The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-03
A STRAW.

Vermont is a Republican state. No
body questions that, and nobody ex-
poets it to go Democratic in this or
any other year. At the same time the
vote in any state, whatever be its &C
customed political faith, acts to some
extent as an indicator and recorder OF
public opinion by its departure from
the normal. When, for instance. the
Republican majority in a state like
Pennsylvania rises to a hundred thou
sand votes above the average, we can
be very sure that the tide is setting
toward the Republican or against the
Democratic party in other states of
tie Union. No such vast discrepancy is
possible except when there are general
causes at work to weaken one side ana
strengthen the other all over the coun-
try. 1t is from this point of view that
the result Of the state election held in
Vermont on Tuesday becomes impor-
tant and significant. 1t shows, as we
expected it to show, the Use Of the
Democratic revolt against the action
of the Chicago convention. The largest
Republican majority hitherto recorded
in Vermont is about 2S,0OO The major
ity this year rises 1000 above that
banner figure. This does not probably
measure the full extent of Democratic
detection, because it was an election
for the choice of state officers, and no
doubt there were many Democrats who
be of their party, although standing on
a platform which they could not ac-
cept, because they might naturally hold
that the free silver issue has no rela-
support state ticket where they could
not vote for Mr. Bryan and the Chi
cago platform. The result of this cleo
ton is, therefore, the best that could
be expected for the Democrats. and
their showing in November can hardly
be as good. As straw it shows that
the wind is blowing with cyclonic vio-
lence against the strange men and
stranger doctrines that found favor in
the eyes of the delegates at Chicago.
How, indeed, could it be otherwise?
There is no Democrat in the United
States with a prouder record of hon
orable service, and there are few of
greater ability than Mr. E. J. Phelps,
of the Green Mountain state. Yet this
leader, who was one of our most credit
able representatives abroad during the
first administration of Mr.. Cleveland.
came out boldly in a letter to his fell
low Democrats, announcing that ne
could not and would not advocate the
election of the Democratic ticket or
vote for 1t at the polls. 1t will avail
nothing to attempt to disguise or min
lfy the truth. That truth is that hosts
Of Democrats are in open revolt against
the action at Chicago, and that their
numbers are great enough to produce
just such results in other states as
have been shown in Vermont. 1t is
common to talk about ''bolters'
end traitors" and to call names.
bot when we find gathered at Indian
apolis such men as Palmer and Villas
aud Morton and Tracey and Eckels and
Bynum and Fellows and Caffery and
Bragg and hundreds of others who tes-
+ify to their Democracy through long
and honorable lives, and who can find
10 place for old-fashioned Democrats in
this campaign, except by the nomina-
ttcn of a third ticket. then we can
SEE how serious this matter has become
for the Democratic candidates, and can
estimate the force Of the avalanche
that is ready to descend in November
and bury forever the cause of currency
debasement the scaling down of lust
debts, the propagation of class hatred
and the encouragement of lawlessness
to rise superior to the rule of law. 1t
is strange 6eiusion which has taken
possession of many of our fellow citi-
zens. that the American people are to