South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-11-18

must not be Lost sight Of. 1t equals,
II IL does not transcend, in impor.
tancc any Of the material and eco.
nomical results that are expected
to flow from the triumph Of demo-
cratic principles.
The first AMI most obvious moral
is that our institutions ars safe in
the hands Of the people. aud that
the people may be Trusted some
times when their leaders fail. When
the people are properly informed
they are generally wiser than the
politicians, and when the popular
conscience is properly awakened the
people may safely be trusted to do
what is right. 1t was in this faith
that Mr.. Cleveland, in December,
1887, began the campaign Of sdu-
cation when he sent his famous Ia
riff reform message 10 Congress,
prematurely and unadvisedly. as
/ many, il not most, of the politi
clans then thought and said. And
when defeat followed Mr.. Cleve-
| lands nomination in 1888 the poll
ticians shook their heads and sage
| ly observed. "Just what We ex-
pected."
Mr.. Cleveland. who is more a
statesman than q politician, never
wavcl ed then or later either in his
own convictions as to what was
! right or in his confidence in the
people. And so the campaign of
/ education went on, and on every
occasion and in every public utter
ance Mr.. Cleveland renewed the
expression of his abiding faith In
tho sound Judgment and the hon.
esty Of the pcople-the plain peo-
pie of the land Aud grsndly has
that confidence been justified and
repaid.
When the politicians hcsitated
and doubted and feared to renomi-
nate Mr.. Cleveland, feared to re-
nominate q candidate who had ones
been beaten, feared tho effect Of
MIR. Cleveland's anti-silyer views in
the South and West, feared the eff
feet Of party divisions in New York
and regarded him upon the whole
as the least available candidate on
the list, the people, who believed
and trusted in Mr.. Cleveland i'm
plicitly, insisted upon his renomi-
nation. No democratic convention
in the history OF the party ever did
wiser thing than the Chicago con-
vention did when 1t turned deaf
ear to the politicians and tho "boss-
+, es" and listened to and obeysd the
voice Ct the people.
And to-day the reelection Of
Mr.. Cleveland is conspicuously and
pre-eminently the peoples work.
The result in s atos heretofore re-
publican, equally with the increas-
ed majorities in States that have
, usually been democratic. attest ahis
fact. "Machine politics" didn't
do it. StretegY and skillful man
agement and manipulation OF
votes didn't do it,. although I'M
doubtedly, the democratic cam
paign was most skillfully and judi
c;ously conducted, and thoss who
arc responsible for its direction are
deserving of the highest praise. The
campaign was in the hands of Mr..
CIeveland's friends, who had never
lost faith in him, who advocated
b nomination at Chicago, and who
presumably shared his abiding con
fidence in the good sense aud pa
triotism of the people. 1t was this
last which give the democratic
party its victory. But for the firm
hold which Mr.. Cleveland had upon
the minds and hearts OF his coun-
trymen, and the firm Judgment
there of tho principles which he
championcd, not all che efforts OF
tho politicians, not oven the loyal
adhesion and magnificent work OF
Tammany, could have wrested the
powor from the hands of the repub-
leans on Tuesday.
Another moral scarcely less sig
niGcant and important is that poin
ted by tho special causes which
weakened the republican party and
led to its crushing defeat. The
republican party has fallen-brok-
en- down by tho sheer weight OF its
own political corruption, 1t is re-
/ ported that Senator Quay, whom
asked to explain the republican dis
aster, tersely answered, "Lack Of
votes" When further pressed to
explain why votes wero lacking,
which heretofore had been so plen-
tiful, he replied, "You must ask
the voters"
The same causes which helped to
place Governor Pattison in the CO.
vernor's chair instead OF Senator
Quay's cand idate, at the last GU
bernatorial election, will account
for the phenomenal falling of in
the republican vote on tho day OF
the presidential election in repub.
lican and protectionist Ponnsylva-
MIA. The voters night say that
Senator Quay himself and the whole
class Of republican leaders and pol
iticians Of whom he ia an example
have had much TO do with causing
that "lack Of votes" to which he
rofers. What the majority Of vo-
/ fora have aafd throt1 ghoftt fha oor,r