The record-union., 1898-11-21

their normal strength in gold standard
sections, while the opposition has lost
heavily in silver sections
While Individual opinions on the sub
ject may not have undergone any
wholesale changes, the question mas
simply ceased to be Of general public
interest or political Importance. ana the
election was really decided more on the
issues of the future, underlined as they
are, than on the issues OF the past. oen-
mite as they are. The natural oblltera-
tion of old things by new Is, OF course,
partly accountable for the change, put
the fact that the evils for which free
silver was vainly held up as a remedy
have disappeared is the main reason.
THE REAL LESSON.
San Diego Union: The result of the
election has shown that Republicans
acted wisely in not attempting to dis
guise the actual situation. 1t is by no
means certain that any different course
would have been followed by victory
Few people, probably. are aware how
difficult it is for the party in power to
carry a Congressional election in the
middle of a Presidential term and Sc
cure a majority however small, In the
House of Representatives Yet it is a
fact that since the Presidency of Lin
coin, with three notable exceptions, the
middle-of-the-term elections have re-
suited in a majority in the House
against the Administration. The ex-
ceptions were during General Grants
first term, during Grover Cleveland's
first term, and the election last week.
That is to say, during the quarter OF
a century since General Grants first
term, there had been only single in
stance. prior to last week, when the
party to which the President belonged
had not failed to obtain a majority OF
the House at the middle e-of-the-term
election.
With this record in mind. it Is not
strange that some of the shrewdest po-
litical observers believed that the Con-
gressional elections this year would re-
suit as such contests almost invariably
have in the past On the Republican
side there were two courses open. One
was to follow the politicians instinct
and conceal all doubts and fears; the
other was to deal honestly and frankly
by the rank and file of the party and
trust to it's intelligence and loyalty to
avert disaster. The latter plan was
adopted, and it won.
The real lesson of the late campaign
is that political leaders increase the
chances Of their party's success by lay
ing aside the politicians claptray and
dealing honestly by the rank and file.
OF CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENTS.
Alameda Argus: The method of
adopting constitutional amendments is
seen to be faulty. Not one-fourth of
the voters mark their ballots either
way on constitutional amendments, and
but slightly more than half of these
are for the amendment that carries.
Thus. the organic law of the State is
changed by the votes of one-eighth, or
maybe one-tenth, the qualified electors.
1t may be said that every voter has
chance, and If he does not express
himself on the subject it is his own
fault. Theoretically, this is true, but
in reality it is not The other features
of a general election distract and claim
the attention of the voter to the ex-
tional amendments. The average voter
is not a student of affairs, and pro-
posed amendment the nature of which
isn't palpable is not likely to be we'll
understood by him. Indeed, the sharp
est of men are likely to fail Of discov-
erfng the joker in some of the changes
that are proposed in the organic law.
Consequently, when it is so that one
tenth of the vote, or any such frac-
tion, may change the State Constitu-
tion, the danger of tricks and schemes
in that direction is entirely too great