The record-union., 1892-11-11
THE LESSON OF THE ELECTION.

The San Francisco Bulletin is declaring
that if Cleveland has carried California,
the Republicans owe the position of this
State in the Democratic column to the
position taken by the Republican party
in its State Convention on the subject Of
railroads. 1t contends that if the Repub-
hcan party had followed the Democratic
party in a demand for the abolition of
the State Railroad Commission and like
follies, the result would have been differ
ent.
All these and similar statements are
idiotic, false and intended as a cover for
the truth; they are transparent and can
deceive no one. The fact is, and every
sensible man has had it borne in upon
his consciousness, that the attitude taken
by the people of California, as shown in
the result of the election, has had no
reference whatever to the railroad ques-
fion.
Every one knows who is receptive of a
truth that the people did not vote for Mr..
Cleveland because the Fresno Demo-
cratic Convention declared against the
regulation of freights and fares by a
commission, and in favor of the plan of
regulation by the Legislature. They did
not vote for Mr.. Cleveland because the
San Francisco Traffic Association went
blundering into politics, and ran nom
partisan ticket in San Francisco. None
of these causes led to the detection from
The Republican party. What then did?
In the first place the Peoples party cast
about 10000 votes-probably 25,OOO Of
these at least 5000, if not 1850, were
drawn from the ranks of the Republi-
cans, while from 10000 down to 1000
were drafted from the ranks of the Demo-
Gratis. Restore the Peoples party ele-
ment to their natural party affillation
and President Harrison would have car
Eied the State by at least 5000.
But this is not the main point. The
chief and unavoidable thrust of the truth
6s that the change of California from Re-
publican to Democrat is to be attributed to
general, and not local causes at all. No
questions of railroad or anti-railroad
affected the people of Illinois. Kansas,
which was solid for the Republican party
up to a certain point in the history of that
party, and good for 10000 Republican
majority, all Of a sudden sent an almost
al n ln1arrof5nv, -
Iowa, which gave the Republicans 10000
majority, is now nearly as reliable to the
Democratic column as Indiana or Con-
necticut. New York, which during the
war had given 100000 Republican ma
jority, has become utterly unreliable, be-
longing to the column of doubtful States,
and in the instance under consideration
went Democratic for the same reason
which influenced the people of Indiana,
Ohio, Wisconsin and Connecticut.
The fact is, and the RECORD UNION,
which has at no time declared itself
friendly to the doctrine, and has made no
concealment of its conviction of the error
of the Republican party, unhesitatingly
declares, and is content to await the out
come to justify it, that the Republican
party has lost because it has listened to
the gospel of high protection and followed
the leaders who led in that direction to
its ruin.
The duty of G Government to foster
home industry is one hing and the rob-
berry which goes on under the name of
high protection is quite another There
never will be a time when it will not be
iudicious to limit and restrict the effect
of the industrial systems of the Old
World upon those of our own country,
and the time has passed when the Amer
lean people can be deceived by manu-
facturers who seek Illicit advantage in
the way of unfair and unjust protection.
The simple truth is, as everyone now
sees. the unprotected industries of this
country have rebelled, as witness the
course of the people of Kansas, Iowa,
Nebraska, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin
Mr.. Blaine, who has great astuteness as
nolitician, as well as ability in the line
of craftsmanship, saw that the people
would not stand McKinleyism. he de-
,ounced the Mckinley bill when 1t was