The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-11-15
RECEIVED WITH SURPRISE.
What Is Said About Our Defeat
in Washington.

What Is Said About Our Defeat
in Washington.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 8.-The result
Of the election has been received with
surprise by all political parties here.
The unexpected happened in so many
instances, that in no case were the pre-.
dictions Of Democrats, Republicans or
Populists verified. The chiet surprise
of the Democrats arises not from the
fact that they were defeated, but that
the defeat Was so general in all doubt.
fol states, and the Republican major.
ity 80 overwhelming. A grain of com :
fort is accorded theu In the defeat Of
the Populists in Virginia, and tho cleo.
ton of O'Ferrall to the governorship,
but the blows have been 80 crushing
Ia the states of New York, Massachn.
setts, New Jersey, Ohio and Iowa that
even the success in Virginia Is hard.
ly paraded as a triumon. Expressions
from nearly all the prominent Demo-
cratic leaders at tho Capitol, as indi.
Gated in these dispatches several days
ago, showed that the Democrats were
prepared for defeat in those states where
the free coinage element ls strong and
the disappointment over the passage of
the repeal bill is intense, but 1t was hard
ly expected that in the ''sound money"
states Of New Y York and Massachusetts
the Democratic majority of the past
would be so ruthlessly moved down and
the careful eff orts OF perfect organization
avail 80 little. Despite this, however,
all the prominent Democratic leaders
unite in ascribing the general defeat
throughout the country to two causes
the dissatisfaction of the agricultural
classes over the financial question, and
the widespread apathy OF disappointed
Office seekers who have failed to realize
the fruits of the last Democratic victory.
In the state of OHIO alone, was the tariff
question the prominent theme Of discus.
sion, Mckinley and Neal 80 emphaical.
ly repeating the declarations of their par.
ties ia this respect. But here, too, the
Democrats are routed by the Same ex.
orable Republican majority. In Iowa,
the defeat of Boies ls important, not.
that it means q Republican governor
in that state and q Republican United
States senator next winter but that It
practically removes Eoies from the list
of Western candidates for the Presi-
dency in '96. The judg nent Of tho
party leaders here approved tho first
declaration of Governor Boies last
summer, that he would not be can.
dldate for governor at the fall election,
and when he finally reconsidered and
came out in the reace for third torn,
it was felt that he had everything to
lose and little to gain from the cam
paign that was to follow. It was re-
called that even the popular Foraker,
was unable, in Ohio, to stem the popu.
lar sentiment against third term, aud
when the Republicans Of Iowa reproach
ed the Democrats with departing from
one of the cardinal principles OF their
party in nominating q man for third
term, they presented their opinions on
the defensive practically from the very
beginning. The Popalists still contend
that later returns will show that their
party has made a far better showing
in various states than is conceded them
in the earlier dis patches. -.
In Virginia they succeeded in terror.
izing the Democrats for the last two
weeks, but the leaders of the latter
party rallied from their panic in time
to make unprecedented efforts to get
out their full vote, and it looks as
though the Populists would have STOOD
a much better chance for victory by
making still fight. -:
The Populist senators and RepHbl!-
cans who are IN the city, are anxious.
ly watching the latest news from Ne.
braska and Kansas, and expect cheer
ing news from the official returns.
There is one element of. defeated De-
mocracy that reviews the general Be
publican victory with philosophlc re-
signation that amounts almost to sat :
istaction. This element comprises tho
free coinge Democrats who have 50
bitterly reproached President Cleveland
for forcing the repeal bill through Con-
gress, and who tor weeks have been
predicting that the administrators dis
, loyalty TO the Democratic National
platform would be rebuked by crush
ing defeat in all the great states cleo
tions this fall. These men now point
to the Democratic defeat as the result
OF the partty's departure from its faith
in the recent extraordinary session,
and are already preparing to coax the
majority back to the good old orthodox
faith when the regular session convenes
in December.
Chairman Bland will introduce bis
free coinage bill at the first bill day
of the session, and the free coinage men
are expected to be a unit in demand
ing it's prompt consideration.
The President did not show that in
tense interest in the returns last night
that would have indicated confidence
in Democratic victory. Early 10 the
evening the President went out to bis
country home instead OF remaining at
the executive mansion, as is usual on
election nights, and the returns he re-
ceived were only those of sufficient i'm
portance 70 be telephoned out to Wood
ley by Private Secretary Thurber, as
the latter received them from the tele-
graph wire at the White House. Sew
eral members OF the Cabinet drove out
to the Presidents cottage in the even
ing, but none of these gentlemen have
80 far given any expression OF the causes
that led up to the general defeat,
The President was doubtless undis-
couraoed bv the Democratic defeat as he