Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-08
The State Elections.

The states voting this year local issues
prior to voting on the national issues seem
altogether likely to break even be-
tween the two parties. Louisiana led off
in the spring. and, although the republic
cans impeachcd the returns. the democrats
secured the Offices. Oregon followed in
June, with a haTd-won republican victory.
Alabama in August recorded a democratic
victory Vermont has just capped that
with the largest republican victory in the
history of the state, and Arkansas now
caps Vermont with an unprecedented demo-
cratic majority. Maine will follow next
week with a republican majority. and
Georgia next month with democratic ma
jority. And SO will the record stand when
the home stretch is reached, and the final
days of the great struggle for national
supremacy in November set in.
The local returns in the east will, it is
true, reflect sentiment on the national is
sues much more strongly than will those in
the south The Vermont campaign was
fought distinctly on the national issues and
Mdine's is in progress on the same lines.
In Louisiana. Alabama. and Arkansas on
the other hand local concerns cut a prom
inent figure. and IN Georgia will be wit
messed the same thing. Local democratic
supremacy is insisted upon ny men who
as policy TO lie adopted Independently by
This country. Secretary Herbert. for an in
stance. went home to Alabama in August
expressly to vote for the democratic candl-
date for governor, but he viii oppose, the
election of Mr.. Bryan for President How
many such men exist in the south can only
be determined hy the November returns
ldt as to Vermont and Maine. they may
safely be expected TO poll as large vote
in the national in the ioca! contest
The result of all this Will be to Tx at
teHtlon much more strongly on the middle
states thar ever. Ii will De assumed that
the east is entirely safe for the republic
cans, and the south for the democrats.
But which side Will prevail in Illinois, In
dana, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, and
kentucky?
hc democrats hay, higher hopes of sue
c=o-iiEg in Illinois and Minnesota than in
Indiana aud Kentucky. The argument they
are using in both states is that local inter-
tStS there are at one with those of the
west and south on every material point of
prosperity. Chicago particularly is being
reminded that her commercial supremacy
has been established, and can only be
maintained ny western and southern
trade. and hence she is urged to ally her
self in this struggle with the decla red SEN
timent of those two sections
But surely such an argument cannot pre-
vail IN a city, IN any of its surround
1ngS, where all that has been achieved
rests on the application and operation of
sound business principles. The men of the
middle states are among the most success
ful men in the country. Chicago, for its
thrift and rapid growth, Is one OF the won
ders of the republic. Business in all of its
qualifications and supports, Is thoroughly
understood there. If it is true, therefore,
as nearly all business men believe. that
free silver would unsettie values and prop
erty and cause widespread embarrassment
and distress, what would the trade of the
south or of any other section be worth until
stability and reliability were once more es-
t"blished? The menace OF free silver is
that it would obIge business men. in a
spirit OF seit-prcserYation, to curtail rather
than to extend. their operations. Hence
the community tnat votes against free sill
Yer not only votes to protect it's own bus
mess interests. but the business interests
OF the whole country as we'll