The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-11-16
baltimore SUM-


The lesson of this election at home
and abroad is not far to seek, or
difficult to understand. There is no
need to ego behind the returns. I"
They speak for themselves. Different
causes, some of them of a local
character, may have contributed in
different parts of the country, to
produce particular results. But the
great lesson stands out prominently
and overshows all. Wherever the
Democratic party organization has
been untrue to the principles and
pledges of the party, in proportion to
its shortcomings in this respect it has
felt with greater or less severity the
rebuke Of the people. The year 1898
has not repeated the successes of 1892
or of 1890, or even of 1891.
There is a perceptible recession of the
great tidal wave of Democratic success
which lifted the party into power a
year ago. In the Republican States
OF Massachusetts and Iowa, where the
successes of Cleveland, of Russell and
of Boies seemed to hold out promise Of
their being permanently attached to
the Democratic column, defeat has
taken the place of victory. In Ohio,
the laurels of the Democratic Governor,
Campbell, of three years ago, are
withered by the triumphant reelection
of the Republican Mckinley. Nothing
can explain these results but the check
which the confidence of the people has
received in the ability or the disposi-
ton Of the Democratic party to fulfill
the promises which won the favor Of
the people of those States so recently
as three years and two years ago.
They are States which have suffered
grievously from the neglect and delay
of the Democratic party to apply the
promised remedy for financial evils
and burdens which Republican mis-
government had imposed.
The wretched divisions in the Dem
ocratic ranks in both houses Of
Congress, and especially the long delay
and the halting, timorous policy of the
Oemocatic majority in the Senate,
furnish, probably, the best explanation
of Democratic losses in the States Of
the North and West.
The lesson furnished by the Demo
cratic State of New York is even more
pregnant and striking 1t illustrates
the weakness of the machine,' OF
bossism and ring management, when
the public conscience is touched and
the people are thoroughly aroused.
The disgraceful condition OF municipal
government and administration in
Brooklyn, and the crowning insult and
outrage of the nomination of Judge
Maynard for the Court of Appeals,
have borne their legitimate fruit.
Good men of all parties joined in
demanding a change in city admins
tration in Brooklyn, and almost the
entire bar and leading press of New
York, without distinction of politics,
protested against Maynard's elevation
to the bench, and denounced his
nomination by the Democratic State
convention at Saratoga. The rest of
the Democratic, State ticket was
admitted to be exceptionally good.
Yet it was not strong enough to carry
such a load as Maynard. 1t went
down under the burden imposed in
defiance of public opinion by political
" bosses" and leaders who thought
they were strong enough to defy any
thing and to overcome everything.
They have had their lesson, and as
it happened to the State machine"
supposed to be manipulated by Hill
and Murphy and Sheehan, so it Jared
with the local " machine" controlled
by Boss Mclaughlin, in Kings county
and Brooklyn. Democratic revolt and
Democratic indignation brought about
the result in both cases. 1t is lesson
to be pondered far and wide. Brook
lyn is not the only, or perhaps, the
worst ringridden city in the country.
New York is not the only State where
party managers dictate nominations at
their pleasure and substitute their own
will for that of the people. The power
OF the individual voter-of the secret
and independent ballot--the power of
public opinion and of its most potent
organ, the press, have been conspicu-
ously illustrated, to the great en-
couragement Of independent voters
and municipal reformers everywhere,
and to the strengthening of mems
hearts and faith in our institutions,
where, after all, the people will rule,
and must be obeyed at last.