The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-08
Tho Rhode Island Election.

Tho Rhode Island Election.
The State OF Rhode Island. which has
been Democratic since the adoption OF the
BouRN amendment Of the State Constitu-
ton In 1888 abolished tho previous prop
erty qualification for voters. was carried
by the Republicans on Wednesday. In
1883. In the April election. Rhode Island
gave Democratic plurality OF 4.4l9. one OF
l,Se0 In 1890. and one OF l.254 In 1891. Tho
success OF the Republicans this year. after
Q most active. thorough. and energetic
canvass. and on the fullest vote ever polled
within the borders Of the State. IL strongly
significant for two reasons. which We pro-
coed to state.
In tho first place. II ought to be the first
lesson Of wisdom. to DO impaired to NIL but
natural fools. that any reliance Of Demo-
cratic Presidential candidate upon Repub-
lican support in the year Of q Presidential
election, must be illusory. Republicans
have . habit Of voting Independently. or
Of not voting at all. in of years; but they
do not do this In Presidential years. as the
Democrats have learned to their cost. Any
expectation. therefore. Of carrying. any
Northwestern or New England Republican
State this year L. mistaken: and the
Democrats may as well look square,
ly ct the truth that in 1892 the bat
tie Will be confined. as in 1876. 1880. 1884.
and 1883, to the three debatable States Of
the East, New York. New Jersey. and Con-
necticut. and to the Western battle ground
Of Indiana. In these States, the latent vote
10 Democratic and may be appealed to with
confidence in Presidential contest. In the
old Republican States the reserve vote Is
Republican. and 1t comes out once In four
years to crush the hopes and submerge the
prospects Of Democratic candidates. on
year rainbows. however pleasant to the
vision OF the uninitiated, are o poor ex-
change for needful electoral votes.
The second lesson taught by the result Of
the Rhode Island election on Wednesday, Is
tho absolute need Of a Democratic Presi-
DENTAL candidate this year who can poll
tho full Democratic strength. and particu-
larry the full strength in the big cities upon
which. in the Eastern and Middle States.
the party must rely for success. Thus it is
that without the vote Of this city and
Brooklyn. New York State would be fire.
deemably Republican. Without the vote Of
Hudson county in New Jersey. no Democrat
except TnDEN has carried the State for
President since tho close Of the war. In
Massachusetts 1t Is the vote Of Democratic
Boston which. even In OF years. gives
the Democrats any chance OF success;
and without Hartford and New Haven. Con-
nect1cut would remain a. securely In the
Republican column a. Vermont OF New
Hampshire. Similarly. all Democratic
hopes In Rhode Island are absolutely de-
pendent for realization upon q big Demo-
cratic majority In the city Of Providence
It was the breakdown Of the expected
Democratic majority there on Wednesday
which gave tho Republicans the State; and
tho detection Is directly traceable to those
workingmen who are bitterly
opposed to any sentimental assault upon
tho principle Of reasonable protection
for American industry and labor. and
to other un-American policies which
ind the Same advocates and
defenders. These mon arc Democrats. and
they constitute just as large q portion Of
the electorate in New York. Brooklyn. Bos-
ton. Jersey City. Newark. and Hartford as
they do In Providence. This Is fact which.
I'm the light Of Wednesdays contest. 1t would
b prudent for the Chicago Convention not
to overlook.
Rhode Island is ono Of those States In
which tho Democracy. as we have seen by
tho figures Of recent elections. is particu-
lariy strong. It has Of Late years repre-
sented the forces Of progress and enlight-
eminent, while the Republican party there.
In its tendencies II not In Its
leadership. has stood for prescription. The
Democracy has fought for the freedom Of
suffrage. Just representation. the equality
Of all mon before the law. homo rule. the