The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-01-20
TIE o 7


Al unprecedented Majority Against
Republicans.
There was scarcely a state In which
the vote east At the presidential cleo
ton equaled the estimates which were
made beforehand. There were u few
10 which the vote Of both the great
parties exceeded that which they re-
spectively cast at the election In 1883,
and there were many in which the
democratic vote was greater than II
then was The aggregate vote OF all
parties exceeded that Of four years ago
by 600, 600. This increase was not one
half as large as that made in 1881 over
the vote of 1884, although four more
states. casting an aggregate OF nearly
ITO. 600 votes, participated in the cleo
ton. With this vote deducted, as IT
properly should be In making COM
parisons, the increase in 1892 owe 1888
was barely onc-th.rd of that in lsss
over 1854.
There is no doubt that in the country
ct large many thousands OF votes wcr,
lost through the use Of b Australian
ballot, in many Of the states for the
frst time, in u presidential year. In
Michigan the system is as simple rs It
can be made, and Mt the same time
preserve its essential features. 1t Is
probable that there was not q single
precinct in this state having any con-
siderable number Of votes. in which
from one 10 twenty ballots were not
lost by the failure Of the voter to in
any way indicate his preferences or be-
cause OF some other fatal defect The
aggregate in the state reaches into the
thousands. II is probable that In
states where the system is more COM
plicated the losses in this manner
were greater relatively than they were
In Michigan. There is no means OF as
pertaining how many votes were thus
thrown away in all Of the states, bat
It is possible the number may have
reached a quarter of a million.
Even with this allowance the In
crease is far short of what was nat
urally expected. The prime cause u
the shortage was undoubtedly tho
want Of confidence Of n large number
Of republicans in McKinleyism. They
could not bring themselves TO the poin
of voting against their party. but thel
were entirely willing that it shoui'
stand or fall without their aid. In man,
localities the Indifference Of republicans
affected their democratic neighbors
and the absence Of brass bands from
the campaign affected the sluggish o
both parties; but the demccr.tic vot
in many Of the states showst the hcatth'
and positive growth in tariff reform
sentiment which has been made durin:
the past four years.
The plurality of Cleveland over Has
rison Is not really represented by tn
39i. $40. which is the difference show
by the totals of their apparent vote
In Colorado. Idaho, Kansas and Wye
ming the democratic vote was all cas-
for Weaver, and the bulk Of it in SCI
. eral other western states went to tn
populist candidate. Harrison suffcre
some losses in a similar way in SOM
southern states. but the net result,
the vote was closely analysed, woul
be to very materially swell the plura
ity OF Cleveland.
So far as the republican party Is col
cerned, the majority against it in tt
country Mt large is simply beyond pre-
cdent For the most part. the me
who voted against the republican part.
but not with the democratic party, al
in sympathy with the principles an
aims Of the latter. From them rs we
as from the stay-at-home republican
the democratic party will gain man
recruits during the next four year
Q provided its performance shall be wh'
! the people have a rirhtto expect Wis
Q economy in the administration Of a
fairs and prudent constructive legisl'
ton will tell.-Dctroit Free Press.