Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-11-15
CAUSES OF THE TIDAL wave
business Depression Had Its
Due Effect.
SUGAR SCANDALS ALSO HELPED
Took the Heart Out of Decent
Democrats.
No Fears, However. of New Mckinley
Tariff In Consequences of the Change Eff
fected by the l1lections-Wheret the Re-
publican Leaders Have Learned Wis
dom.
New York Evening Post, Nov. =.


dom.
New York Evening Post, Nov. 2.
That the Republicans would carry the
Northern elections this year was gener-
ally expected, but the extent Of the VIC
tory was not anticipated. Now that the
results are before us, we can easily dis
Germ the causes of the tidal wave that
has overwhelmed the Democratic party
in so many different places. The tinan-
clal panic Of last year, although u prime
factor in the case, is not sufficient alone
to account for it. Business depression,
whatever may be its cause, always tells
against the party in power But in the
present case u deeper gloom was added
by the scandals connected with tariff
legislation in Congress which filled the
friends of the Wilson bill with rage and
indignation to nearly or quite as great
an extent as its enemies. The spectacle
presented 10 the country for weeks TO-
gether of Democratic cabal in the
Senate, moved evidently by corrupt
motives, fighting against their own
party in the interest of the Sugar Trust
and other hateful monopelies, aud
actually forcing their measure
upon both Senate and House, was
sufficient to take the heart out of the
decent members of the party. To crown
all, the bill that was finally passed was
so bad that the President could not
sign it, This was an indelible stigma.
No man was too ignorant to misunder.
stand it. 1t was proof to the dullest
mind that the Democratic party was at
war with itself on the very issue that
had given it an overwhelming victory
in 1899. The financial depression alone
might have given the Republicans a
victory this year, but it could not have
given them such victory. The Demo-
Gratis were paralyzed by the German
Brice faction IN the Senate and by the
scandals shown by the investigation in
that body. A party which cannot 60 to
the polls at peace with itself is beaten in
advance, and if there are other coop
Grating causes, its defeat is so much the
greater. This was the case with the Re-
publican party after it passed the Nc
Kinley bill.
These were causes operating every
where. The Presidents brand on the
tariff bill was as conspicuous in one sec
ton of the country as in another In
New York there were other and more
powerful currents moving towards
Democratic disaster These scarcely
need TO be mentioned. The nomination
of David b. Hill was challenge to the
decent public opinion of the State, Re-
publican, Democratic and Independent,
of every possible shade. To this reck.
less defiance Of public opinion was
added the daily outrage of Tammany
Hall. The investigation of the Lexow
committee was only the exposure of
facts long before known to competent
observers and openly proclaimed by
Mayor Hewitt, although he could not
get legal evidence upon which to
act. When the proofs at last came
out they fell like successive sparks
on finder. The public mind had
long been prepared to believe anything
bad of the gang that had gained con-
trotof the first city of the Union, but
tho facts brought out were even more
shocking and loathsome than anybody
had anticipated. All that DR.. Parkhurst
had said was proven, and more, much
more. Hence the Committee of Sew.
enty, under the splendid leadership
we were on the point of mentioning
names, but where all have done so well
this might be deemed invidious-hence
the Committee of Seventy had a field of
most fertile land to work upon, and no
cultivators ever titled more industri-
ously or more wisely. The result in
New York city, and in Brooklyn, too, is
even more remarkable than the general
result. Nor should it be forgotten that
the tariff reformers in New York gave
their influence and their votes souarely
against both Hill and Tammany, con.
sidering both of them traitors against
the cause.
Scarcely less satisfactory is the news
from Colorado and Kansas that the
Populists have been crushed in their
own stronghold. Waite and Lewelling
and their crowd have been the night.
mare of those States, paralyzing credit
and confidence and weighing upon the
prosperity of the communities ever since
they were elected. Capital would not
venture into precincts where confisca-
ton was openly threatened and where
the most glazing outrages against per-
sons and property were practiced and
justified. A few years Of this kind Of
anarchlsm have sufficed to open the eyes
of the people. They can see now that
capital, SO much derided and flouted by
Waite, Lewelling. CoXey, PETER and
the Populists generally, is the one thing
that stands between mankind and every
form OF misery. Without capital, we are
in the condition of the South Sea
Islanders. Capital is food, clothing,
shelter, leisure, instruction, and i'm
proyement of every sort. To curse CAPT.
tai and to threaten it with pains and
penalties is to condemn ones self to the
lot of Central African savages. Colorado
aud Kansas have apparently found this
out.
We have no fear of q new Mckinley
tariff in consequence of this election.
No reactionary tariff bill can become
law, In any case, within three years,
and during that time the present law
will have created business conditions
powerfully opposed to McKinleyism.
Moreover, the Republican leaders are
wiser than they were when the Nc
Kinlev bill was passed. They know
that it is just as easy to turn the coun-
try over against themselves as it was in
1890, just as easy as it was to turn it
over this year. Ali the elements of these