The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-09-12
The Argus q" Gains"

Hiram Atkins is the Mark Tapley of
Vermont politics. The situation is
never so desperate or party prospects
so gloomy-particularly in Vermont
that this body servant of the national
democracy does not at least affect
jollity and discern some pretext for
airing his irrepressible BOOSTERS. But if
our contemporary can this year extract
political sunbeams from democratic Gu
cumbers, and warm up with life and
hope in their radiance, no republican
should begrudge him what satisfaction
the illusion may convey to his FROST
bitten vitals. Still, in view of the
Argus somewhat preposterous claims
of great and reassuring democratic
gains in Vermont, we feel compelled -
at the risk of dispelling its illusion and
waking it and its deluded followers up
to a consciousness of the fact that Sep
TENDER was an exceedingly cold day
for them-to quote few facts from
Vermont's political history.
First, however, we wish to refer to
"some suggestive figures" of the cleo
ton in Montpelier and Barre, over
which our shivering contemporary
grows ecstatic. In Montpelier, says
the Argus, the democratic vote in 1884
was 252; in 1888, 302, gain of fifty
votes, or twenty per cent,-a plain case,
so long as the other side is left out of the
account. But the Argus doesn't give
the other side. If it should appear
that, in the late election, the repub-
licans have made larger gain than
twenty per cent, and our contemporary
should be asked how long, under the
circumstances, it would be before the
democracy passed the republicans in
the political race, he might have to
cipher little before answering. Now,
in 1884 the republican vote was SIS; in
1888, 656-a gain of 1873, or more than
twenty-siX per cent. How long, under
a continuance of this ratio of gain, be-
fore the democracy will carry Mont
pelier? By turning round and going
the other way, like the boy in the fable,
they may get there"
AS to Washington county. Here the
democratic gain has been fifteen per
cent, says the argus; by its own totals,
however, the gain is only thirteen per
cent, while the republican gain is
nearly twenty-five per cent. At this
rate, when are you going to carry Wash
ington county, Hiram? In Caledonia
county, continues Mr.. Tapley, the
democratic increase has been so large
as to reduce the republican majority of
1884 by quite considerable per cent
and so on throughout the state" Let's
see how this statement will wash. In
1884 the Caledonia republicans cast
1881 votes, the democrats ,434; re-
publican plurality 1,547. In 1888 the
republican vote is 3 ,197, the democratic
l ,479; republican plurality 1,71S-171
greater than in 1884. Sort of "reduc-
ton ascending" isn't it, Mr.. Atkins?
In 1884 fifty-five republicans voted the
prohibition ticket; in 1888, 175, making
the straight republican majority in
1884, l ,492; in 1888, 1,541, an increase
of forty-nine in the straight republican
majority. So the Caledonia fabrication
doesn't wash at all. Indeed, it looks
like lie out of whole cloth" and so
on throughout the state"
so far as heard from, there has been
handsome increase in the democratic
vote of the state over that Of 1884 -;
and on this rate of increase, main
tanned in the democratic and doubtful
states, the Argus builds hopes of Cleve-
lands reelection. AS affecting this
claim of an "increase in the demo-
cratic vote of Vermont, an " increase -
that makes our contemporary exceed
ing jolly and fills him with assurance
of victory, we publish the figures OF
Vermont state elections, in presid entail
years, since and including 1858, when,
in the decentralization attending the
breaking up of the whig party, demo.
cratic governor was elected.
| 1853.
Erastus Fairbanks (whig).. 20,S4!
John s. Robinson (dem.) ............ Is, IA.
Lawrence Brainerd free soiD. .....,. 1920
Scattering northumberland. 13,
No election by the people. The legisla
ture, on the twenty sixth ballot, chose join
s. Robinson the democratic candidate.
| 1855.