The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1898-10-25
THE FALL ELECTION.

the states. 10 call this an on year
is misleading use of the word. No
president is to be chosen, but in ev-
cry other respect the trial of strength
at the polls is of national Importance.
The Fif:y-slxth Congress will be
elected with a term extending to
March 4, 1901. This is a far look
ahead. The nature of congressional
legislation for two years proceeding
that date will be settled on Novem-
Der 9Th. A new house of represent
atives and political control of the
senate depend upon the contest near
at hand. 1t is unfortunate that a
missfit term like 'soff year" should be
applied to decision involving so
much of consequence to the people
and which they themselves must rem.
der. The first thing to be said about
the fall election is that voters who
look to the beet interest of the coun-
try ought to cast their ballots with
out fail and dismiss the idea from
their minds, if it has found lodg-
ment, that the coming election is a
secondary. matter.
A few preliminary state elections
have been held without reversing IN
any of them the result of 1896. The
most emphatic change was IN Oregon,
where a distinct gold platform was
adopted and where the Republican
majority in 1896 of PLY was in
creased in 1898 to over 10000. In
Name and Vermont the Republican
plurality fell off, though still over
whelming and much larger than the
average Republican pluralities in
these states previous to the landslide
of Cleveland's second administration.
The Democratic majorities in Geor-
gia and Arkansas show little that is
new except the rapid disappearance
of the Populist party in the South.
Fusion has apparently sapped the
Populists trength in that section. In
all the state elections thus far in 1898
the aggregate vote of both parties is
smaller than in 1896. A considera-
BILE number of Republicans failed to
vote in Maine ard Vermont, but the
same is true of Democrats in Ar
kansas. Apathy is perhaps too strong
q word to use in this connection.
The registration proceedings in the
different states does not indicate any
unusual difference among voters.
With national issues of usual interest
to settle the total vote of 1898 should
be large.
But there is one strong marked
element in the campaign and that is
the utter confusion of the Democrat
party in regard to national princi-
pies. Some of the Democratic state
platforms are for free silver and 9th.
ers are silent on the subject. In Mis-
souri, weak expansion plank was
adopted for stiff fight against it in
convention. The Democrats of the
great commercial state of New York
were afraid to speak word about
the future of Cuba or the Philippines. |
No Democratic natioral policy ex
lists. A search for it reveals moth
ing but contradictions. This is
confession of weakness. The people |
like courage and clear-cut political
purposes. What the Democratic
party offers is tangle of opposites
that nobody can understand. The
Democrats of one state negative the
platform of the party in the next
state and what the Democrat pro-
claims in the country is hushed up in
the cities. Under the circumstances
the Republican party should win
next month one of its most signif-
cant victories.-Globe. Democrat.