Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-04-16
DEMOCRATS NOT ALL DEAD
N. Y. EyenIng Post. April s.

The news which has come to hand
during the past few days concerning
the results of city and town elections
in various States must be genuine
shock to the readers of Republican
newspapers. They have been assured
that tho Democratic party was so nearly
extinct that it was not to be regarded
seriously as an element in the next
elections. 1t might make pretence
of running candidates, but would put
them forward in purely perfunctory
manner, and with no expectation of
electing Them The Republicans had
so 'sure thing" that they might
run any one they pleased for the presi
doncy, on any kind of patform, and
elect him in a walk over. Even Mr..
| Mckinley, with an uh5roken silver
record and on straddling platform,
could be elected without a struggle.
The local election news does not har-
moni2e with this view, 1t shows that
tho Democrats arc not only alive, but
that the rascals arc voting in such
numbers as to greatly cut down Repub.
lican majorities in some places and ac-
tudlly carry the elections in others.
We called attention some weeks sco
New York State ware showing marked
reaesion in favor of the Democrats be
cause If the Raines Liquorta tax bill.
That measure had not then been made
law, and the popular disapproval ex.
pressed towards it was not 30 strong as
it ia now. Many other elections were
held yesterday. and in these the Dem
ocratic gains are more pronounced and
general than tney were in those held
| earlier. THO general result is much the
same as il was in 1893, when the people
| of the State improved their first on
portunity II passing judgment upon
tho Democratic party's course under
Hill, Sheehan, Maynard and Flower.
The winter and spring elections for au
pervl sors in many counties of the State
in that year showed almost uniform
gains for the Republicans. The Dem
ocrats made light of their loss, but
when the November election was held
they discovered that it had fore
shadowed Republican majority of
100, 600 in the State. The Republican
losses now are fully as large and uni
form as were tho Democratic three
years ago, and they come from locali-
tics which are capable OF doing the
party the greatest amount of harm.
They are largest in the cities, nearly
all of which, so far rs heard from, give
Democratic gains. This was inevitable,
for it is in the cities with their large
and mixed populations that the Raines
law will excite the greatest opposition.
The country d;atricts will not be much
affected by it, for the liquor question
plays a small part in their affairs, Jet
even in these sections there are distinct
signs of Republican reaction, for the
Democrats have made slight net gain
in tho supervisors thus far elected.
In other States the same signs Of
Democratic life and energy are percep-
tible. City and towns elections were
held throughout Michigan yesterday
and, according to the Tribune's dis
patches, unusual interest was mani
fested," "large vote was poiled, "
and "while the issues, as a rule, swere
purely local ones, the Democrats gen
orally developed unlocked for strength,
and in many cities which for years have
returned Republican officials their
ticket has been elected in whole or in
part. p" Similar reports come from
Ohio, in which elections were held on
Monday. The Democrats cut down the
Republican maiorities in many places,
and carried others for the first
time in several years. So
too in Connecticut. They made Wig
orous contest in all quarters, and scored
gains in many. In Wisconsin they are
also alive, for in the Milwaukee cleo
tion of yesterday Largo Democratic