The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1891-11-25
The West in 1899.

fest in 1890, holds its own in 1891,
and it is still carrying the Demo-
cratic party forward to the higher
ground where alone it can find a
basis for permanent success. The
revolution in the West has been a
most momentous one-so great that
it would be unaccountable were IL
not for the Republican party's re-
cord of hostility to agriculture and
commerce. on which the subsistence
and prosperity of the West wholly
depends.
The result in the West last year
50 astonished the country that no
ono believed it could be permanent,
but when Iowa. which eight years
ago stood with Kansas as the most
radically Republican State in the
Union, has been carried by the.
Democrats thrice in succession, and
when the Central Western States
have all declared their independ-
-enee, it means that the agricultural
States of the Central West are de-
termined to have redress for their
grievances and to crush any party
that opposes them in their just
claims.
Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, I'LL
nois, Indiana. Michigan and Kansas
have all felt this impulse and the
possibility of their voting in a solid
block is not remote. Its one of the
probabilities of the immediate
future.
The situation in 1891 has changed
from 1890. only in drawing party
lines harder and tighter to the dis
advantage of the Republican party
throughout the West. Toe Repub-
lican attempt to force the Farmers
Allianc into an independent Third
party movement has reacted against
RepubIicanism. The Republicans
have checked the Alliance in Kansas
and Nebraska, but even if as a re-
suit they hold these States in 1892,
they have gained nothing, and they
defeat themselves by forcing issues
squTely between the two parties in
snch States as Iowa, Illinois, Wis
consin, Michigan and Indiana. On
ly ordinary common sense on the
part of the Democratic party is re-
quired to carry at least three of
these States next year. The debt
of s104 head, on real estate mort
cages alone, has made Iowa Demo-
cratic; just as the Kansas revolt was
Precipitated by like per capita
debt of s165. Illinois has a similar
debt OF 500 head of population,
and other Western agricultural and
commercial States are feeling the
oppression of RepubIicanism griev-
ously enough to join any movement
which promises redress.
Unless the Democratic party turns
its back on the West next year it
cannot be defeated. 1t can carry
Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana
again by the same policy which has
given it three successive victories in
Iowa. And at the same time it can
hold all it has won in the East.
Some compromises there may be in
policy, but there must be none in
principle The West must be con-
suited in whatever is done-nothing
on which it puts its veto must be
done. The policy of the Democratic
party must become more clearly
and distinctly national, and it can
only become SO by giving the West
its full weight
Let Western Democrats stand up
to be counted The events of the
last three years have given them
new dignity. The West has begun
to count in the Union, and those
who fail TO reckon with it hereafter
will learn that it is no longer ig-
norant of its strength.-!S. Louis
Republic.