New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-25
TIE PRESIDENTIAL OUTLOOK.

In the light of recent elections Democrats
have already begun to array electoral votes of
States, proving that their party cannot win
without the vote of New York. They neglect
to mention the facts which show that the Re-
publcans can. 1t is a very old story that the
Solid South has no chance of controlling the
Government except by means of the essentially
foreign influence and population concentrated
within ten miles of City Hall. That argument
nominated Mcclellan at the demand of New
York in 1854, and Seymour in 1868, and
Greeley in 1872, and Tilden in 1876 and
Hancock, actually resident here though NOM
inally from Pennsylvania, in 1880, and Cleve-
land in 1884 and 1888. For about twenty
five years the Democratic party has been play
ing on that single string, and some of the party
are getting tired
All the Democratic reasoning goes upon the
basis that new apportionment in season for
the next Presidential election is improbable.
On the contrary, the Republicans in Congress
will richly deserve defeat if they fail to make
the apportionment required by the census of
1890 before the close of the session in the
winter of 189O-'91. They have the necessary
votes in the House already, and will have
ulentIy occupied by candidates of the shotgun
are restored to men for whom majority of the
people voted. 1t is conceded, of course, that
any party may throw away its opportunities
and commit political suicide. But the Repub-
lican party has not been accused, even by it's
worst opponents, of political folly, and it would
be the worst conceivable folly to defer appOr-
tionment, with the certainty that a new assign
ment Of votes according to population would
give the Republicans a considerable gain, on
account Of the rapid growth of the Northwest
ern States.
But on the basis of the present apportion-
ment the electoral votes in 1892 will number
414, including / 3 from the four new States.
OF these the former slave States have only
SO, and the votes of West Virginia are adj
mtted to be doubtful. Besides this doubtful
State, the Democrats require So more votes,
and cannot get them with New-York, New
Jersey, Connecticut and Montana, which would
give them only 81, one less than enough to
elect. They require some other Northern State
but with these any other even the smallest
would do-always suppOsing that they succeed
in West Virginia and every other Southern
State.
The argument that the Democrats must de-
pend upon New ork, tiresome as it is TO West
ern leaders, is actually stronger than ever. lie
is really almost impossible to figure out Dem
ocfatic majority without New-YOrk, even if
every conceivable possibility be reckoned. In
diana, New Jersey and Connecticut mean only
80 votes, but it does not often happen that
the Democratic party can succeed in Connect
in Nayy-XorL Montana il adj
mttedIy close, but the great tide of migration
in that direction is from the Republican States
of the Northwest, and will in all probability
render wholly pOwerleSs in the near future the
Democratic bosses of the copper syndicate and
the Northern Pacific. Nor can Indiana be
reckOned a hopeful Democratic State if Re-
publicans behave wisely. The truth is, that
the party which has gained power by aid
of the entire Northwest and New York will
prove itself cunously incompetent in dealing
with the practical questions which Democrats
have neglected if it does not gain strength in
both sections.
Returning to the figures, it seems quite with
in the power Of the Republican party to sue
coed without the votes of New-Ymk, New
Jersey or Connecticut. Even if they do not
gain West Virginia they will elect; if they
gain West Virginia and hold Montana, but
lose New York, New-Jersey, Connecticut, New
Hampshire, Rhode Island and Nevada, they
would still elect. Nor is West Virginia the
only Southern State in which, with wise ad-
mn;stration and wise legislation, the Repub-
leans ought to succeed. In short the Repub-
lican party is no longer dependent upon the
votes Of any single State. The Democratic
party is still the bond -slave of the New-Yolk
politicians.