Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1895-11-15
DEMOCRATIC DEFEAT AND ITS
CAUSES.

is long step towards the hnd1ng oil rem
edy. The Philadelphia Record one Of the
great controlling Democratic dailies OF the
great State Of Pennsylvania, after the smoke
of the battle of Tuesday of last week had
cleared away and whilst in its calmer re.
Elections. made survey of the fields of the
several States with this result:
Gas the first Geographic flashes of election
returns are succeeded by actual figures 1t is
made clear that the backward swing Of the
political pendulum has begun. The phe.
nomenal Republican victory of 1894 marked
the topmost limit OF reaction. This year,
although the Democrats remain dispirited,
benumbed and inactive, the Republicans
show no added capability OF offense. Their
majorities have been reduced. Where the
Democrats have been beaten in Democratic
States as a rule they have not deserved to
be victorious The defeat in Kentucky OF
the free silver candidate for Governor is OF
more worth TO the Democratic party than
would have been an undesirable victory in
volving the reputation OF an honest money
platform. In Maryland, New Jersey and
New York the party could not save itself
from the consequences OF past mistakes and
misconduct and from the burden OF dis
credited leadership by taking refuge behind
the names OF reputable men who were put
forward as candidates
"The lesson of the election in Pennsylva-
mia, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Mary
land and Kentucky is one of tenor. No
party can govern the country that is not
true to itself. The Democracy can only
maintain the confidence of the people by
putting aside the huckstering professional
leadership with which the party has been
fat haa 10 not ri
umphs into defeats.
"The Republican victories of this year,
where they have not been the outcome OF
revolt against a demoralizing Democratic
leadership, have been the fruits OF apathetic
discouragement. The Democrats have sim
ply laid down and lei their political oppo-
nents walk over them. For this state OF
things the remedy is reorganization, and
leadership that will have both head and
heart in it, The movement in this direc
ton cannot begin day too soon."
The New York World, the Democratic
headlight of the State of New York, which
destroyed the rotten and corrupt dynasty oil
Tammany and which has done so much for
genuine reform for the Democratic party Of
New York, In its issue of Saturday last falls
into the same line Of thought with that of the
Philadelphia Record and among the many
strong and telling arguments says:
maryland gave clear Democratic ma
jority OF 1904 even in 1879, the year Of the
Greeley candidacy. From that time TO this
it has uniformly gone Democratic by plu.
ralities ranging from 6,192 in 1888 to 30, 15l
in 1891. This year 1t has gone Republican
by about 10000
rha Ia natiN 10 ir In Sana
tor German is the Democratic boss In Mary
land, and Mr.. Germans course has been
such as to repel Democratic voters. He has
been, in the Senate, the leader of opposition
not only TO the Administration, but to the
one well.d defined Democratic policy and to
the measure framed In the House to give
effect to that policy. The revolt in Mary.
land has been not 80 much against Democ
racy as against the very different thing
which Senator German has substituted for
Democracy, against the arrogance of his rule
as boss, and against the corruptions FOL
which the Baltimore ring has made Democ'
racy responsible.
Kentucky has always been one of the
most securely Democratic of States. From
1872 until this year II has given Democratic
pluralities ranging from 1900 to $1,000
This year II has gone Republican by per.
Governor but Republican Legislature.
"In New Jersey, save for the fact the De
mocracy made creditable nomination fol-
Governor, no element that could contribute
To its defeat seems to have been wanting
In national politics New Jerseys Demo
cratic Senator, Smith, Joined forces will
Hill and Murphy and Brice and Gormar
In blocking the course of tariff reform TIT
election in this State resulted in clear
sweep, transferring the State to the Repub
lican column.
ain New York the lesson of defeat is MOI
less obvious. Only five times between 1875
and 1899 did this State go Republican, anc
on one oil those occasions it did 30 only be
cause n 500 votes were diverted TO fac
tional Democratic candidate. This year thu
State gives a Republican plurality of NOR
than $1,000"
With decided emphasis and in character
istic language and evident feeling for tn,
future of the Democratic party, the Worl'
puts the following pertinent inquiry:
Are the Democratic managers now read,
to heed the rebuke and understand Its mean
ing Are they at last awake to the necessit,
of deposing the men who have In three sue
cessive years given this great Democrats
State to the Republicans? Are they ready a
last to call into the party's councils the intel
ligence and the character that once domin
ated therep Or is the control TO remail
with those bosses and tricksters who hav
SO disastrously used itY'
In all these States the results of the cleo
ton are full of instruction TO those who ar,
responsible for party management. Ar
they prepared by defeat to receive instruc
ton and to profit by itp 1t would appeal
that the Democratic party is now simply
the sport of its political opponents, and thi
on the eve of a presidential election.
will, we believe, be idle for 1t to talk of pc
litical success next year as it has been thi
unless 1t radically changes these conditions
1t must have unity Of principle and purpose
and loyalty to party and to party leaders i
It is to carry the Border or Northern States
1t did not take the first step to this end the
present year.
1t seems almost difficult to estimate the
full proportions of the tidal wave which has
swept over the party. But it is not difficult
to arrive at the conclusion, and every one
who reflects for moment cannot fail to see
it. 1t is true that the country had resumed
much OF its earlier prosperity, and that labor
was contented where it had been formerly
depressed. If the issue had been the dis.
turbance of the present state of government
affairs, and parties were arraigned on one
and the other side of it, there would have
been hope for the Democrats. There was
no such issue. 1t was we'll understood that
the tariff could not be meddled with for the
next two years, and even this was doubtful
IL the Republicans could be brought to upset
it. AS regards the currency, the Democrats
occupied a safer and sounder ground than
the Republicans. Mol it has broader,
deeper and stronger significance than all
this. 1t was the popular uprising of the
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