The Saint Paul globe., 1897-11-04

Later returns from Inc eieCl1olIS
only emphasize the verdict that
was rendered as it appeared from
the showing of Tuesday night. The
oninion of the voters of the country
has been pronounced against the Re
p1IbIican party, with an emphasis that
leaves no room for misunderstanding.
It explains nothing to talk Of an 'otf
year. in politics. An off year is an OH
year for both parties, and not merely
for one. Even in the states which the
Republicans have carried, the decline
in the total vote. which is very great,
is not equally divided numerically.
From tWo-thirds to nine-tenths of the
shrinkage is on the Republican side.
The most convincing illustration Of
the present popular feeling is the re
suit in Ohio. 1t is the state of Presi-
dent Mckinley; it is the state of Mark
Hanna, the great national boss; it is
the state to which practically the en-
tire attention and effort of the Re
publican managers was directed. They
desired to assure the return of MI.
Hanna to the senate, and also to vindi-
cate the administration Of an Ohio
president. The figures show how far
they have failed of obtaining this re-
suit. The whole campaign was con-
centrated on a struggle for control of
the state legislature, and that is so
close that it will be decided by one or
votes, which are now claimed by
both parties.
With Ohio in the focus of the bright
light radiated by these election returns,
and dwindling Republican pluralities
and mounting Democratic majorities
elsewhere, we cannot fail to discover
the central lesson of the event. 1t is
a profound and just dissatisfaction
with Republican policies and methods,
and it will be multiplied a thousand
fold by the circumstances of the cleo
tion itself. These are SUCH for in
stance, as to make New York state
unquestionably Democratic for many
years to come The Republicans who
supported Seth Low may be counted
upon hereafter, in any general cleo
ton, to vote and work for the Demo-
cratic ticket. They feel, as they have
a right to feel, deeply outraged by the
defeat administered to them, less by
the hosts of Tammany than by the
Platt-McKinley alliance with it, The
whole country has been amazed and
its indignation stirred by the spectacle,
and the contest in Greater New York
will cost the Republican party dear
The moral Of it ALL fortunately, is
easy. to read. The Republican party in
the nation has been guilty of infidel-
ity tc a trust as open, grievous and
shameless as any ever charged against
a political organization. 1t carried the
nation on the financial issue, and with
the understanding, as distinct as If It
had been written on the ballots, that
it would reform the currency. 1t aban-
doned that as soon as the result Of
the polling was known. 1t does not even
now propose to settle the currency
question, and it called a special ses-
sion of congress to pass a tariff act
which is denounced by all except the
monopolies, for whose benefit it was
constructed, and which has increased
the difficulties of the treasury and
seems to make future bond issues in
evitable Such a fasco, following so
closely upon a national election, has
rarely been seen.
1t is the habit of the American peo-
pie to administer punishment to recre-
ant politicians with a heavy rod and
little regard of consequences. Because
a Democratic congress was less grave
and earnest than President Cleveland
and refused to carry out the pledges
of 1899, that tremendous Democratic
success was changed to utter reverse.
Because a Republican congress, in har-
mony with a Republican president.
has been still rtaQre recklessly false to
its promises, it will meet with sim
liar fate. The Democracy of. the ma
tion has but to be true to itself; to
abandon entangling alliances and for