Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1895-11-21
The Border State Victory.

Within the past year each of the old
border state has returned a Republican
majority. At the election last week
MARYLAND returned majority of 1905
for the Republican candidate for Govern
or and Kentucky one of 1900. Last
wear Delaware elected the Republican
candidate for Governor by 1921, West
Virginia was Republican on the vote for
Corgress1nen and Missouri elected a Re-
publican Judge to the Supreme Court by
so14. II three of these StateS-West
Virginia, Maryland and Delaware-che
Republicans have elected majority OF
the Legislature, and in Kentucky the
Legislature is tie.
These changes have affected all these
States alike. They are to be seen and
traced from Delaware Bay to Kansas.
They have been accomplished by the vote
of the most intelligent class and the most
PROSPEROUS communities IN all tlve States.
II has sometimes been charged against
Republican victories in the far South that
the vote which won them came exclusive
" from those who labored with their
hands and was unduly influenced by con-
siderations of color. We trust the day Is
far distant when any right-minded man
will think the less of ballot because II Is
cast bv hand hard with toll or darkened
nv the act of the Creator, but not even
this captious objection can be raised to
the great political change in these border
states.
Wherever there is a mine or factory,
wherever cities are growing and new
harnlets coming into existence-there, IN
all these States, the Republican vote has
been heaviest and the Democratic defeat
most complete. But it is impossible 70
attach a mere partisan importance TO
these victories They do not show that
in the next Presidential election either
Kentucky or Missouri will vote tor Re-
publican electors though the elections
this wear and last do leave West Virginia
and Delaware debatable States and Mary
land worth struggle. The change III
these States is not from party to party
It is deeper. 1t is effected by the causes
which create parties and which underlle
them and their acts. &.
The border states for ten years past
have been the scene of great economic
changes. West Virginia, for one tlnS,
in ten years has trebled its coal output
and that of Kentucky has nearly doubled
while Missouri has increased its coal pro-
duct in ten years Just hve-fold. All these
States have made a like industrial adj
vance. They have increased their maui
factures, they have diversified their. IN
dustries and they have added to those
whose livelihood and prosperity depends
upon a sound currency and protection to
native industry.
These changes, silent and unseen, have
reyolutionized these States. Bland last
wear and Blackburn this thought they
were running in the Missouri and Ken
tuckv of ten years back. They were not.
Their States have repudiated their un-
sound financial views. The boundary
of honest money was once Mason and
Dixon's line. The elections slow that 1t
now lies south of the border states. so
on all the greater economic issues. These
victories have not been won on mere
party lines, important as these are. They
stand for more. They stand tor the
steady uplift by which States are redeem
ed from barbarism and turned into thrlv-
ing industrial communities. They rep
resent the advance of men, the creation
of wealth, education, civilization and en-
liphtenment. If this change and advance
has been made visible by Republican VIC
tories it is because on the whole the Re-
publican party in all its history has stood
for the progress of humanity, the eleva,
ton of the people and sound increase OF
national wealth.-Press.