St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-11
A TIGHT SouEEzE.

After prolonged doubt and uncer-
tainty it is now definitely settled that
Gov. MERRIAM has been reelected.
But he gets in on such small margin
that everybody wonders. himself in
Guided, that he got there at all. The
Democratic managers can now look
back over the field and see where, If a
dozen different things had been done,
any one of them would have elected
p WILSON. The withdrawal of WIIKIN-
sen in the Second district was fatal
mistake for WILSON, and this is but one
instance OF dozen that might be emu
merated of causes that led to the failure
of the Democrats to win on the state
ticket. But it does no good to cry over
split milk. so there is no occasion for
repining. 1t was a glorious victory for
the Democracy as it was. There is
glory enough for one election.
A careful analysis of the vote, to-
gether with review of the campaign,
will afford the politicians of this state
much profitable study. The Republi-
can defeat in Minnesota, for that is
what it was, Notwithstanding thesre-
attributed to anything except repudi-
alton of Republican principles. Some
of the Republican papers in the state
seek for consolation in the reflection
that the Republican disaster was owing
to the weakness of the Republican
ticket. This is an error. AS matter
of fact, the Republicans never had a
stronger state ticket. Any other candi-
date than MERRIAM would have been
defeated overwhelmingly. He is man of
great personal popularity, and he WELD
ed influences in his favor that no other
Republican leader could have COM
manded. And yet, with all these adj
vantages. he was barely able to pull
himself through, while his party ana
the rest of its candidates went to the
wall.
The result of the election in this state
simply shows that IL was here. as it was
everywhere else, an uprising of the UNI
organized masses in protest against the
iniquities Of Republican legislation.
Neither the Democrats nor the Alliance
had any organization worth speaking of.
Neither had any money TO spend in the
election. On the other hand, the Re-
publicans never had better campaign
organization nor more plentiful sup
ply of money. They never had a more
capable corps OF speakers on the stump.
They had state and federal patronage at
their disposal. And yet the old-time
Republican majority of 10000 was
changed into an anti-Republlcan ma
jority of over $4,000.
1t will not do to say that the unpopu-
larity of candidates or the mistakes of
campaign management could produce
snch mighty revolution i'll public SEN.
timent. We must look deeper for
causes.
The great lesson to be learned from the
result of this election is that the people
are never to be tritled with. They know
their rights, and dare assert them. Party
ties are never strong enough to hold the
masses in line when they once realize
that party fealty involves submission to
wrong and oppression.
If the Republicans are wise they will
lay this lesson to heart. But the chances
are that the leaders will continue to be
stiff-necked, and will refuse to be disci-
pinned: and as result. the Republican
party will be buried out of sight in 1892
Even Gov. MERRIAM's money and pop
ularitY will not be able to save them.