New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-31
THE PROSPECT HERE.

The registration gives promise OF Rcpub-
lican victory Democrats profess to be pleased
with it, and they arc extremely welcome 10
whatever comfort they can find in tire hgures.
In New-York City the increase since the Pres
idcntial election in 1888 has been II 1-2 per
cent. but the normal increase in the vote is
much larger From 1876 to 1880 tho actual
vote increased 20 per cent from 1880 to 1884
only II per cent, but from 1884 to 1888 the
increase was again 30 per cent. An average
of / { per cent for each Presidential term would
make the increase what it actually was but this
year it falls short Of that proportion. The
registration in BROOKLYN increases only II per
cent, while the actual increase in vote cast was
8 per cent from 1876 to 1880 it was IL per
cent from 1850 to 1884 and it was 20 per cent
from 1884 to 1883. Here also the average III
crease in votes cast has been about 1 Z per cent,
but this year the gain in registration is smaller
When the location of increase is noted Demo
ocrats find still more difficulty in extracting
comfort. In only quarter of the city OF
Brooklyn seven strong Republican wards gain
nearly half the entire increase of registration
in that city Similar comparisons might be
given for New-YOrk. But it is fact which
ough, to be well known by this time that the
increase in registration and in vote i'll these
cities does not necessarily mean an increase of
Democratic majorities. The notion seems to
prevail extensively in the country that the
swelling vote of these cities steadily enlarseS
their Democratic majorities, but the facts tell
another story. In 1876 Brooklyn gave 1s.49O
Democratic plurality, in 1880 only 9,311, in
1884 it gave 1928 and in 1888 only T.
455 about a third less than it gave twelve &c ars
before New-Yorll City gave $4,000 plurality
in 1876, Al, 900 in 1850, $4,000 In 1884, and
55,S15 in 1888. scarcely greater than the plu-
rality given twelve years before. though the
total vote had increased 100000. 1t is yet
to be determined whether the increased regis
tlation this year will add to plulslltcs in New
York and Brooklyn or diminish them.
The returns of registration in the rest OF the
State have a definite meaning. 1t has been
the most cherished hope of Democratic man
ayers that the new registration law would ve1
and anger the farmers and the WOrkingmcn in
the smaller towns so that they would fail to
record their names. and thus large part Of
the Republican vote would be lost. Enough
is known already to make it clear that the Re-
publican voters of the State arc not going to he
QlSIrdUCnlSCu Ill WY III d lew CouHtNS IL
is true. local circumstances have made the reg
istration comparatively light. But in nearly
all the heavy registration gives assurance
that the Republican vote means to be cast and
counted next week. Schemes for cheating
Republicans in the count will not be As easy Of
execution as they might have been if Il large
share of the county supervisors had not been
captured by indignant Republican voters. \
heavy vote will be cast above the Harlem and
one not easily overcome.
All these calculations leave out of account
the silent change Of vote which is to be cx
pected from many business men and working
men. Let the fact be frankly recognized that
in this as in other important contests there arc
some changes in each direction, enough, if care
fully picked up and reported, to make con-
siderable showing. But the result in 1888
proved that the general drift of change since
the agitation of tho tariff question began had
been in favor of the Republican party. For
every individual who had rushed into notOricty
as tariff reformcr" there were hundreds who
had quietly voted against the Democratic party
and its Free-Tradc agitation. The elections
since 1888 prove nothing because from l 90, 600
to 300, 00e voters have failed to 60 to the polls.
Unless the voters of this State act as they have
not acted before, unless they vote for change
abandon the National policy which they have
steadily upheld. and which has advanced wages
remarkably, there will be cast next week
silent vote which Democrats do not expect.
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