The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-07
SEATTLE. WEDNESDAY, APRIL =.
OFF YEAR REFLECTIONS.

As usual. the verdict Of q general cleo
spring local elections. /; In so very fire.
quentiy. and may be attributed TO two
causes one IL the indifference OF many
citizens except TO any bat national issue.
and the other Is the effort OF undesirable
men 10 take advantage OF popular wave
10 ride into power. The FIRST prevails
chiefly Ia the rural districts. the last in
tine cities. In Cincinnati both causes ope-
rated TO turn the tide. There was fall
ing of Of over l5.ano votes; IT may be pos
iiiyeiy stated that these thirteen thousand
voters were not the professional poll
ttcians. or the class whose time is not OF
such value but II can take an hour of to
vote. IL. beyond doubt. consisted OF the
merchants and business men generally
who were too busy TO attend TO the mat
ter Of if-goyernment. and to whom the
imposition OF taxation and expenditure OF
public money are matters OF apparently
no consequence. To this cause Is 70 be
added the other one named. the Repub-
liean ticket was the creation OF a notorf-
Gus boss WHO thought that this year there
mus, be repetition OF Republican sue
cess. and that TO CAN a ticket "Repub-
lean" was all that was needed TO insure
victory for IT. IL Is no misfortune that the
ticket was beaten. unless the one elected
was worse-and he must be optimistic. In
deed. who can see much reason for en-
enlargement in the average Democratic
municipal administration.
IL would be absurd TO claim that the
falling OF in the Republican vote Is a
proof of want Of confidence In the Repub.
In power about one month; and IL n we're
endowed with the power OF the alchemist
To extract gold from clay. or possessed
the sociaiistie secret by which ali men are
20 be made rich without effort. sufficient
time has not elapsed TO apply IT,
The tariff bin. which Is relied upon as
one OF the most important factors In the
work OF revivihcstion. has not passed
congress yet. the president cannot sign
IL until II reaches him. and IL will not be
In operation until II is signed Not only
Is the delay afording time TO importers 10
get In their stocks. but the uncertainty as
60 the schedule 90 be finally adopted is
checking manufacture In piany lines. IL
Is impossible. therefore. that the value OF
the promises held out last fan could be
determined yet.
II Is good sign that the people dis
criminate between local and national is
sues. In the latter. policy means every
thing In the former. the character OF the
candidates Is OF more consequence than
policy. But IL Is not good sign that so
many thousands OF voters neglect TO take
an interest in the operations by which
officials are selected and elected. who
neglect 60 attend the primaries or express
their determination to support no un-
worthy eandidate-lrrespective OF party
affiliations
The Institutions Of this country make
party organization and party government
an inevitable certainty: u Is desirahl that
those who believe in a party's principles
should support it, nominees. hut the party
organization owes a duty TO its members
and PARTY ticket should demand sup.
port because of its streug and merit.
and not because of It's name
IL viii probably be found. however. that
while these reflections are Justified BY con
ditions In many places, the entire result
OF the elections ~lli show no decisive gain
for either side. Indeed. except In cities
which are as often Democratic as Repub.
hcsn. the latter party holds Is cwn: but
the Republican party should make special
efforts 20 deserve thu confidence Of the
people and insure victory wherever the
oitlaens are not hidobound by Democratic
traditions.