The sun., 1891-04-09
Indications.

InC spring 02eCtlouO Oh 1874 nave nearly
all OF them baen held. There have been
general State elections in Rhode Island and
Michigan. municipal elections in Chicago.
Cleveland, Cincinnati. Rochester, Leaven-
worth. Springfield, Lawrence. Providence.
Columbus. and other place.. and township
elections In New York, Ohio, Massachusetts,,
Kansas Minnesota. Maine. and Wisconsin.
AZ 0 general thing, issues OF local char.
soter enter very largely into political con-
tests which are decided before the roses
bloom and the freshets cease: and not
infrequently they overshadow all other
considerations. But that is the ex.
ception and not the rule. What
makes spring elections Of importance
Is tho evidence which they furnish OF the
condition Of party organisation and ma
chinery, and tho reouperative power which
the party that lost In the preceding No.
vembsr displays in April. They foreshadow
with singular and almost unerring &C.
curacy the probable tate OF the fall elections
following. While 1t would be. OF course. i'm
possible TO found any positive prophecy up
on the result Of an isolsted contest In any
State, the full details Of tho recent spring
elections held In tho Northern States East
and West since February. indicate situation
well worthy OF serious. discriminating, and
dispassionats consideration.
What then. ara briefly; the lessons Of tho
recent spring electonsf
In tho nne plaza IL Il. quite evident that
party lines have been much moro tightly
drawn this year than has been' the case for
. long time past Qtixens' movements Of
alleged non.partisan character are clearly
at . discount; and third party efforts,
the Farmsrs' Alliance the Labor party.
and the Temperance party. all seem 20
have lost much OF their Independent iorcs.
and to be important only In the way Of On.
dorsement. and not In original oandidatures.
All these elections show clearly straight.
ening and . shffening OF party feeling.
displaying the clear intent Of the voters to
ksep stssdily in sight the plain questions on
which the great parties differ.
In the second place. wherever personal
considerations seem to have como into
question sufficiently to overshadow party
sentiment, the Democrats appear to
have lost. Thus the Republicans carried
Emira. the home Of Governor HILL, Hamil.
ton. the home Of Governor CAMPBELL Of
Ohio and Springfield, the home OF Senator
PALMER Of Illinois. This result. simulta-
neous In these three cities far removed from
each other. proves anew how sound is that
axiom OF Democratic faith that the Demo-
cratic party Is ever greater than any one OF
its members. It Is storm signal OF possi.
bic future danger. resulting from the ex.
altatlon OF mon above measures.
The third consideration Is that In the
recent spring elections the Republicans
have shown a marked and surprising vital.
ity In tho great cities. gaining steadily
in these much more than In the coun-
try districts. AS a general thing In the
past. the Democrats have been able to ap-
peal with greater force and confidence to
the voters In the Industrial centres Of the
country, while the Republicans have found
their Oulwarks In the country districts.
where regard for past traditions is more
intense. AZ the population Of the great cities
has grown, and the Democratic majority
hes steadily expanded, especially in the
doubtful States along the Atlantic seaboard,
the prospects OF tho Democracy have grown
stronger and It's hold frmer. But there
arc now many indications OF renewed Re-
publican vitality In these localities. and q
corresponding weakening Of Democratic
lipes, caused 1t may be by the nomination
olunfaithful and un-Democratic candidates
Those Democrats OF sense and wisdom
who prefer to do their studying Of election
figures In April and not In December. have
much to learn from q careful scrutiny oi
tho returns of the recent spring elections.
Observation-Disclosures