Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-11-18
VIVA, Nigh, Have neen.

what Might Have Been.
While the HERALD has no desire to
disturb Republican jubilation over their
late victory it is really astonishing what
a small change in the popular vote OF
two States would have altered the result
and continued Mr.. Cleveland in the
White House for another four years.
The latest Republican claim puts their
majority in the State of New York at
$4,000. The change of less than seven
thousand votes in the Empire State
would have elected the Democratic can
didate if the Democrats shall prove to
have carried West Virginia, with three
electoral votes to spare. Conceding West
Virginia to the Republicans, change OF
less than two thousand votes in the
Hoosier State would have elected Cleve-
land with twelve electoral votes in excess
of the required POL. This view of the
matter is instructive, to say the least. A
change of less than ten thousand votes
in two pivotal States bridges the i'm
mense chasm which separates victory
from defeat for both of the great national
parties. OF course our Republican friends
will reply to this view that Harrison
got there, all the same," that "a miss is
as good as mile" and 80 on, but it is a
striking outcome of great national con-
test in which both parties put forth un.
exampled energies.
Another peculiar phase of the late con.
test is that neither the President nor his
policy encountered fair play. We do not
mean by this that he was Intentionally
slaughtered in the house of his friends.
We have yet to see any conclusive evil
dence that he was betrayed by Tammany
Hall in New York City, as has been SO
freely charged by the enemies of that
powerful organization. The President
himself has said that Tammany stood
Loyalty by him. Where Mr.. Cleveland
was unfortunate was in the unfair inter-
probation given to his surplus message of
last December. Mr.. Blaine said that it
meant free trade. Its author said that
it did not. In his letter of acceptance OF
the St. Louis nomination Mr.. Cleveland
restated his position very luminously,
and he added, "We have entered upon
no crusade of free trade.'
That ought to have settled the matter,
at least where Democrats were con-
cerned. One and all, they ought to have
accepted Mr.. Cleveland's just and mod.
crate Interpretation OF his own views,
instead of Mr.. Blaine's prejudiced mis-.
Interpretation of them. The Plumed
knight raised the cry of "Free Trade
in his Paris interview. 1t was an unjust
and biased clamor, and yet many Demo.
cratic editors and orators were at pains
to give color to it.
Few newspaper men in America have
more ardent admirers than Mr.. Henry
Watterson. Few journals WELD greater
influence than his Louisville Courier
Journal. But just about the time Mr..
Cleveland's true position was about be-
ing realized by the people Mr.. Watterson
would come out in his Courier-Journal
with an eloquent TRADE embodying the
most extreme free trade views, and it
would be republished in every Republi-
can journal in the United States. When
Mr.. Watterson would restrain himself for
while, some eloquent and impassioned
free trader, like Senator Vest, would be
found to step into the breach and an
nounce that he would never rest until
the last vestige of protection
was destroyed. OF course the Re-
publican editors and orators would
circulate these views, which had
no real connection with the wise and
conservative position Of President Cleve-
land, as the true Democratic attitude in
the matter, undoubtedly confusing many
well-meaning voters who, if they had
understood the Presidents exact posi-.
ton, would certainly have voted for his
reelection.
The New York World was a journal
which religiously adhered to the real
Democratic position as inspired by Presi.
dent Cleveland and outlined in the Mills
bill. In it's humble way the Los Angeles
HERALD was another. We have no hesi-
tation in avowing it as our belief that if
all the Democratic journals and orators
had been equally conscientious and pre-,
else in advocating the true Democratic
position, the President would have car
ried New York, Indiana and California
by larger pluralities than those by which
he lost them.
THURSDAYS Chronicle, basing its judg-