Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1890-11-20
A Point or Two Worth Considering.

I'm so far as the Democrats triumphed
on Tuesday in Oneida County," remarks
The Utica Herald in reviewing the local
campaign, "thev owe their success to stay
at home Republicans" An examination
Of the returns from Oneida entirely sub
stantiates this statement. Although Mr..
Bentley, the Democratic Congressional
candidate, was elected by few hundred
majority, still, as The Herald' points out,
''he falls siXty-one short Of receiving as
many votes as Mr.. Wempe (Dem.) had
for Controller last year when he was beat
en- in the county 13l; he has .
Isl fewer votes than Grover Cleveland
had in lSSS when the Republicans gave
Benjamin Harrison ,aG5 majority, and he
has 2.43l fewer votes than John ID. McMa-
hon (Dem) had for Congress two years
ago when James S. Sherman (Rep.) had
| ,292 majority in the county,"
These figures tell their own storv-they
tell 1t In italics SO that he who runs cannot
miss its significance. The Republicans Of
Oneida simply beat themselves at the bal
lot-box last week. They neglected to put
forth their whole strength; their full vote
was not polled. The disastrous conse-
quence was that . Congressional district
which could easily have been held was
captured by the Democrats If Oneida
was the only county which had made such
record it would hardly be worth while to
direct the general attention of Republ-
cans throughout the State to the figures
in question. But the frozen truth is that
the Oneida returns, so far as they are an
indictment of the fidelity OF Republicans
to the welfare of their party. have their
counterpart in not few other districts In
this State. Why was Benjamin H. Will
liams defeated in the NXXiId? or Colon
el Davis in the XXXIIId? How did it hap
pen that Tracey received such a bouncing
majority in the NIXth: As one surveys
the political field he is prompted to ask
these questions and several Others of like
tenor, while the same answer fits them all.
That the Republicans of New York held
their own neither in the Congressional nor
the Assembly districts is due in very
large measure to the stay-at. home Repub-
licans.
But why did these Republicans stay away
from the polls last Tuesday; During the
OF political months the Republican county
committees and the other organizations
which are entrusted with the management
Of the party ought to find out why-in
case they do not know alrcady-and they
ought to address themselves to the impor-
tant work OF converting these passive Re
puhiicans into Republican voters and Re
publican workers. II this sort of post
election campaigning is earnestly and ju-
diciouSly prosecuted we can gain next No
vember all we lost last Tue>dav-we can
elect a Republican Senate and Assembly
and crown our labor- by placing a kepub-
lican in the Governors chair If II is not
thus prosecuted the results Of the cleo
tions Of 1871 NAV be the complete triumph
OF the rum power,--a Legislature Demo
cratic in both its branches, Governor
who, like his predecessor Hill, will be dis
tinctively whiskey'S Governor We trust
the committees will receive this .uggc--
tlon in the spirit in which it is given. The
Republicans got bad whipping this time.
very bad one. Bnt the setback can be
turned into a signal advantage if, instead
Of simply mourning our losses or simply
resolving that We must no better next
time, we set ourselves to probing for the
causes of our defeat with view to finding
and applying the necessary remedies. Th,
year in one district the leadership too
closely represented boss-ship, in a sec
ond the nominations were unfortunate, in
third the conflicting claims" of coun-
ties tor recognition" were not adjusted
10 the general satisfaction and so on.
Now there Is no reason why these provo
cations to Republicans to stay at home
on election day should operate in the next
campaign. Let our friends In the districts
where there has been trouble of anv sort
get together and talk over their differences
with the loyal determination To settle
them and 10 pursue policy which will
prevent their recurrence. We confidently
believe that the great mass of Republicans,
all genuine Republicans, will say amen 30
this, And if perchancc there are Rcpubli-
cans Of another sort, the party has no use
for them. -N J. IriIpe.