Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-11-09
LANCASTER, PA, November 2. 1889
The Iowa issues.

Inc iowa Issues
Horace Boies, the governor elect of
Iowa, attributes the remarkable success
Of the Democracy to the position taken
by II In favor of tariff reform, high
license, the Australian ballot and state
control Of railways. Upon these ques-
tions, which are all national In their
field, the Democratic party all over the
country stands together and occupies
the position that the people are bound
eventually to confirm. The current
which these returns have shown to
be steadily setting towards the DEM
ocracy all over the country Is the
best evidence of the soundncss of its
position upon the current issues. In
Pennsylvania apparently the tide ran
against the Democracy, but 1t was only
in appearance, the Philadelphia returns
being clearly artificial. Pennsylvania
sentiment does not run counter to the
national sentiment; but the elections arc
not always certain to show her current.
IL Is safe enough to assume that
the tide which The elections show
is of national extent; and that
the successful candidate for governor
in Iowa spoke for the national Demo
cratic party and declared the doctrine
upon which its contests will he based.
The protection offered to the secret
ballot by the Australian system of vot-
ing is one which the Democratic party
demands. The Republicans of Iowa
sought to ridicule it, as those in Penn
sylvania have undertaken to do but
"a IA, ~. H.,
sense of the people as very substantial
reform and they will eventually secure
it everywhere. The wise politician will
not kick against it, much ns 1t tends
10 destroy the peculiar influence he has
had over election returns. With this
system in practice, 1t would not have
been possible to have returned Rcpubli-
can majorities from the Philadelphia
Democratic wards in an election in
which there was no excitement and no
party discomfort with its candidate.
The Australian system prevents the
politicians from claiming the voters
vote as his property to he disposed of,
sold, transferred, and bargained for MS
he pleases. The simple expedient by
which this is done is the separation of
the voter from observation while he
votes, and putting in his possession a
ballot which he is obliged to intelli-
gently mark with his choice. The only
objection made to the system is that it
requires some small degree of intelli.
gence to cast vote under IL which
should hardly be deemed an objec-
tion, but rather recommendation to 1t,
rs surely the voter who has not the intel
ligence needed TO mark his ballot, when
he is offered the list of candidates from
whom he is to choose, should not enjoy
the privilege of the suffrage. Massachu-
setts, which has just had her first cleo
tion under the new system, found no
embarrassment in the inability of her
citizens to master 1t and is reported to
be delighted with its working.
The high license position which has
come to be recognized as that of the
Democratic party, because Of the CO.
quoting of the Republican politicians
with the Prohibition people, is II strong
foundation upon which il has built its
house, and in Pennsylvania as well as
Iowa, willsbring it success. Pennsylya-
MIA sentiment upon il has been decided
~ pronounced and there is no oqueston
At all that high license is the popular
sentiment. Nor can there be any doubt
that upon the question of the govern
ment control Of the railroads, the popu-
lar sentiment is as strong and pro-
nounced here and everywhere as In
Iowa nor that the Democratic party
everywhere holds the championship of
this doctrine. Certainly the Re
publican leaders of Pennsylvania,
: cannot escape their responsibility fM
i'-' fei!ure of the legislation chat has
- yfr Tor many years demanded for the
enforcement of the control Of the rail
roads declared in the constitution
They are notorious as the servants of the
corporations. Their record in harlotry is
made up before the people. They seek
to carry elections by temporary expe-
dients and petty devices-and:have never
exhibited political principle to which
they have sworn devotion. They have
been steadily for sale and always
10 the market with their party and their
principles, ready to whore with any ism
and accept the brlbe of any power. 1t
"ohueiiuHs uiIty party III IennSyl-
vania and its present 10000 majority,
made up at few polls in Phila lelphia,
afforts mean sample Of its methods.
1t is party that could see, if il had
eyes to see, the handwriting on the
wall, and the condemnation and failure
that is sure to attend its putrid practices
and overwhe,ms its lecherous leaders.
We find in the result of the elections of
this autumn an abundant promise that
the Democratic party is about to pass
into the control of the government of the
states and the country We see ii in the
way that the tide is strongly set
ting; and we find particular as
surance of ii in the very sound
positions which are taken all over the
country by the Democratic party upon
all the leading issues among whicl. W.
do not find one upon which the Democ-
racy does not stand fairly and squarely
on the side of liberty and good govern
ment and In sympathy with the people,
Small Tyranny.
There is great deal of talk about