New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-22
THE QUESTION or STEIITAL.


ON the strength of returns from Only II ~"
of the States. The PopulisS have been cliiiii'"I
an increase of about Il million vof's 'h's ''"''
II does not now look rs If this claim 'o"i' "
sub,tantiatcd. The increase has been very 'ii'I
MAR I'm States where the dissatisfaction VIII"
the Democratic party was mainly because '"'
Democratic voters wanted free coinage the f"p-
ulists bavc indeed gained. and in Il few S"'i
St,tcs have swallowed clear majority or 'H'
Democratic vote. But in other States. WHITE
the dissatisfaction was on account OF 'h' pr">
,r,tion If industries bv tariff agitation, the Top
r,ists have gained little or nothing. In States
IF Tho LATTER character the Republicans hay"
added largely TO their vote while the rest ~
The Democratic loss is nearly all due 10 the re-
fusaI IF Democrats to vote At all
This Is entirely in accordance with eXp"''a-
lions It was forctolI thar the Democrats III
Congress. If they failed to apprasc soft-lnoh'y
prcdicrs in some States. would lose h'aVHF
10 the PopulistS there. and Democratic leaders
in Congress themselves appealed 10 President
Cleveland on that ground 10 allow IN" OH Tor
coun. the scgnoragr 10 become II law VII
The other hand if he bad yielded 10 the Demo
cratic ma iority on that point or any DINER III
foriing the silver Issue. the party would I'LL
doub,rdlv have been beaten much worS" thal
II was In Nrw.Yoril and other Eastern States.
As il is. The Popusi gain in the Eastern STATES
i relatively Insignificant. although their vol"
increases The Republican vot" In all III" STATES
east of the ohio line is about io'."" larger
than II WAS in the Presidential election. Whil'
the Democratic vote i about lljWW I"SS III
New Engllnd ll3.OOO less in Nrwlo IS.W~
loss in \cw-Jrrscv and H.. 600 less i'm Prnnsyl-
wanna a loss Of il1.0oo, no appreciate part Of
which is explained by Popust Gains.
Returns from the West are not vet 50 com
plctc hut they indirat" that ~ W" moy" west
ward INFO iho region whrr" cheap money
flnaliciSm still retains strength. larger pro-
norton Of The Democratic force has been swal-
lowed up 10y the PopustS. Ohio WAS state
I'm which such notions once had considerable
strength bur there The Republican vote in
creased 5000 compared with the Presidential
clcction while The PopuliSt yot" increased
- 900 ana The Democratic vote decreased IL
Onu In Indiana the Republicans polled 5000
more votes than in The Presidential election. I'll"
PopuliSrS only 1000 more. and The Democrats
- 600 less. showing unusual StcadincSs in de-
feat Ru. In Minnesota and Kansas the Pop
uljsfs appear 10 have absorbed more than half
the Democratic party. in Minnesota casting ST.
900 votes while the Democrats east 1000. ana
fhc Rcpuhlicans cast 5000 more than in the
Presidential election. The few returns from IN"
Southwest indicate Il similar tendency. though
such frauds rs appeared In Alabama render III"
returns Of comparatively little value ~ indica-
lions of public opinion
These figures east some light upon the prob
lem which j now exercising Democratic minds.
namely. whether II il worth while 10 try To re-
cover lost votes in the West and Southwest by
r.vlying agitation Of the silver question Ii
seems focrably clear that the Democratic party
cannot hope IN recover strength in any Eastern
state. or even In West Virginia or Delaware
without abandonment of it, tariff policy. ana
this IN" Presidents obStinacy is supposed 10
render impossible II that BE- The fact. the party
has no other chance If success except 10 bid for
the chcap-noncy vote. and yet ii Is also blocked
in that direction 10y H. President. The paSsag"
If any coinage bill over his veto Is. OF course.
impossible. aud there are 10 indications that h"
i loss Determined on that question than on III"
question ~ tariff Except for him. til" party
would probably rush into the widest financial
rhSur,liti"S in The desperation which It's defeat
has prnluccd II would seemingly be easier for
him To- abandon his tariff policy than to back
down on The one issue on which h. has been sue
cc>>fu and has gained public approval Yet it
(, generally taken for granted thar his forth
coming message will insist upon further prog
r,SS toward Free Trade and. if 50. both posi-
billtcS Of recovery for his party appear 10 be
completely closed II is like a rat in Il corner.
ii can.