Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-05-21
The South no More Solid.

As we are entering another presidential
campaign, it Is interesting to compare
the present political status in that section
of our country known for so many years
in the geography of politics as THE Solid
South" with it's condition a few years
ago. The change in Alabama has not
been as marked as in some other States;
nut that State in 1890 gave the democratic
candidate for governor plurality of 81
41e. 1t gave Cleveland in 1892 a plurality
.c 52,967. while Oates. the democratic can
trlate for governor in 1894. was elected by
q plurality of only 27,5s3 in an election in
which 1t was charged that the grossest
frauds were practiced on the democratic
side.
In 1894 Delaware elected a republican
governor. republican congressman for
the first time since 1872. and Legislature
republican on joint ballot by majority of
eight as compared with the Legislature
Of 1899 In which the democrats had 2S
members and the republicans two. The
State Of Georgia, which gave Cleveland
plurality of S10S1 in 1892, gave the demo-
cratic gubernatorial candidate IN 1894
piufaiity over his populist opponent of a.
1d.
Kentucky is a striking example of what
has been accomplished in these later years
of change and progress. This State, whose
name has been Synonymous with de-
mocracy as strong and undiuted as It's
whiskey. which gave Cleveland plurality
of 4o.120 in 1892. took in 1895, the unpre-
cedentsd step Of electing a republican gov
ernor by plurality of s9l2, together with
a full State ticket and Legislature tied
on joint ballot, thus preventing the elect
ion Of a democratic senator. The con-
gresslonai delegation from Kentucky
which stood in the SD Congress- democrats
10, republicans /, now stands democrats 8,
republicans 5.
In Louisiana, Cleveland received in 1892
plurality of $3.50. while In the State
election just held tho Fusion candidate for
governor was barely defeated and with an
honest count 1t is quite possible that he
might have been declared elected.
Maryland. always considered one of the
reliable democratic States, gave In 1891 tc
Brown, democrat, for governor plurality
of 9o,l64, and to CleYeland in 1892 a pur.
ality Of 21,1so. In 1895 Gov Lowndes, re-
publican. was elected by a plurality O,
1s7e7. together with full State ticket
The present Legislature is republican b,
a majority Of At as compared with a dem
ocratic majority of 81 in tho preceding
Legislature, and a republican United
States senator has been elected. The Con
gressional delegation in the SD Congress
was solidly democratlc; in the presen
Congress the democrats and republican
each have three members.
Missouri gave to Cleveland. in 1892 a plu
rality Of A.0o4. In 1893 only minor State OF
ncers were elected. but the republican
elected the railroad commissioner by a plu
rality OF 6ss7; tho superintendent of edu
cation, by 1888, and Supreme Court juds
by 1904. In 1892 the democratic majorit
In the Missouri Legislature was SO, Will
In 1894 the republicans had clear majo,
ity over democrats and populists Of 1
In the bSd Congress the delegation wa
composed OF II democrats and I republ
can; in the Ath Congress the republica
members number 10. the democrat
members, ..
In 1874 New Jersey gave Cleveland pl,
rality Of 1AsR and Gov. wsyts . plura
ity Of 7eak Last fall Gov. Griggs. rspul
lican. was elected by . plurality Of n.
end the republican majority in the Lesi
Iature Is a. In the "a, Congress the Ne
se5ssx dsIsgstion stood rsDubiscans Z dsa