Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-22
SATURDAY. FEBRUARY %. 1890
West virR,n,a, Iowa, and Montana

In West Virginia, Iowa, and Montana
there are Democrats who believe IN the
principles Of the fathers of the republic
and who never become weary in well-do-
ing. In West Virginia the Democrats
fought the Republican rascals from No
yembcr. 1888, until January, 1890, and
finally gained victory over them. The
Democrats have installed A. Il. FLEMING as
their Governor. II was most unpromlslng
enterprise when the Democratic leaders IN
that gallant little State first decided
upon it; but time, patience, pluck. and
perseverance, accomplished the object
In view. Both houses of the Legisla-
ture and the Governor-in fact, the legis-
lative, executive. and judicial departments
of the State Government are all in the
hands of the true and trusty Democracy,
and will, we hope. be kept there for many
years to come. II is true the Republicans
In the House of Representatives at Wash
ington have undertaken to avenge
Mr.. Corr, and will, no doubt. turn out
every West Virginia Democrat in that
body whose seat has been contested. But
next fall the freedom-loving mountaineers
will rally TO the support of their candi-
dates for Congress. and send to Washing
ton solid delegation of Democrats. The
people will rise in their might and make
known their determination that the Con
stitution framed by our revolutionary an
cestors shall not be trampled in the dust.
In Iowa. too. fierce contest between the
Democrats and the Republicans ended the
other day in substantial triumph for the
Democrats. From the first Tuesday in No
vember, 1889, till the second Tuesday in
February, 1890. the opposing forces stood
in battle array. 1t seems hardly credible
that the Democrats came off conquerors IN
Iowa. State that has been for years as
decidedly Republican as any New England
State. But so we understand the matter.
The Iowa House of Representatives Is now
presided over by Democratic Speaker;
and this IN spite Of the wholesale gerry
Wandering which had been done by
the Republicans. 1t is true the Re
publicans and the Democrats of the
House of Representatives agreed on a
compromise which accorded the Speaker
10 the latter, and the important COM
mittees to the former, and provided
for q division Of the other Offices as equally
as possible between the two parties; but
we repeat that such compromise in such
State as Iowa was substantially victory
for the Democrats. But for the outrageous
manner in which the legislative districts
had been gerrymandered the Democrats
would have elected ffty-fve members of
the House Of Representatives to forty-fve
elected by the Republicans. Let us hope
for still more decided triumphs in that
State at an early day. Such Democrats rs
those in Iowa cannot be kept under. They
whipped the Republicans last November
with their hands tied. Once their hands
are unbound they will thresh the rascally
Republicans within an inch of their lives.
The Democrats of Montana have not
been successful in their acknowledgement
battle with the malignants. The Admins
tyation at Washington had too much intlu-
ence over the people OF Montana just as
that Territory was undergoing transforma-
tion into State. The Republicans in the
United States Senate have the power to
seat the Republicans alleged to have been
elected to that body from Montana; and
there is no good reason to doubt that this
is the full purpose of those Constitution
smashers. The Democrats have the Gov
ernor in that new State. Though we cannot
exult over Democratic victory in Montana
we can boast of the loyalty and devotion
TO duty and'principle which characterize
the Democrats of that State and predict
for them triumph in the near future. 1t
Isl great wrong to the new State to be re-
presented for years by Republicans not
chosen honorably and fairly and consti-
tutionally, but it is one of those wrongs
for which there is no remedy. There is no
appeal from the act of the United States
Senate in seating as members of that body
persons who were not chosen in the man.
ner and form prescribed by the Federal
Constitution. Nevertheless, this wrong
will bear Democratic fruit. Montana will
be made reliably Democratic as a conse-
Quence of its preparation.
All hail, West Virginia. Iowa, and Mon
tana!