The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-09
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| Michigan suffered such disastrous and wide
spread defeat as I'd the municipal elections last
Monday. Locking overhis own State Don NJ
Dickinson. who proudly claims the credit for
carrying the Western states in the last Presi-
: dental cam psiRn. will ind all the Dem ooratlc
( strongholds flying the Republican flag.
In Detroit Dickinson's home, the Republic
cans are In possession Of every oflce within
! the gift OF the people. In this city. for years
! reliably Democratic by 800 to 1000. the Re-
! publicans last Monday carried their ticket By
pluralities ranging from 400 to 2. 400 and the
vote catching side issues we're inconsequen-
tlsl and cut no figure. Ionia for ten years re-
liably Democratic. elected . full Republican
ticket. lansing. the home OF L. E. Rowley.
elected q Republican Mayor. Saginaw. Bay
City. and Jackson. almost Invariably Demo-
cratic. all went Republican By large maiorities.
CheboyRan, Manistee Petoskey. Grand Haven.
Flint Big Rapids. and Alpens all went Repub-
lican. some OF them for the first time In years.
The list Of cities where the Republicans won,
II given in full. would comprise practically
every city in the State. The Democrats did
not lose everything. however. They carried
Holland. st. Clair. Mount Clemens. Oscoda and
Monroe. and even there their unimportant
victories were politically significant especially
In the three cities nrst named.
The tariff policy Of the Administration un-
general dissatisfaction at the hard times con-
tributed to the result but Congress. the Ad-
ministration. and hard times we're not the only
reasons for the widespread disaster. The
referee system. introduced By Dickinson as
method Of distributing the patronage was re-
sDonsible for more OF the trouble than any
other cause. In those cities where the referees
were allowed to name Postmasters. ignoring
the wishes ofthe local Democratic leaders. the
-l-AG 80
cratic defeat the most pronounced. In Ian
sing. where Referee Rowley lives: in Grand
Haven. the homo OF Referee Watson: In Man
istee. whore Referee Blacker makes his head
quarters; In Ionia. the abiding place OF Referee
Preston; In this city. the home Of Referee
Fletsher; in Kalamazoo. Saginaw. Marquette.
and Cheboygan. each q centre OF the referee
system. the Democrats either stayed at home
Or II thsy voted. they voted for the
other fellow. st. Clair. one OF the cities
which remained Democratic, 10 the home Of
Congressman Whiting. who Is making the
eight in Washington against Dickinson and
his referee system. Mount Clemens. another
city which remains Democratic. is In Mr.. Whit
ins's district. At Holland. usually Rspublican
George p. Hummer was elected Mayor and
Hummer has been q bitter opponent OF tho
referee system. The Monroe Democrats were
not disturbed BY the referees in the appoint
mont OF q Postmaster. and Monroe continued
Democratic. From Flint. Charlotte. Glare. and
this city. where the referee system has been
especially obnoxious. kilograms were sent rs
soon as the results were known. by promi-
nent Democrats to Dickinson, Cleveland.
and others. congratulating them upon the
magnificent showing made. 1t Is needless to
say the kilograms were intended sarcastically.
The defeats this spring In the municipal
elections are OF more Importance than usual
They leave the Democratic party. or SO much
OF It as may DO left. totally demoralized and
dispirited and the Republicans In full pos
session Of all the Offices patronage. and cleo
tion machinery. This condition exists on the
eve Of state election. when State officers.
members Of the Legislature. and Congress-
men are to be elected. The next Legislature
will reapportion the state into Congress and
legislative districts. and will elect successor
to Senator Mcmillan.
From present indications the Repu blicans
will have everything their own way They
will make clean sweep. They will control
the Legislature almost unanimously. and It is
doubtful II the next delegation to Congress
will contain a single Democrat. The Republi-
cans are In the worst condition in years to
make strong fight. The scandals OF the State
Administration are high melting and such. II
properly used, as would defeat any party for q
return to power. The Democrats. however are
In no shape to take advantage Of the splendid
opportunities offered All along the line are
dissatisfaction and disgust. and this is espe-
cially prom ouncsd in the cities and villages OF
the State where the Democrats always have
looked for their votes.
The Democrats have no State organization.
the present committee having been turned
down and out by Dickinson. who. through his
personally appointed Board OF Referees as
sumed exclusive control OF the Federal pat
ronage The county and local organizations
have gone to smash. and the reason for 1t 10
the same. Dickinson and rsisreeism have |
done more than the hard times to corrupt and
disorganize the Michigan Democracy.
A little political history may be OF interest |
here. Six years ago the Republicans. with J. !
NJ. Weston as Chairman OF the Democratic |
campaign and Dickinson as chief. |
carried the State By large plurality. Then |
Weston retired and Dickinson announced that |
he had graduated from local politics. -Four |
years ago neither Dickinson nor Weston lifted |
their hands to aid the Democratic cam
paign. Neither on the stump nor By |
liberal subscriptions did they contrib |
ute to the cause. Daniel J. Campau. |
who was elected Chairman Of the State Com |
mittee. was left to run the cam paign as he saw
Mt; and the former party managers looked on |
and smiled as they thought they heard him |
the Republicans and the establishment OF the |
former party leaders. Campau's campaign |
ended In . complete victory for the Democra-
cy. the first that had been gained in q quarter |
Of a century. The result had hardly been an
nounced before Dickinson and Weston both |
jumped back into the ring. and they assumed |
charge OF the delicate Job Of distributing the !
State patronage Weston was made President |
OF the Worlds Fair Com mission for Michigan.
and exercised a general supervision over the |
patronage for this part Of tho State. Dickinson |
succeeded In freezing out CampRu in Gov |
ernor WinAns's affections as patronage dis
tributsr for the eastern part OF the State.
Two years ago with Csmpau still at the head |
Of the State COMMITTEES. but terribly handi- |
capped By the interest taken In the light by |
Dickinson. Weston. and the others. the Re- |
Dublicans carried the State by a large major |
ity. elscting eight Of the twelve Congressman |
and almost the entire Legislature.