The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-04-11
DEMOCRATIC VICTORIES.


parts of the East, North and West
are suggestive. The first notable
gains and victories were in the town
elections of Connecticut and Ohio,
but these have been lost sight of in
the latter food of Democratic ma
jorities in other States. St. Louis,
for example, gives a Democratic
majority of 1923 instead of the
overwhelming Republican majority
of last November. Other impor-
tant towns of Missouri report SINH
lar results. More surprising still,
Chicago elected the Democratic mu-
nicipal ticket from top 10 bottom by
a majority of over 1880. Nor
was the movement which gave the
capital of the Northwest TO the De
mocracy confined 10 Chicago, bat
extended to Springfield, Illinois,
where the whole Democratic ticket
was chosen. Leavenworth, Kansas,
Dubuque and Keoi<uk, Iowa, and
Evansville, Indiana, were the scenes
of similar Democratic triumphs du-
ring the past week.
To crown the trophy detected
Democrats will be disposed to erect
over these cheering successes comes
the remarkable Democratic victory
in Rhode Island, where the Demo-
cratic candidate for Governor has
obtained plurality OF over 1000.
Even the Legislature is in doubt,
with a probability that the Demo
Gratis will control it on joint ballot
Providence, under the recent extern
sion of the franchise, has ranged it
self unequivocally in the list of
Democratic cities. Almost the whole
number of recently enfranchised vo-
tiers, it may be observed, voted with
the Democracy.
Explanations are forthcoming in
abundance to account for the fact
that so many towns and cities of the
first importance-and in one case an
entire State-now Give Democratic
majorities in lieu Of the Republican
maiorities OF November last. One
class of explanations brings local
causes solely into view. In this
place it was the pcstifcrous pro-
hibitionist, in that the evil-minded
mugwump and in a third the labor
element that did the business for the
Republicans. The personal unpop-
ularity of the head of their ticket is
often mentioned as the reason for
diminished vote, but the activity of
is not forgotten.
Those who look to the field of
federal politics for reason for the
general Republican discontinue find
them in the disappointment of office
seekers whose "claims" upon Presi-
dent Harrison are not yet "recogniz-
ed" in the disgust of civil-service
reformers at the continual decapita-
ton of Democrats to make way for
hungry patriots, in the discomfort
produced by the many recent redrc-
lions of wages in protected industries
and in the resentment of fair-minded |
people at the Senate's rejection of
Mr.. Halstead.
All these factors operated no
ioubt, to some extent, to produce
he widespread disaster, but collect
vely they were hardly adequate to
fleet so much. The true reason for
he falling off of the Republican
'ote was probably very simple, and
consisted in the fact that the corrup-
ion Iund was exhausted last Nov
mber. The question of reducing
ariff taxes was not the prominent
ssue in the recent elections, and the
ariff lords did not therefore see the
se of raising the bribery fund en-
loyed in November. They refused
} have their "fat" fried out of them
Dr. local elections, preferring to re-
erve themselves for emergencies like
residential and congressional cleo
ons.
We have no account of Mr.. Wan
raising 100000 for the
In the recent elections
{ voters in doubt about the beauties
protection. The ''foaters," in a
ord, were allowed this time to vote
leir true sentiments unincumbered
y protectionist gold or intimidation.
omething, it must be Conceded,
as due to the circumstance that
'e present is an "off year" But it ,
as an soff year. in a double sense, !
I'd its ssoffness as respects the tariff, /
the significant thing about il when {
st weeks elections are to be ex- ]
lained. II