Los Angeles herald., 1892-05-04
RHODE ISLAND POLITICALLY.

&mOuuG VI tuiS ktOIAuCd6iOn ana ORA
depends rightfully on whether the stat
in question was surely of that party, o
was doubtful, or was of the opposition
We say this is rightfully 80; but, il
fact, the amount OF this rejoicing is de
termined by the political necessities o.
the successful party at the time. The
Republicans have just carried Rhode
Island, and are glad of it. This is both
natural and right. But. their extraor.
dinary jubilation over it shows, in the
light of the facts, that they regard the
present outlook for their party with
alarm, and for that reason are trying to
keep up hopes of success by represent
ing that the result in Rhode Island is
encouraging, when they know it is not.
The Importance of the recent Rhode
Island election just at this opening
time of the next presidential con-
test consists in its significance
as showing, as it surely does,
a movement Of voters AMI trend OF
public sentiment under the sharp tariff
discussion that has been go.'ng on all
ever the country ever since President
Cleveland's tariff message "a congress ~
December 2, 1887. In this light <ue -.
cent election there is interesting.
any party, at such preliminary cleo
tion, to carry, by its usual majority, one
of its safe states, counts for nothing as
pointer-as an indication of the tend
ency of political sentiment. But for
party to come near losing one OF its safe
states is significant. Let US look at the
facts of this Rhode Island election, and
then let each party take such encour-
agement from them as a common-sense
view will warrant.
Rhode Island has always been Re-
publican state since the formation OF
that party. The Republican voters have
not always voted at the less important
elections. Democrats, however, every
where and always, as rule, vote. II
Democrat does not vote it is because he
is dead, and this faithful doing OF their
poiitics, duty has been occasionally re-
warded by victory at some OF
the bye elections, but never in single
instance at presidential or any other
election when there was enough OF eX-
citement to get the great body OF the
Republicans to the polls, has the De-
mocracy carried the state, nor has it
ever carried it even at bye election for
state officers except by plurality
never by majority of all the votes
cast. Ohio is just as reliable Repub-
lican state at every presidential election
as Vermont, and yet the Democrats
carry about half OF the bye elections
simply because Of this persistent habit
every Democrat has of voting always,
unless he is stone dead before the open
ing of the polls in the morning. But
these Democratic successes, both in
Ohio and Rhode Island, signify only
the faithfulness OF Democrats to their
political duties and the neglect of theirs
by Republicans. But this last Demo
cratic defeat in Rhode Island does near
something more when We get the fuller
details of the situation there, as giver
by the papers brought by the mails.
Prior to the last presidential election
Rhode Island had been overwhelmingly
and securely Republican, but since
then, while majority of its voters re-
NAMED with the Republicans, it was
yet by margin that has been, year by
year, growing less and more difficult to
secure. At the last presidential cleo
ton Harrison had a plurality of 443s
over Cleveland. At the election just
held there was Republican plurality
OF only 2079, considerably less than hal
what it was four years ago, and little
pitiable Republican majority of 229 this
year, instead of the 31SS that Harrison
had. This, too, was at the most ex
citing election ever held in the state
and on the largest vote ever cast there
the total vote this year being $4,000, as
against 40, $50 in 1888. The increase in
the Republican vote over that of foul
years ago is 5495, while the increase in
the Democratic vote during the same
time was 1856. That ia, the Democratic
increase exceeds the Republican in
crease 1850 votes. These election re-
turns show as result OF four years O.
the most intelligent tariff discussion
that has ever taken place in this coun
try decided movement of the voters O.
Rhode Island to the Democratic party
The Providence Journal is the leading
and most influential paper in that state
Until quite recently it was steadfastly
Republican. 1t has openly revolted how
ever, against the new Republican tarif
policy, and has recently been an aggres
Bive and powerful fighter for Democratic
tariff reform. 1t has claimed to be indie
pendent as to politics, and at elections
not involving tariff legislation hal
thrown its influence for or against can
didates according to its own ideas O
their personal qualifications, irrespec
tive of their party relations. During the
campaign just ended it found objectionI
TO tina Democratic candidates personally
claimed that the election concerned tha
state alone, and involved NO issues o
national politics, and for these reasons