St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-05

OF ali the state elections which occur
to-day none will attract more interest
outside of the borders of the states in
which the elections are held than the
one in Virginia. The Republican eau
didate for governor in that state has
long been a conspicuous figure in ma
tiOnal affairs. and great deal Of public
Interest has been manifested to know
what his fate will be in this. his life or
death struggle for political existence.
In addition TO this, Virginia has been
confidently relied upon by the prOtec-
tioaists as the state to make the first
break in dissolVing the Solid South. and
to align itself fairly and Squareiy on the
side of high tariff. Consequently, the
result Of tO-day's election in the Old
dominion will be awaited with unusual
interest throughout the country.
The Virginans are born politicians.
Their proximity to the national capital.
IN addition to the conspicuous part the
state has always played in national af-
fairs. seems to have imbued the people
of the ancient commonwealth with the
idea that an active participat on in po-
Iitical matters is an essential duty of
citizenship. They engage in an ordi-
uaFy political campaign with all the
tarnestness and enthusiasm Of their
tropical nature, ana never fail TO make
It interesting. But it SO happens that
the campaign which has just been
brought to a close has been one of the
most earnest and exciting ever known
in the annals of Virginia politics.
There has been nothing ike it
slice the memorable WIsE-FLoUR-
NOY campaign of 1854. when the
attention of the whole nation was
riveted upon the contest, because it was
known that the fate of KDow-Nothing-
iSm depended upon the result. The
signal victory won by Gov. WISE sealed
the doom of the Know Nothing party
ia this country, and il soon afterwards
passed out of existence. If the result
had been different. and FLoUBNoY had
been elected governor of Virginia in
that contest, the Know Nothing party
would have risen to national Importance,
and would have rendered the organiza-
ton of the Republican party unneees-
sary.
The white people Of Virginia have
felt that the results Of the campaign
through which they have just passed
are scarcely more portentous than were
the consequences which depended upon
the memorable campaign of 1854. So
strongly had this impression fixed itself
upon the minds of the white population
of the state that nearly all Of the white
leaders of the Republican party, in
Guiding the men who organized the Re-
publican party in the famous Shenan-
doah valley region, deserted the
MAHONE standard and temporarily
allied themselves with the Demo-
Gratis. But for their desertion MA
HOMES success would probably be
assured, as he holds the negro vote
solidly in hand, and has doubtless
manipulated the commercial vote which
has followed in the wake Of industrial
development in the southwestern part
of the state. MARoNE'S abilities as an
organizer have never been overrated.
and no one has questioned his superior
skill as corrupter of the ballot. These
two qualities have made him a formi-
dable opponent for the Democracy to
fight against. and this being the crisis
Of his political career, he has nerved
himself for the utmost exertIons. Still,
there is every reason TO believe that
right will prevail at to-day's poll in the
'0id Dominion" and that Mahonism
will be buried in the same grave where
ACKNOWLEDGMENT found its final rest
ing place just thirty-fye years ago. May
the good Lord direct il so.