtectiOnists, 1t would seem
That Tree traoe had got very black eye aud
That protection was booming; but 1t is held that
thls advantage Is more SpeciouS than real, tor
democrats have wrested districts from The re-
pubiicans on the tariff issue, and the party
which Is committed to free trade retains con.
troll Of the lower branch oI Cong ess. The be-
iiei gains ground that some secret but we'll
organized effort was made against the most
prominent free trade leaders with The view Of
checking the movement toward tariff reform.
There Is an enormous capital In this country
Interested In maintaining the protective sys-
TEN. But u candid review the Influences
which have contributed TO the defeat vi some
OF Tie abiest and most prominent democrats III
Congress Cannot omit Lhe Patronage question.
Speaker Carlisle made bitter enemies by the
manner In which he disposed of some federal
Offices. One OF the papers OF ms district turned
against hlin because the editor thereof did not
get IA post office. Morrison, also, MADE howliug
enemies Oh lormer friends by deaiing out Iede-
raj offices. He had not offices enough to 20
rounu among his friends. springer and HO.
man We're both kept in hot water tor months
before the election by lhe opposition OF disap-
pointed office seekers, aud Ia Virginia the de-
ieat Of several democrats is traced directly TO
discontent produced by the distribution OF
patronage. Indeed all along the democratic
line the political corpseS might be marked
with the epitaph, skilled by federal patron
age"