Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-09
fITTsBURG. WEDNESDAY. NOV. 9 1892.
PAGES
MIR. CLEyELAND's VICTORY.

At this writing the returns from the
Presidential election of 1892 not only show
that Mr. Cleveland is elected to succeed
Gen. Harrison for the ensuing term,
but indicate that he is carried into that
position by landslide second only to that
of the Congressional elections of 1890. In
deed, further returns will have to deal
mainly with the size of Mr.. Cleveland's s
electoral majority. So far from the question
being how many of the States previously
ranked as doubtful will be carried by the
Republicans, it is rather how many Of the
States classed as Republican must be put
down as temporarily gone over to the DEM
ocracy or to the Third Party.
The Democratic success yesterday can
not be wholly accounted for by Mr..
Cleveland's popularity, but the vote must
be accepted as indicating a widespread
and overwhelming desire through the
country for change. 1t is idle to specu-
late to-day upon the causes. If the doc
trine of free trade has anything to do
with it-which we DO not believe-any,
serious attempt to put that doctrine
into practice will cure the deluSion.
There is no room for doubt that
many votes were cast for the Democratic
electors on account Of the candidate and
the belief from his utterances that he
would be more conservative than his party
in proceeding to measures that might
seriously embarrass the business interests
of the country. 1t may be that
the prevalence of trusts and COM
binations are among the causes that
produced the result; and, while we fully
admit the significance of Republican de-
feat, we still adhere to our opinion of the
danger and inadvisability of abandon
ing safe and tried policy for
dangerous and uncertain experiments.
The DISPATCH is still of opinion
that the part of wisdom would have
been, instead of casting about On the
sea of experiment, to continue the econ
Cmic and financial policy Of our govern
ment upon the safe and known lines that
have made the country prosperous beyond
all parallel or precedent in the annals of
nations.
Ii is idle to disguise the fact that the
result will be, for time at least, a serious
disappointment to the people of our own
and neighboring States, whose vast inter-
ests have been so long fostered and en-
gendered by the policy of the Republican
party. The main consolation for R-pub-
licans to extract from the situa-
ton is that it Is not any posi-
tive Endorsement of the dangerous
and destructive Democratic platform.
There is color for this in the necessity
under which Mr. Cleveland and other
Democratic leaders felt imposed on them
late in the campaign, of virtually throw
ing the platform overheard and attempt
ing to substitute for it something less re-
dictionary and offensive.
This gives point to the great question
of interest that will follow upon the cleo
ton: What will Mr.. Cleveland do with his
opportunities? If he proceeds TO the en-
couragement of radical tariff tinkering,
not to talk Of absolute free trade, his term
in the White House will relegate the
Democracy to its old minority position and
serve as a lesson against any more
such fatal errors On the other hand,
should he succeed in holding the theorists
and visionaries of his party in check, and
monetary experiments, he will add i'm
mensely to his reputation for strength and
wisdom, and will deserve, indeed, to be
ranked as the greatest statesman of his
party since the time of Jefferson.
But it will not be wise to indulge in too
roseate expectations. 1t is impossible to
ignore that Mr.. Cleveland is heavily
burdened, not only by the express declara-
tions of his party, but by the special
alliances that he has.felt obliged to make
in the effort for success. 1t is to be hoped
and wished that Mr.. Cleveland may con-
tinue to prove himself better than his
party; but the fact that he will enter upon
second term bound to elements from
which he was distinctly clear at the time
of his first success, gives that hope rather
frail tenuity.