The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-12
SEATTLE, SUNDAY. JUNE II.
CAMPAIGN TACTICS.

The great Republican campaign Of 1860
was not wild. dashing Oh arge with
cheer; an assault tina. in furious attacks
foamed itself away; it was like grim. res.
olute, savage contest where men gave and
took blows ceaselessly from dawn to dark.
Its tones were not loud but deep, and when
it was over the victors felt that the van
pushed would hardly submit. SD ugy
was their mood, so high had risen
the boiling pot of political hates and
troubles that had been over hot fire since
1850 The campaign of 1864 was a cam
paign in which great issues were involved,
but its verdict was so completely forecast
from September 1, when Atlanta fell, that
1t had no time to develop into feverish
fight like that of 1856 and 1860. The cam
paigns of 1868 and 1872 prolonged the war
enthusiasm of the people beyond its
natural term, and yet both of these cam
paigns began later than that of 1S56-1S60.
The campaign of 1876 began later and ex-
cited even more languid interest than that
OF 1872, and from that day We find the
time of beginning campaigns for the presi-
ueHcy idteT every year.
This year it is clear that not much will
be done in any state before August, when
the party camp fires will begin to start on
all the hills of the North, but it is not
likely there will be much speaking done
after the ratification meetings before the
middle of August, and this will be confined
to efforts to make states, like Vermont,
which holds her election September 6, and
Maine. that follows September II, to get
out full vote. and maintain their Repub-
lican majorities at the old level. After
the Name election the battle will be fought
with desperate energy and heat on both
sides to the finish, especially in the doubt
full states of New York. Connections and
Indiana, and the close Republican states
of Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska. Our
presidential campaigns have grown
shorter, not entirely because there are no
longer any burning moral issues. but be-
cause our people are buster and less pro-
vincial.
Politics are reduced in practice down to
the methods of business and both parties
understand that the people do not care to
give any more time To the fuss and feath-
ers of election than is absolutely necessary.
The newspapers are becoming so wonder
fully multiplied that the voters do not
care for stump speaking as they did in
slower and duller times when we were a
people more exclusively, if not more
largely. occupied with agriculture-times
when the people could afford to stop t, be
amused, because they had more leisure
than they have today.
Ii would be n good thing for both parties
if the campaign never commenced before
the first week in September. for it would
gain in weight, warmth and energy by its
concentration of all its work within sixty
DAYS. But We are not disposed to agree
with those who think our presidential
elections too frequent. The great mass of
ordinary voters are immensely benefited
by the education that they get during po-
litical campaigns: they are educated not
only by what they hear and read on both
sides. but by what they are stimulated to
investigate and acquire for themselves by
the reflection that is stirred up even by
frequent sidewalk political discussions.