Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-11-11
ELECTION COMMENT.
An Analysis of the Result and the Causes
Leading Thereto.

NEW YORK, Nov. 10.-One still hears the
Republican refrain about the Streets but
words have been changed. Its runs now:
"All. the county men are weeping, as
Hewitt's in the cold, cold ground" 1t is
hard for the Tammany men to understand
that their party has suffered a defeat when
they are themselves everywhere victorious.
Manhattan Island is to them a kingdom,
and it is a matter 10 them of small concern
who yields the scepter beyond their Dor
ders. But those who have no great stake
in the local contest are, now that the smoke
of the battle is beginning to clear away,
concerning themselves with two questions:
First-How did it happen? Second-N nat
is to happen?
The frankest of the defeated answer the
first inquiry by admitting the fact which
the reluctant free trader will probably
never concede-that the tariff was a,great
feature in the victory. The Democrats
have had mnch TO say about Kings county
ana affect great surprise that the Cleve-
land vote WAS SO much reduced there
There has never been a doubt about the
vote in that district in the minds of those
who have studied the effect of the tariff
upon the campaign. 1t is district full of
manufacturers, aud a locality where the
protection sentiment is SO strong that the
Democratic congressman from that dis
trict was compelled to defy the action of
his party caucus in Washington and
10 work and vote against the Mills bill.
An analysis of the situation will show
that the Republican victory is in a great
measure due to the tariff Beginning
with this state, the Republicans came
down to the Harlem river with about
5000 plurality, against 5000 four years
ago, and "a, 900 when Garfield was elected
but this they did in spite of the with
drawal of about %, 900 Prohibition votes,
mainly from the Republican raukSI north
of the river. In this part of the state
therefore the Republican net gain. even as
compared with the Garfield election. was
very large. All accounts before the cleo
tion, both Democratic and Republican,
foreshadowed Republican gains in the
forming districts and the manufac-
turing towns because OF tile tariff
policy of the Democratic party
it would be willful blindness TO deny that
the result thus anticipated was due to the
cause assigned. Democratic gains in this
great city were expected. The Importing
and trading interest here has enormously
increased within eight years. 4 large
part OF 1t has been enlisted in Mr. Cleye-
lands behalf; the increase in foreign pop
ulation has been very rapid. and the natu-
raj growth OF a great Democratic city
might be expected TO swell the Democratic
fluences the Republican vote in New York
and Brooklyn was 406 per cent of the total
vote in 1884, and 41.6 per cent of the total
vote In 1885, showing a slight increase.
Similar conditions affected the result in
Connecticut and New Jersey. In the
larger centres of foreign born population
the Republican party lost, not only be-
cause of the great increase of votes by i'm
m grafton, but also because the action OF
the action OF the party on the Temperance
question was used to detach from il the
votes of many thousand men who could be
influenced by the liquor interest. Yet.
Notwithstanding losses in New Jersey.
the Republicans are beaten by
smaller plurality in Connecticut than
in 1884, and they made important
gains.ln some parts of New Jersey. When
it is considered that throughout the latter
state the influence OF the liquor dealers
was powerfully exerted against the Re
publican party, not only by persuasion