Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-07-01

THE FIELD IN THE NORTHWEST.
We said last week that the ticket of
Cleveland and Stevenson would make the
first Presidential break in the solid Repub-
lican Northwest that has been made for
thirty years. Nothing in politics can be
more certain than that this will be the case.
Taking up the vote cast by the Northwest
for Grant in 1872, and noting the gradual and
steady falling off in Republican majorities
in those States since then, it is
impossible to escape the conviction
that the time of breaking up has come.
The revolution against the Republican
party in that quarter in 1880 was
a revolution it is true, but it was one that
the figures had long indicated was coming.
When States that had been giving such
Republican majorities as $4,000, $4,000,
10000 and the like, had in less than twenty
years fallen to such majorities as 1900,
5000 and 5000, as was the case in the
Northwest, it was time for wise men to
look for a change The bold Tariff Reform
message Of Grover Cleveland in 1888 did
the finishing work, and in 1890 on that
question the whole Northwest broke away
from the Republican party No thinking
man. Republican OF Democrat, believes
that it will ever, as a section, return to
that party.
Let us look for moment at what has
been going on in the Northwest since 1888,
that is to say in the four years in which
Benjamin Harrison has been President,
Tor, we take it, few Democrats who have
not made business OF politics have taken
the trouble to keep the run of the extent of
Republican disasters which have occurred
there, and just as few are aware Of the fact
that, practically, the Democrats and not
the Republicans are now in power there.
Take Illinois to begin with-a State that
used to give a Republican Presidential
majority of nearly 10000. The Democrats
carried it in 1890 and elected IA out Of the
20 congressman who now represent it in
congress. Again, in 1891 with the question
of who should be U. S. Senator, they car
ried the State for the legislature, carried
the popular vote by 10000 majority, and
elected John NJ. Palmer, Democrat, U. S.
Senator. Take Iowa, who eighteen years
ago was giving Republican Presidential
majorities of as high as $4,000. 1t has elect
ed Gov. Horace Boies, Democrat, the pres
ent Governor, in two successive elections,
and in congress the representation stands
Democrats 6, Republicans 5. Take Michi-
gan, who eighteen years ago was giving
Republican majorities SO large that the
standing joke OF that day was that one-half
of the party could stay at home and still
beat the Democrats. In 1890 it elected
Democratic congressman to Republicans.
elected a Democratic Governor, and a Dem
ocratic majority III both houses. Take
Wisconsin, whose Rep ublican majorities
eighteen years ago were only limited by her
population. The Democrats of that State
have elected Governor, legislature, a U.
S. Senator William F. Vilas), and eight
out OF nine members of congress. Take
Indiana, President Harrison s own State.
The Democrats of that State have II out of
the IL congressman, a majority in the legis-
lature, the two U. S. Senators, and last year
UliGy tlCCUtu UHC DcmOCIdUlC OldtG ClckoC
by over $4,000 majority. And from these
turn to Minnesota, out of whose members
OF congress the Republicans were only able
to elect one, who is now their lonely repre-
sentative in the House.
1t would, we think, he very timid and
unreasonable Democrat who could ask for
a better field than the above IN which to
win Democratic victory. But beyond
and above all this, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana,
Minnesota, Wisconsin Michgar-and it is
a matter Of the greatest impor 5ance-every
one of these States for the first time in
their history will have an ABSOLUTELY secret
ballot in Presidential election. For the
first time in the election of President they
vote under the Australian ballot law mol
more ssblocks of five" III Indiana. n O more
following the workman to the polling
booth and seeing that he votes in the inter
est of the manufacturer. Every Democrat
in counting the chances for his Presidential
ticket this year should remember that in
this year of 1882, for the first time in their
history. the voters Of thirty-five States of
the American Union cast their votes in
absolute secrecy. For the first time in the
great manufacturing States Of the Union