The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1893-11-15
NoyEMBER Is, 1898.
Tnesda,,s nhiect I.esson.

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They appear to have impressed the
people, and so they have turned
about and given an object les
son. It's lesson that comes at a
time when the party is in a position
10 understand its meaning and to
reap abundant profits therefrom.
There are occasions when the
causes that lead to the defeat OF a
party are inexplicable-when the
result can be traced to many and
varying causes, none of them clear
or satisfactory. But there is no
more reason for installing thecause
of the democratic collapse last Tues
day than there is for misunderstand-
ing the cause of the democratic
victory in 1892. The party was en-
dorsed in 1892 because its platform
pledges embodied the demands and
desires of the people. The party
was defeated in the election last
Tuesday because its representatives
in congress, by refusing to carry
out the whole of the platform, have
left our currency system in a worse
condition, so far as the interests of
the people are concerned, than the
republicans left it in 1890.
That and that alone was the cause
of the democratic collapse last Tues
day. All sorts of explanations will
be made. Plain facts will be dis
torted and logic will be strained to
make it appear that the financial
question: question that has occu-
pied the attention of congress and
the people for more than three
months, to the exclusion of all other
issues-has played an Insignificant
part or no part at all in the result.
Fortunately, however, the demo-
cratic leaders-those who direct the
party's policy and take the respon-
sibility gifts campaigns, are mainly
wise men who will not need any ar
gument to convince them that the
people who went to the ballot box
last Tuesday have set the seal of
their disapprovaI on the apparent
failure of the democratic party to
promptly set about carrying out the
whole of its policy for relief These
democratic leaders, wise and far
seeing, will not need to be told
what the trouble is nor how to
remedy it.
Ohio is a republican state, but the
republicans do not have majorities
ranging from 10000 to $1,000 ex-
cept on occasions when they are
joined by large numbers of demo-
cratic voters.
As in Ohio, SO in Iowa. Horace
Boies has been twice elected COVER
nor on a platform that demanded
the free coinage of silver. Tuesday
he was defeated by $4,000 majority
by a republican candidate who
has a bad reeord-who has been
disbarred. Mr.. Boies was defeated
because the people of Iowa are not
satisfied with the shape in which
congress has left the silver eues-
ton. The Republicans took up the
issue, protesting to be friendly to
in free coinage, and succeeded
electing their disbarred and dis
reputable candidate by q majority
of35,OOO.
In New York there has been a
collapse not explainabIe by the un-
popularity of Maynard; and in Mas
sachusetts, where there has been
such persistent effort to make a
democratic majority out of mug
wumps and Independents, the re-
publicans have scored more than
their old-time majority.
If there was to be q democratic
collapse, it is fortunate that it &C
Cured at this time. No serious
damage has been done to the party
nothing has been lost that cannot
be regained. There is no trouble
that cannot be easily remedied.
It's true the unconditional repeal
of the purchasing clause of the
Sherman law has established the
single gold standard, but if the par
ty leaders are wise enough to see
in the results of last Tuesday an
emphatic disapproval of the single
gold standard, the apparent collapse
of the party will do more good than
it has done harm. The remedy for
the trouble is as plain as the cause
of tho collapse.
1t is perfectly simple. Let the
party, at the first opportunity that
presents itself, proceed to carry out
its financial pledges, and thus dem
onstrate to the people that it stands
by its solemn promises. The way
to convince the people that it pro-