The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-11

up plurality OF uoVV Over nis 1earest CON
testaut, the Democratic candidate. this
extraordinary plurality being secured
from the bigges; total vote ever cast in
the State. il was made evident that not
only was the Republican candidate popu.
lar among the people, and not only had
the state administration won the APP
proval Of the electors, but that the people
had taken the opportunity TO express their
sentiments against anything and every
thing Democratic was also plainly indi-
Gated.
10 an Intelligent observer of public
affairs there was no question in April,
1894, that the disastrous administration OF
the nations affairs under PresidentCLEvE-
LAND and the Fifty-Third Congress had
received a stiff political blow in the Rhode
in the history of the State had SO many
voters exercised their suffrage, and mover
had the ticket of any party received SO
substantial an endorsement. The Re-
publeans in that year, recognizing the
importance of political straws, went into
the State campaign with national issues
in view, and the people voted with these
issues in view, despite the depreciating
efforts Of the Democratic managers
against making the State candidates suffer
from the popular indignation against the
national administration. The Kepubli-
cans swept the State of Rhode Island. In
other localities Democracy followed the
suit OF their fellows in Rhode Island and
went down. And despite the frantic ex-
planation of the Democrats that defeat
after defeat was due only to local causes,
the tidal wave of Republicanism went roll
ing up until the Democratic Congress was
swept out of existence in November.
The year 1895 was quiet time for poll
tics. The demoralized Democracy OF
Rhode Island lay down under their bur-
den OF woe and just let the Republicans
walk over them. In April Governor LIP
PITT and the balance OF the Republican
ticket were elected by tremendous major
titles, the Democrats making the poorest
fight since GEORGE Ii. BROWNE "went
up against" JAMES Y. SMITH in 1865.
The people had no opportunity to again
express their sentiments toward the ma
ional administration and politics drop
ped out of sight until some of the clev-
erer Democratic managers took a shrewd
advantage of the dull season to regain
lost ground by the invention OF the Goo
Goo trick, which served to stir things up
in the city of Providence and enabled the
Democracy to pull itself together very
successfully-very successfully indeed.
Now, it is 1896. 1t promises to be
peculiar year in politics. Never since war
times has the Democratic party been SO
thoroughly demoralized, so disheartened,
so helpless--never has success been so i'm
possible to anything bearing the tag OF
Democracy. Political interest centers
chiefly in noting how crushing are to be
the blows that win be delivered to tho
fallen party OF debt and deficit and dis.
aster.
The Republican, Of Rhode Island have
chosen their candidates for State officers.
They have renominated the ticket of last
year, In several of its offices the ticket Of
several years. They have presented to the
people broad guage platform identify
ing the Republican party of the State
with the rarity OF the nation. The State
election is of national consequence just
as 1t was in April, 1894. In 1894 the State
election set in motion the tremendous
tidal wave Of Republicanism. In April,
1895, was demonstrated the demoraliza-
tion OF Democracy after its crushing de-
feat OF the months Immediately preced-
ing, and on April first next will be again
shown the absurdity OF any claims OF
: Democracy TO popular favor until the
Democratic national administration is
swept out OF office and opportunity can
be secured for that demoralized party to
begin life all over again.
1t is not anticipated that the campaign
now opened will be at all exciting but it
is believed that Republicans and the
people generally will again take ndvan.
tage of the opportunity to endorse Repub-
licanism in State and national affairs with
quiet earnestness that will be effective
and will leave no doubt in tho minds OF
the Democratic politician that there is
no hope for their kind Of politics in this