The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-12-26
NUMBER 40.
THE IOWA REPULsE,

The election of Democratic Govern
or in Iowa, and greatly reduced r.
publican majority in the Legislature, art
notable Illustrations of the possible and
unexpected fluctuations of party control
in popular government.
Much speculation concerning causes
has been INDUCED, but thoughtful p0lit.
cal economists study the peoples verdict
weigh the laws and the evidence which
made up the case. and thereby forecas'
the future. The question of the Tariff
was no determining factor IN the cam
paigD. The voters of Iowa by theii
splendid majority for Harrison and Nor
ton had given approval of the American
Protective system,
The farmers looked beyond their corn
| fields out on the broad interests of the
whole country of which they are a part !;
Chey knew that multiplied hands and 10
creased wages, in the factory and the
mill, are sure to make a convenient.
steady and profitable market for farm
products.
Iowa farmers az class are intelligent
and reliable Protectionists.
The absence of this commanding issue
in tie late State campaign accounts it,
part for the stay-at-home vote which
made possible the election of Mr.. Bols
aud the defeat of many Republican leg
islators.
The Prohibition question was potent
influence IN the popular arbitration al
The ballot box.
The Republican party has lost beyond
recovery the 'hquOr vote" Its hold
upon conservative temperance men, NOT
vet persuaded that prohibition is practi-
cable or possible, has been weakened.
The Republican party is ever the party
of progress. In Iowa, its platform utter
ances and legislative record have kept
place with the dominant temperate,
sentiment expressed by the people il
constitutional law. No party should be
expected to do more; no party with
popular approval could do less.
Republicans in other States censur'
party leaders in Iowa, with lack of polit
ical sagacity in ''saddling the temperance
issue" on the party. These critics be-
tray ignorance of the Iowa situation.
So all peryasive is temperance senti
ment, 80 over mastering is saloon oppo
aition, that it would have been suicidsi
for the party to have ignored the issue
Much as the party has lost, it would
have lost more by any other course.
Its present depletion from this caust
is an inevitable condition of political
evolution.
Further, Iowa has lost many Thousand
Republican votes by emigration to the
Western States.
The young people of our "best famil-
ies'-princes in nature and kings of the
soIl-have followed the Star of the EN-.
pre- still further West. They have al
ready made their record in the newer
States. But they do not answer the Re-
publican roll call on election day.
1owa's increased population has been oi
those not yet educated'in Iowa schools
of public morals or not yet up to heI
standards of political ethics.
In this crucial period the bad slough
ing off, the good going out and the ig-
norant coming in, Iowa might still have
her commanding temperance majority
were her forces undivided.
With sorrow and Indignation it mus
be recorded that the so-called Prohib-
tion party added its little might on Ih'
side of the saloon. Its count of vo es
was small, hut it put in its best work
where it could hurt the Republican party
most.
1t signifed nothing to these ''politici
dynamlt ers" that all temperance legis
latlon had found its majority support il
the rank and file of of the Republican
party; that in the platform and on the
stump Republican standard bearers
stood for the law and its enforcement.
| The election of Mr.. Bois-an open op.
poser of prohibtion-they cheered az
heartily as did the minions of the saloon.
They boldly declare that the defeat OF
the Republican party is more to be de
sired than the present continuance of the
prohibitory law.
| But not these causes alone made the
record of November 9th.
The purely local and temporary agta-
tion of the transportation question out
weighed them all.
| The last General Assembly adopted
most aggressive legislation against tht
railroads doing business in the State
Governor Larrabee was in hearty sym
pathy with this legislation and used tht
executive power in its rigid enforcement
Railroad men-of whom there are many
in the State-Tesented at the ballot box
what they consider an unjust and oppres
sive discrimination against their inter
est.
They did not make personal warfare
on the Republican nominee for Govern
or, but they declare their determina
tion to teach the majority party thai
vested rights and corporate Interests
may demand the same protection from
the law as personal property and indi-
vidual rights.
Strangely enough, also, the farmers,
who were the declared opponents of so
called railroad monOpolies, aided these
"monopolies" to accomplish their desire
The farmers candidate in the Repub
lican convention was Mr.. Wheeler, foI
many years president of the Agricultur-
al Society of the State. Not securing
his nomination, after making vigorous
struggle and close contest, they "sulkpd
IN their tents" and the party lost their
votes. To sum it up: Every salOUI
man, every Democrat, every raIlroao
man, voted for Mr.. BOls many also
voted for Democratic Legislators.
On the other hand, the Republican
party lost large stay-at-homs vote, the
insane Prohibition party vote, and few
license Republicans. Yet unexpected
and unexampled IN Iowa politics as tbi-
cyclone was, the Republican party II
still the dominant party in Iowa. Il
lost only the Governor from its State
ticket.
1t will return William B. Allison to
the United States Senate. and In 1892.
under the banner of Protection to
American Industries and Protection to
American Homes, it will give its elec
toral vote to the nominee nf the Repuh.
licsn party.-lfrS. j. Ellen Foster IN
American Economist.