The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1892-11-12
AFTER THE BATTLE.

land to the presidency for the nexl
four years. Definite figures cannot bt
given cf the vote in any of the states
but sufficient is known to wsrrant tht
statement that great Democratic
victory has been achieved. This il
somewhat surprising to many wh'
have entertained strong hopes that Mr.
Harrison would be reelected to tn,
position of chief magistrate of the ma
ton, which he has SO worthily fllet
for the past four years; but there ar
others who had no confidence in Re
publican success since the nominations
were made at the Minneapolis conven'
tion.
We do not consider this result as 8
rebuke from the sovereign people Of
the protection policy pursued BY the
Republican party, as the Democratic
candidate and platform were opposed
to each other on this vital question.
The Chicago platform followed the
ideas of Mr. Watterson on the tariff,
and stated that any duties imposed
except for revenue were unconstitu-
tional; but Mr.. Cleveland modified
this materially in his letter of accept
ance, and declared that he was not in
favor of any economic policy that
would cripple American industries. II
he had endorsed the plank adopted by
Democracy in the national convention
he would have been defeated; but he
was much better politician than four
years before, and made more careful
diagnosis of the public pulse than be
did in 1888.
The empty howl about hard times,
corporations and plutocracy had its
effect upon the unthinking masses. 1t
made no difference il there was very
little truth in this doleful wall, and
that the country was much better
financially and in other ways than it
had been for many decades, it was de-
claimed 80 frequently that the discon-
tented classes imagined it true. That
was sufficient for the purpose, and a
change became desirable with them.
The Populist movement is undoubt-
edly responsible for the attraction Of
many votes from the Republican
party in some states, and of causing a
majority in favor of the Democratic
electors in others. Without the aid
of this organization Democracy could
not have been successful in Illinois or
California, and Colorado, Kansas,
Minnesota, Idaho and Nevada would
have elected solid delegations to the
electoral college for Mr.. Harrison.
The members are perhaps honest in
their theories of finance and parental
ism of government; but these notions
have been proved impractlcable and
detrimental to free institutions. 1t
appears to have been a periodical fa-
nat1cIsm with them, as it was few
years ago in favor of an unlimited IS
sue of paper money, In 1896 1t will
take new form, and will attract the
same class of followers.
Tammany did earnest work in New
York, and will undoubtedly be iber-
ally rewarded for its trouble. Eight
years ago Mr.. Cleveland was elected
by means of disaffected mugwumps.
because he opposed this ring of poll
ticians; but the tables are turned, and
he now owes his success in a great
measure to his former bitterest enc
mics. As class of unscrupulous po-
itical wire-pullers the disciples of
Tammany have no equals in the coun-
try.
The general desire for change is
always prominent in the mercurial dis
position of our citizens, and however
prosperous the country may become
under any policy, it cannot continue
very long. variety is the spice of
life" with Americans, and they require
it as much in politics as in their daily
food.
These ere the principal factors
that caused the defeat of Mr.. Har-
rlson yesterday, and, while Republi-
cans cannot be expected to change
their opinions of governmental policies,
which have borne such crucial tests in
the past thirty years, they are patri-
otic American citizens and will peace
fully acquiesce in the result. Mr..
Cleveland will be the president of 65,
100000 people, and perhaps ma
jority of these are of Republican pre-
dilections. Although the platform on
which he was elected has demanded
radical changes in the government, we
do not apprehend that in his message
to the next congress he will recon-
mend the abolition Of duties on foreign
imports, the repeal of the law estab-
llshing national banks or the adoption
Of ruinous free-silver policy. We
are no less g Republican when we
state that we are firmly convinced the
country will prosper under his admin
stration, if free.trade heresies are not
and that the rights of Ameri-
can citizens will be held sacred under
he constitution. 1t would have been
much more gratifying to have had Mr..
Harrison, the candidate of our choice,
elected; but, as it ID, the distinctive
policies on economics and
nance are so firmly engrafted in the
history of the couatry that we do not
believe they will be materially altered,