Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-05-18
TnE MERALD..
ISLAND POND, MAY IS, 1888.
WHERE THE BATTLE WILL BE
FOUGHT.


paigu opened months ago-when
Cleveland sent in his free trade mes
sage to Congressman has been in
active operation ever since. 1t is a
struggle on the part of the party of
the past to hold the power it obtain
ed by hairs breadth in 1884, that
the hungry and thirsty may still
bask in the sunshine of official pat
ronage. The campaign is engineer
ed from the White House; the battle
ground has been selected, the forces
have been disposed as advantage
ously as possible, the issue of the
campaign made-all in advance of
the Z national convention. That
body will, in effect, merely ratify
what has been done. The ticket is
selected, and has been for months,
at least, 50 far as its head is con-
cerned. The second place will go
to Gray, of Indiana, it is most
likely.
The selected battle ground is the
States of Indiana, New York, New
Jersey and Connecticut. The tri-
umph of Gray at the recent conven-
ton in the former State will likely
make him Cleveland's running mate,
as it will be expected that lie can
carry the State for the Democratic
electoral ticket.
There are 4O1 electoral votes, of
which 20l are necessary to elect.
The Solid South will give 1913 for a
starter. There is no use in any Re
publican wasting much time in
disputing this proposition. The
ukase has gone forth that the South
shall remain solid, and the Louisiana
election is the reply-an earnest of
the November result.
Indiana has Is electoral votes,
New York 36, New Jersey 8, and
Connecticut 6. The Democratic
ticket must obtain As to win. That
party can not win with New York
alone. 1t must have either New
York and Indiana-5l votes; or New
York, New Jersey and Connecticut
81 votes, There is no hope of its
success save by one combination or
the other. The work Of solldifying
the Democracy in all these States
has gone on for months, and seems
to be well accomplished. The New
York factions are an unit on Cleve-
land. So far as work in the Demo
cratic ranks is concerned, nearly all
is already done which is possible.
Look at New York. Every fed
eral official is a"zealous worker for
Cleveland. Every state and city
official of influence has been won
over. Governor Hill even has been
brought into line by the promise of
the succession four years hence.
Connecticut and New Jersey have
been "worked" in the same manner,
and Indiana will be-for money is
abundant in the Bourbon camp, and
the price Of the average Indiana
Democrat was acknowledged by the
Democratic leaders themselves in
1880 to be 50 a head.
The issue is free trade, or practi
cally the first steps in the direction
of absolute free trade, through a re.
duction of the tariff that shall strike
deadly blow at the principle of
protection. The phalanx of Democ.
racy is solid on that issue in the four
debatable states.
The Republicans have done moth
ing actively as yet. They have been
idly wasting their time in the dis.
cussion OF the Presidential nomina
tion. There is no real activity save
in the formation of Republican
clubs, and the Democrats are eager
ly Selling on the idea. The Repub
lican party has the advantage of be
ing the attacking party, and of hav
ing the strongest side of the issue
on which the battle hinges, But il
needs to shake off its inaction, anC
go to work.
The Republican party can coun
certainly on l62 electoral votes
leaving out New York, New Jersey
Connecticut and Indiana. 1t ha
but 10 more to obtain to carry tn
election. 1t can win by carryin,
New York alone, or by carrying In
diana and either Connecticut O
New Jersey. Now, the vote tina
will decide the contest in any one O
all of these states is the independen
vote. There are thousands of me
in each, not mugwnmps, but me
who cara but littto fcy nartv uh