The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-09-14

fects, and another percentage of voters
checked as voting, but who cast blank
ballots. Not all of these defective and
blank ballots we're thrown by repub-
licans, but the republicans suffered
from this cause probably somewhat in
the ratio Of the preponderance of the
republican vote over the democratic.
The issues of the canvass were ma
tional. Those issues were not new,
and the national candidates had been
once before The candidates in a ma
tional election. The discussions on the
stump and in the newspapers were on
national lines, as they are invariably in
the years of presidential election. The
political debates were the threshing
over of old straw, and the operation
lacked the interest that attaches to the
threshing of new grain. The tariff
issue was sharply made in 1888, and
the people passed upon it. However
important the matter may be, however
deeply interested in it the people may
be, and however firmly they may be-
lieve in it, they cannot-if the issue is
material, like the tariff-be consecu-
lively arrayed at the polls in ranks so
full or with a zeal 80 intense as when
the Issue is moral, as was the case in
the days of anti-slavery politics. There
is no evidence in the returns that the
men of Vermont have abated one lot
or title of their belief in the wisdom of
the protective system. The returns
show that they have not gone over to
the democracy, the champions of free
trade. They have simply remained at
home, in full confidence that protection
is all right, and does not particularly
require that they should, in its support,
exert themselves to swell the majority
of state always overwhelmingly and
inhexibly republican. Apathy arising
from this way of looking at the DOM
inant national issue is undoubtedly
responsible for some part of the shrink
age in the republican vote. Other
minor causes might be cited which may
have had some effect in lessening the
republican vote, but it can hardly be
denied that the great and primary cause
of the shrinkage is the incapacity and
inefficiency of the state campaign man
agement. Thousands of republicans,
impatient of the lack of organization
and direction at state headquarters have
sighed for one hour of the chairman
ship of Carroll S. Page or DR.. George
Nichols. Nothing ever exceeded the
brilliancy and effectiveness of the cam
paign conducted by the latter in 1880, or
the former in 1888. Anything in the way
of management approaching the spirit
and tireless energy of either of these
peerless organizers and managers would
have added many thousands to the re-
publican vote. There was latent interest
and enthusiasm enough among the
people had it been organized and COM
petently led.
Taking advantage of this condition
of inertness in the republican camp,
the democracy pulled themselves TO-
gether and for the first time in their
later history exhibited some capacity
for management, some shrewdness in
conducting a campaign. But what have
they to show as the consequences of
republican apathy, as the fruits of their
own unusual activity? A vote smaller
than they cast in 1888 and a legislature
that contains forty democrats against
sixty-four the party returned at the last
election. Still there is great rejoicing
in the democratic camp. In spite of
some gains in certain localities they have
lost ground on the aggregate party vote.
With every advantage in their hands
riley have lost twenty-four members of
the legislature, and, on the state ticket,
are buried under an adverse majority of
| $4,000. And yet, on account of this
result, they are blowing soap bubbles
and screaming with delight over their
iridescent hues. No republican will
begrudge these political children so
harmless a pastime. The republican
majority is sufficient. Its lessened di-
mansions have not gone to swell the
proportions of the democratic vote, and
the shrinkage is susceptible of easy and
rational explanation that has no con-
nection, near or remote, with state or
national political issues.