St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-20
THE DEMoCRACY's HOPES.

There is encouragement enough in
the recent political history of Mime
sofa to warrant the DemOcracy's max
ing all the effort it proposes TO make to
reclaim the state. In 1888 HARRISON
received IS. 600 more votes than CLEVE-
LAND, and $4,000 more than all his op-
pOnents. III 1890 Gov. MERRIAM re-
ceived SSH votes to Mr.. WILSON'S
IS. 444 and Mr.. OWENS 5S,513. In the
congressional election of the same year
the total Republican vote was 1926,
the total Democratic vote Sl,829, and
the total Alliance vote 44,S16. If the
Prohibition vote is included, the Repub-
licans fell over 10000 short Of giving
their gubernatorial candidate a major
ity, and more than 10000 short OF a ma
jOrity in the total cast for the congress
sional delegation. At the same time
the party lost control Of both houses of
the state legislature.
To this it Is answered, of course, that
1890 was an exceptional year, the like OF
which may not be Immediately looked
for, and that at another election the
strength of the Alliance party will be
weakened by its members returning to
the ranks of the Republicans, from
among whom il was so largely recruited.
But why should this be so? Will not
Republicanism in 1892 stand for the
same principles as it did in 1890? Has
not every Republican convention since
the last contest reaffirmed its faith in
the MCKINLEY bill Endorsed the prodi-
gality of the biIlion-dOllar congress and
commended the attempted resurrection
of sectional strife made by Mr.. LODGE
in his election law? Has the Ethiopian
changed his skin in any regard? Not
at all Over and over again he has
declared, and keeps declaring, that he
is black, and that he is glad of it.
A great wave of popular Indignation
swept over the country last fail in re-
spouse TO the excess of the dominant
party. Was this founded on error, and
has anything since occurred to alter
popular sentiment? The immediate eff
feet of McKinleyism. for example, was
to teach people more completely than
they had ever known before that the
tariff was tax. Has this lesson been
unlearned or forgotten? Such ques-
ton as this is one which cannot be read
lily disposed of. Men do forget. Even
criminals cease to realize their condl-
ton. and slaves work cheerfully under
their drivers lash with never thought
of the days when they were free. The
art of oblivion is one of the things which
make life endurable, and before an
other election the voters of Minnesota
may have lost the pOignancy of their re-
sentiment at the conduct OF the last con-
gress. They may have become accus-
toned TO little economy here and
little economy there with which the
new tariff bill has burdened them, and
which were very calling at first. Men
do forget, and old wounds are healed
with time.
If they have not forgotten, the Democ-
racy ought to carry the state. But sup
pose they have forgotten. Here is the
place for Democratic organization. Min
nesota has heretofore been a battle
ground where the Democracy has fought
without charts or ammunition. 1t has
never had list or votes, IL mas never
made a complete canvass, it has never
been in a position to enIighten the
populace by literature or by instruction
from the platform. The plan now is to
do all these things. 1t is the part of
patriots to teach those in thralldom to
remember and not to forget their con-
dition; if necessary to tear apart the
wounds which time is healing, and to
open mems eyes so that they may con-
trast the now that is with the then that
was. The device of local Democratic
clubs is designed to accomplish this
purpose, and it ought to be effective.
There is every hope of victory if the
truth car only be impressed on the
popular heart, so that men will be alive
to its meaning as they were in the last