The sun., 1894-12-27
Political Geography.

| kohttcteA SCOkEAPhys
| A Republican resident Of Toledo, wher
interrogated last week respecting the pref
ercnce Of his Republican neighbors for q
Presidential candidate in 1895, made this
declaration: "The Republicans hereabouts
| were always BLAINE men while BLAINE
| lived They are now for Tom REED. He Is the
favorite in this part Of Ohio. Other sections
Of the State have other preferences" Thus
there are geographical distinctions under.
lying political differences in every State, or
nearly every State, in the Union.
When the first New England emigrants
started West, they followed the line OF the
Mohawk Valley and the shore of Lake
Erie, continuing straight across the conti-
nent Successive waves Of New England
emigration laid the foundations OF all the
cities and towns in northern Ohio, north
ern Indiana, northern Illinois, all Of Iowa,
and all Of Nebraska. These regions consti-
tute the backbone and mainstay Of the Re
publican party in the West. The basis of
the population in this big and thrifty belt
Of territory is to be traced to New England
and Mr.. BLAINE was a favorite for many
years among Republican delegate, FROM
these sections, just as Tom REED very
reasonably is to-day.
South Of this New England belt, in the
West, is another geographical section, includ-
ing southern Ohio, southern Indiana, south
ern Illinois, and south and central Missouri
These sections were originally settled by
emigrants from Virginia and North Caro-
lima, and by their descendants. They are
thoroughly Democratic, as strongly 80 as
the northern sections Of the same States are
Republican. A line drawn through Ohio,
Indiana. and Illinois will show the Re
publicans in q majority in the northern
counties Of all three, and the Democrats in
excess in the south. Nor is It necessary to
go to the West for object lessons in
political geography. The valley of the Hud-
son River and the country back Of It, from
New York to Albany, was settled by Holland
ers. The counties there have always been
Democratic. An admixture of New Eng
landers has changed the political preference
Of some, as Dutchess, toward Republican
ism. The absence Of such newcomers keeps,
and has kept, Albany and Schoharie Demo
cratic. North and west of Albany all the
rural counties of the State except Seneca, a
German colony in part, are Republican.
In Wisconsin, the State with the largest
ratio Of foreign-born population, immi-
grafton started from Chicago as a radiat-
ing point. The Germans kept in the south
west, where the climate was milder and
more nearly like that of Germany The
Swedes and Norwegians went north and
northwest. Now, southeastern Wisconsin
is Democratic; northern and northwestern
Wisconsin is Republican.
A still more curious manifestation of this
rule Is found in the South. Virginia, Mary
land, North Carolina, and Georgia were
settled by English emigrants Some, a ma
jority, were Cavaliers, chiefly from the
southern and southeastern counties of Eng
land, fiat country. Others. minority,
were Roundheads or Puritans, chiefly from
the hilly or mountainous sections of north
ern and northwestern England. Wings at
home, their descendants became Wings in
the United States The descendants of the
Cavaliers, and Of Englishmen from the
southern counties, became Democrats.
When the tide of emigration set across
the Allegheny aud Smoky mountains, the
descendants Of the Roundheads halted
among the hills; the descendants of the
Cavaliers sought the fat or table lands be-
tween the mountains and the valley of the
Mississippi. Accordingly to-day in Ken
tucky and Tennessee, and in northern Ala
bama, the mountaineers are generally Re-
publicans; the residents of the territory
beyond the mountains are Democrats The
mountain district of Kentucky is almost
invariably represented in Congress by Re
publican; the two mountain districts of
Tennessee are invariably represented by
Republicans.
Welsh settlements in the United States,
such as Gallia county, Ohio, and cities where
Welshmen are numerous, Utica, Scranton,
and Wilkesbarre, are usually Republican.
Cities or counties settled by Spaniards are
usually Democratic. In Pennsylvania all
the eastern counties settled by Germans,
whose descendants are popularity known as
" Pennsylvania Dutchmen," are strong
ly Democratic. The western counties about
Pittsburgh, where the chief element of
the population is Scotch Irish, are Just as
strongly Republican. In the northern coun-
ties OF New Jersey, first settled by Holland
ers, Democrats preponderate; in the south
ern counties, settled by Swedes and English,
Republicans are most numerous.
1t would be unreasonable and unjustihA-
BILE TO conclude from all this that the politics
Of American States or counties are controlled
by the character OF their first settlement.
Such is not the case. But the foundations
OF the country were laid century or more
ago, by emigrants having definite convic-
tions on public questions nearly related to
politics. The citizens of such settlement
associated themselves, naturally, with the
IA -
such views. The question OF negro slavery
had much TO do with firmly setting in q per-
manent mould the views and preferences Of
these voters; and the political distinctions
established during the emancipation agita-
tion and during the civil war, have been
continued since. You cannot study Amsri-
can politics intelligently without map.
Christians and dOhAmmedAna
Among the powers Of the world, Il Is in the |