The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1898-11-17
MOurners Gather Around.
Very Little Comfort Is Afforded The
Administration Since The Smoke
Has Cleared Away.

very keeniy the reDuke adrulnlSter-
ed to Algerism by the voters of the
country at the Cons ressional elec-
tions, and probable that if he had
1t all to do over again, he would
not be willing to stand sponsor for
Alger. The first Cabinet meeting
after the election was very mourn
ful affair; 1t lasted nearly fodr
hours and was devoted entirely to
attempts to extract a few crumbs
of comfort from the result in the
few states in which the republicans
held their own, and from the fact
that they will have majority In
the Senate of the next Congress.
The mourners are feeling little
better now, over the probability
that the republicans will by the
skin of their teeth barely hold con-
troll of the next House, but they
are afraid to count too much even
upon that little, for fear that the
official count, necessary to deter
mine the result in a number OF
close districts, will leave the re-
publicans In a minority.
When all the circumstances con-
nected with the campaign are
taken into consideration, and the
vote cast is compared with that OF
'96, 1t will be seen that this weeks
elections were great triumph for
the democratic party-a triumph
that was really extraordinary in
the face of the obstacles which con.
fronted the party. 1t seems in.
credible almost that an admins
tration which had the undivided
support of the country in fighting
to a triumphant close a foreign
war should have so soon forfeited
and lost 80 much of that support,
although all sorts of appeals, rang
ing from patriotism to cupidity,
were used to retain it. If the demo-
cratic party maintains its present
aggressive attitude, it will surely
win the Presidential election two
years hence.
Senator Jones, of Ark, chairman
of the Democratic National Com.
mittee, does not regard the election
of Roosevelt as a serious loss to the
democracy of the country. On the
contrary, he talks as though he be-
lieved it would be decidedly bene-
fetal. He says the democratic
leaders In New York went astray
on the party platform and that he
regards the defeat of the party in
that state as the legitimate reward
of straddlers and piecemeal poll
ticians. There are many other
democrats who are not sorry that
the party failed to carry New
York, some for one reason and
some for another, but the most of
them because they think that Tam
many should be satisfied with the
control of the party in the city of
New York and not seek to control
in state and national affairs. They
say that if Van Wyck had been
elected governor, Mr.. Croker would
haye attempted to control the
National convention, in 1900, and
that such attempts bring nothing
but injury to the party.
There were several surprising
things connected with the testi-
mony of Gen. Lawton, who COM
manded division of Skaters
army, in the Santiago campaign,
which was taken by single men,
ber of the COmmission-Col. Denby.
His testimony, as whole did not
square with things he had said to
Gen. Miles, and which Miles had
repeated to others, and he has said
since testifyIng that he did not tell
some things he knew. All these
things have resulted in a determ-
ination to give I.awton another
chance to testify when the whole
Commission will be present. Capt.
Clark Howell, of the commission,
Is said to have information that
will enable him to make the cross
examination of Lawton interest
ing. Some other interesting things
are likely to be uncovered by the
Commission, now that the admin
istration does not feel called upon
to keep them quiet for fear of their
effect upon the elections. Individ-
uals who thought they were to be
permanently protected by the ad-
are likely to be found
guilty Of shortcomings and punish
ed therefor. The report of Gen.
Miles, now In the hands of Secre-
tary Alger, ought TO be interesting
reading to the Commission, II it
really wishes to get at the bottom
'f things. 1t contains some point
srs that would not have to be fol.
Owed very far by the Commission