Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-11-18
Evidence of Democratic Growth in
Iowa.

In the afternoon of election day,
when it was known in the Iowa capital
that the largest vote ever polled in
the State was being cast, there was
fear in Democratic quarters and ex.
ceeding joy in Republican ones. The
stay-at-home Republican vote had
been the nightmare ofthe Democratic
manager from the day the State head
quarters were opened. In everv cal
culation that was made the stay-at-
home Republicans cast shadow upon
the figures. Of course, the Demo-
Gratis expected gain. but if
that army of men, supposed to be in
cluded in the stay-at-home Republican
vote of two years ago, was to come out
as reserve force at this election they
had taught themselves to believe that
all was lost.
The election of the entire State tick
ct in poll exceeding the highest vote
ever before cast in the State. is, how
ever, but a fulfilment of the prophecy
which has been written in Iowa election
returns for mere than ten years past.
Garfeld's majority in Iowa in 1880 ex-
ceeded $4,000. Two years later the
State was effected in some degree by
the violent political reaction which
swept over the country in 1882, but
not to any considerable or appreciable
extent. The solidity of the Republi.
can line was being broken, but there
were then few converts to Democracy.
In 1884 the Democrats, Greenbackers,
Laborites and other elements of OPP
position united upon a fusion electoral
ticket composed of seven Democrats
and six Fusionists. This combination
made deep impression upon the gi-
gantic Republican majority of four
years earlier, and Blaine found him
self with 10000 less majority in the
State than Garfield had
When the tariff.reform campaign
Of 1883 came, the fusion between the
Iowa Democrats and the rag babies
and tin rattles of politics had termin-
ated. The party made its own cam
paign, and came out of it practical
victor, having reduced the Republican
majority in the State from $4,000 to
10000. In the eight years from 80
to 'SS it had gained over "A, 900 votes,
while its great and dominant opponent
had gained but $4,000 in the same.
The percentage Of Democratic gain
was 10 per cent. that of Republican
gain 20 per cent. i; net Democratic
gain so per cent. Still, the party was
in what was generally considered a
hopeless minority. The national par
ty was inclined to look upon Iowa as
land beyond the influence of mis-
sionary work and effort. In the
campaign Of 1882, and again in that
Of 1884, few Democrats, among them
VIM. r. Morrison of Illinois, then the
foremost advocate in Congress of tariff
reform, visited the State and address
ed meetings of the people upon the
issue on which the Democratic party
was then uniting. These men were
missionaries in the fullest sense ofthe
word. They went into the political
wilderness purely for the love of the
gospel they taught, and with some risk
of being burned by the natives for
preaching strange and ungodly doc
trines. Their work bore fruit quickly,
and the Democratic church multiplied
its disciples and grew. Still, in the
absence of a victory on State lines,
Iowa was considered unregenerate
save by those Democrats who could see
that the political evolution Of the