Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-09-21
TIE ExAcr rRrTn AnGur WAN


A correspondent writes that no and his
noighbors are "aIl at sea" ubogt the situa-
ton ana result Of the Maine election and
wants to kuow if the DEMooRAT can't
glve him the facts "boIed down." and
tn ir sigyiGcance. This Is easy, and the
DEMOCRAT will explain the situation aud
result. Maine is a republican state. 1t
was expected that its republicanism this
yeur would be intensified and increased
on account of the fisheries dispute and
on account OF the im.aense sums OF
money used there by the republican com
mittee. Maine il the Only state the fish
cries question would directly affect. Tho
republicans were extremely anxious AID
Determined to increase their majority
thoro 80 as TO create the impression
throughout tho country that public opiu
ion was turning against the democratic
party. To accomplish this they worked
the "!reo trade" scare AID the fisheries
question for all they were worth and
used miuts of money besides.
Now for the result and its Significance.
The total vote in 1884, when Blaine was
tho republican candidate, and every vote
cast, was 142, ,4I3. The total this year
was Ia GGl, an increase of 2,l4S. The
increase shows that both parties got out
their vote this year as they did four
years ago. Tho republicans were en-
couragod by the certainty of eleotiug their
candidates, the democrats were working,
as usual, with the certainty of defeat
staring them in the face. The republi-
cau4 were working to show that there is
political tidal wave by rolling up Il
much larger majority than they gave the
year than they lost the presidency, and
such an increase. That was the whole
contest.
Who wonS There can be sut one an
swor, now that the figures are IN. Here
il is:
Republican plurality in tSSt.......... .... u. SCI
Republican plurality IN isSS....--........ Is, AS
Republican loss in four years. ....... /, S5t
II, then the Maire election has any
significance, it proves taat in the first
contest seriously made this ear the re
publicaus have failed to hold their ma
iority in one of their own states. The
change is slight, hu il j. against them.
But the change must he the other way to
enable them TO win; the rosalt in
Maine ia simply an assurance in advance
that the country is trifle moro demo
cratic than it was four years ago, when il
elected Grover Cleveland President, and
that il will, therefore, re-slsct him by in
creased maioritios.
FoBANFR, Of Ohio, is sbout IA rsuch OF
Burohard IL is B.aine. A. the same time
Harrison was writing his letter of accept
snce, Foraker was writing an article fo1
the American Magazine. In Harrisont
letter of acceptance he says the Mills bill
should be killed because it is "a step" to
wards free trade. But Foraker says in hi
article "by means of protection we arr
rapidly reaching point, not othewis at
tsinahle, where as to many of our pro
ducts we can undersal the whole world
and ultimGhy hare free trade without det
riment to our labor, our country or it
interests" Mr.. Harrison would bette
muzzle Mr.. Foraker.
Detroit Free Press: If there is an.
state in the union where the republican
advocacy OF ultra protectionism shout,
help ii, Maine is that state. Il is on tn
frontier ind peculiarly exposed, thsre
fore, to such dangers--if any-as lie il
increased competition with foreign iabo
and production. 1t is largely iutereste,
in lumber, one of the chief additions 4
the free list. 1t is on the republican side
moreover, of the fishery question. Yet
with all these advantages Oh their side
and with their own Blaine to presep
them to a people who know him bette
than the people of any other state, tn
republicans lose ground in Maine. 1t
very sad.