St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-18
A MONITORY LESSON.

California and Ohio are the only states
that successfully resisted the wave of
tariff reform that swept the country in
the early days of this month. A few of
the smaller ones were not quite en-
quilted. but they all felt the popular
tide. 1t does not altogether appear how
the Pacific state escaped. Perhaps in a
land of gold and vinous. eXhilaration
:hey thought cheap things were only
suited to the Chinese, or more protection
may have been wanted on their wine or
some other product. They have the
modification of being out of fashion.
There is no special Importance attached
10 their voting, aside from the continued
control of seat in the senate. But the
result Ill Ohio is worth consideration for
the lesson it affords. A year ago the
Democrats achieved signal triumph in
that state, reScuing it from the Repub-
licans, capturing the governor by 1882
plurality and securing both branches Of
the legislature. Under the general in
tluenceS operative this year, and in view
of the voting done in all the neighboring
states, a Democratic victory by at least
$1,000 should have been had. In place
of that, the Republicans roll up about
$4,000 the most votes on their state
ticket, and would have carried the legis-
lature, had there been one elected. In
MCkINLEY's district, with all the bur
den of his mOnstrosity to carry, the 4,205
majority given Mr.. CLEVELAND two
years ago was reduced to beggarly 200.
In another district FOSTER nearly wiped
out $50 majority, and still worse work
was done In Cincinnati district. Why
this remarkable exception to the politi-
cal deluge that missed no other state
between the Rockies and the Penobscot
No other conclusion seems possible than
that the Democrats of that state made
bad use of their power, and the
people had them in review, and not
the national issues, in the voting. Two
or three points notable at distance
favor this solution. In spite of warn
ingS and protests in the election of SEN
ator, room was left for the imputation
that wealth was more influential than
stateSmanlike qualities. The reform
sought i'll the senate was not advanced.
The new governor was unfortunate in
the selection of public board in Gin
cinnati that proved SO bad that he
called a special session of the legis-
lature to provide for its removal. That
hurt the party; but apparently the heay-
lest load was the reapportionment on
lines that left small room for defense as
a matter of fairness. 1t could only be
said that it was not worse than the one
the Republicans made in that state, CIV
ing themselves sixteen out Of twenty
one congressman, when an equitable
formation of districts would give Them
but eleven. This the suffering Demo-
Gratis had for years been righteously
declaring was an Infamous gerryInan-
der. No doubt they had persuaded
many voters that it was a wrongful
piece of partisanship, and, when they
found their own party initiating the in
justice, they manifested their honest
indignation at the polls. This feeling,
no dOnbt, contributed to the 1000 loss in
the MCKINLEY district and the marked
reduction of the party strength in other
districts. 1t is true the Democrats saved
fourteen members out of twenty-one
when in minority of $4,000, but there
is growing popular sense that revolts
at unfairneSs on either side. Some con-
gressmen not needed are gained in Ohio
by this sort of apportionment, but the
chance seems lost to place the state in
the Democratic list in 1892. AS there
are good many legislatures coming in
soon under control of the Democrats,
and especially in view of the apportion-
ments. the experience of the Democrats
in Ohio may be noted to useful purpose.