The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-11-04
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ELECTION.

L
ton of the Journal. powerful and hos
tile. These were the salient points III
the great battle. and Democracy turned
the wing by main force and occupied the
heights.
No matter who may be the candidate
chosen. it was. looking over the general
field of progress forward, Il Democratic
victory.
In spite of desire and attempt. large
" sincere, no doubt. TO make the con-
tests local respectively as to State and
city, the swell of sentiment swept back
this view and the tidal wave is now
easily recognized as national in its char
actqr and tendency. The tracks of the
Presidential election were yet too warm
for the masses to be thrown off the real
chase by manipuators and money.
In New York. had the view been con-
fined to the local issues raised. the re-
suit might have been different, but men
preferled to see and did see in the de-
feat of Van Wyck Il national defeat for
Democracy. and SO the local issues press
ed by the powerful journals of the great
city failed to divert them from the main
issue. The alleged charges against
Croker were either disbelieved. or, being
credited, the position Of the New York
Journal was taken, namely, first: elect
Al. 81 latn
purge the organization of whatever crimi-
nails there might be within it's ranks.
This view prevailed, and in answer to
the charges made by the RcfOrmers
against Tammany, Democracy answered:
I'VE will work the reforms within the
limits of our own party. meanwhile we
viii attend 10 the greater work of rem
derng the credit of the State upon the
record thus far of the Republican Adj
minstration.''
The means by which this was done
belongs merely to the details of organi-
cation. the end reached is the matter in
hand, and Democratic leaders the count
ry over. agree that such end as might
be reached was a pointer at the forks of
the road either to Republican or Il
Democratic victory in 1900 The same
sentiment was equally strong among Re
publicans AZ voiced by Senator Thurs
ton when he declared impossible the cleo
ton of Republican in 1900 in the event
of Democratic success in New York.
Only in such theory can one find ex-
p.anation for the solid stand of the ranks
against the frightful sweep of shot and
shell that came from the batteries of
Printing House Square.
1t is needless to go further than to de-
termine the national quality of this vic
tory: the reader may do the rest for him.
self.
In Ohio the rebuke to McKinleyism
was two-fold, first, in the cutting away
of the Republican majorities of last
year and that too. in all the large cities,
except in Clereland; second. in the dis
tinct and indignant condemnation Of the
loathsome spectacle of any kind of
or otherwise-to the White
11ouse. If the people of his own State
swallowed him during the Presidential
for the sake of national
triumph. they take the first chance to
eschew him rs an individual. How
much Bryan contributed towards the
victory may never be known, but the
triumph of his principles are evident
everywhere.
In Maryland. the Disguise was torn
from the face of the Republican hypo-
rite that has in the shape of the States
eadng paper been shielding its RepublI-
.anism with pretentions toward Demo-
ratio reform. The voters have answer
d in unmistakable words as to their pre-
erence between the very Democracy of
he Sun and the Chicago Democracy OF
German.
From Kentucky come the same cheer
ng news. and from Iowa and Nebraska.
and. OF course. from old Virginia. true
always i'm the hour Of peril.
And what does it all mean? A jeer
at the bogus prosperity heralde,l by Nc
Kinley. and contempt for the exposure
of his unfriendliness 10 silver in the
fiasco of the Wocott commission: bale
full recognition of the close relationship
Of the Administration. through its con-
meeting link. Mark Hanna. with the
braZen monopolistic and trust forces OF
the republic: and finally. the acknowl-
e,lgement that the deliverance of the
masses lies in the leadership Of the cali
didate defeated for the Presidency in
1896.
If the meaning OF the elections he ma
tional. as we have tried to point out they
are. the differences enumerated go along
with that leading proposition.
ar rs then b,. of good cheer. The