The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-08
The Pivotal State.


In the comments OF the democratic press
and Of prominent democrats on the results
Of the recent elections two things crop out
conspicuously One is that New York Will
be the pivotal state in the presidential cam
paign next year. and ths other is that Mr..
Cleveland viii be the democratic candidate
FOR President. It seems 70 be admitted by
both parties that the party that carries Ne"
York will elect the Presideat.
| Can the democrats carry New York next
year! This Is the question that IS already
being dis used in all parts Of the country.
The republican leaders are asserting that the
election last Tuesday was not s fair test OF
the strength Of each Of the two great par
ties. They insist that the vote in the inte-
nor Of the state shows that thousands OF
| republicans did not 60 TO the polls. The
reason so many republicans neglect TO
vote, they say, Is that there is a strong feel
ing against Mr.. Plat. the republican leader
Of the state Because there is hostility to
Mr.. Platt and his political methods there
was very little inclination to help elect Mr..
Fassett. who was VIGOROUSLY Mr.. Platt's
candidate
But the republican leaders, who advance
the foregoing explanation Of the defeat of
their party, forget that, at the convention
at which MIR. Fassett was nominated, il
was admitted by those opposed TO Mr..
Platt that Mr.. Fassett was the strongest
man that could be nominated, and that all
the factions united in promising to give
him hearty support. During the cam
paign nothing was said about a feeling Of
lukewarmness In the interior coun-
| ties toward Mr.. Fassett, aSd it seems
rather strange. therefore, that it should
| not have been discovered until after the
election. 1t is pretty safe 70 assume that It
did not exist to any appreciate extent.
But New York is state Of chaDgeable
| majorities. Because it went democratic
this year by over $4,000 majority it doesn't
necessarily follow that it will 90 demo-
cratic next year. In the recent campaign
very little attention was paid to national
questions. The tariff was discussed to a
limited extent, and the tariff doctrine Of
the Democratic party undoubtedly made
votes for the democratic ticket. Both par
ties being against the free coinage of silver
that question did not play an important
part in the campaign.
But the majority which the Democratic
party got this year will give that party
great advantage in the contest next year.
In a presidential contest there is quite a
large percentage Of voters who want to be
on tho winning side, and TO them demo-
cratic success this year will be an srgu-
ment in favor Of democratic success next
year.
But the nominees and the platforms will
have much TO do with the way New York
votes next year. II Mr.. Cleveland is the
democratic nominee for President and tar
III reform is the one great issue New York
will 20 democratic. OF Mr.. Clevelands
popularity there is no doubt. The little hos
tility to him that existed in TEmmany has
disappeared. The name of no other man
exoites 80 much enthusiasm either In town
or country. This Is satisfactory evidence
of his strength with the people and of the
popularity Of tariff reform.
But II the silver question is brought into
the mpaign next year, and the Demo-
cratic party by the action of congress is
forced into the position of favoring free
coinage of silver New York may go repub,
lican. Mr.. Cleveland could not consistently
stand on a plstfor favoring free silver
coinage, and New York would not give her
electoral vote to party having free coin
| age plank in its platform.
The republicans, however. are going to
make the silver question an issue if they
can. Senator Sherman said as much in an
interview a day or two ago. He believes,
and so do most Of the republican leaders
that the declaration Of the Republican
party in Ohio against free silver coinage
gave that state to Maj. Mckinley.
1t is apparent that 1t will not do for the
democrats to rest upon the belief that they
will carry Now York next year. In order
to be sure of carrying it they must make no
mistake 10 their presidential ticket or in
their national platform.