The herald., 1898-06-20
ELECTION OUTLOOK

Various speculations have been made as
to the winning party in this state at the
November election. The results of these
guesses have been as diverse as the in
terests of the spectators, which is say
ing simply that facts and figures have
been made to conform to party creed.
If we may trust history as partial
foundation upon which to base an estimate
of party strength in this state it will be
found that as between the Democrats
and Republicans the vote has been about
evenly divided, and that in the last four
elections. Markham, Republican, car
ried the state in 1890; Cleveland, Demo.
crat, in 1892; Budd, Democrat, in 1894. and
Mckinley, Republican, in 1896.
According to arithmetic, therefore,
these four elections sho~ chat the state is
doubtful, but if we supplement these
figures with facts which an analysis of
the election Of 1896 will develop, that
though a nominal victory for
the Republican party, proves that it is
ard has been a minority party in this
state since 1890.
The large vote for the Republican ticket
in 1896 was the result of combination Of
circumstances and forces, principally the
latter. Up to the time of the national
convention of the several parties in that
year, there was nothing in state or ma
tional politics to change more than few
annual wabblers and the usual number
of disappointed office-seekers from one
party to the other. From 1890 the Demo-
cratic vote had been slowly but surely in
creasing. The platforms of the conven-
tions in '96, however, presented the
money question to the people, the Repub-
lican party declaring for the single gold
standard and the silver parties declaring
for the free coinage of silver.
At the time the money issue was thus
presented, and from time immemorial,
the Republican party of this state had
repeatedly, solemnly and publicly re-
solved in favor of the free coinage Of sill
yer, and it's delegates to the national Re-
publican convention were instructed to
work and vote for free coinage plank in
the national platform. The journey Of
these disciples of free coinage to the east,
their conversion to the creed of gold, their
return to the state of California, and their
worship Of the new creed are familiar
history.
T7o too, v,1ro ero
shattered. The Republican voters of
California were not prepared for so sud-
den and startling a change Of front upon
such a vital issue, and they hesitated; /;
but at last, allured and Influenced by
visions of fruits of party victory, they,
with some honorable exceptions, blinded
their eyes to their platforms, principles,
resolutions and teachings Of a quarter of
a century and meekly bowed down and
worshiped the craven images that for a
lifetime they had been taught to abhor
and despise.
This conversion, as rule, is not real
or genuine, and therefore cannot be last
ing. A majority of the Republican voters
of this state today are at heart in favor of
the free coinage of silver. The tremen-
dous influences and forces which the ma
tional Republican committee brought to
bear upon the Republican voter in the
last election to keep him within party
ranks; the threats emanating from 1t
through various channels to the laboring
man to secure his vote or take from him
his bread; the pressure placed upon the
debtor to cast his vote against his will in
the interests of his creditor under penalty
of foreclosure, and the fraudulent prac-
tices which frightened thousands of
other independent thinking men to cast
their votes as galley slaves pull the oars
of their masters galley, are combination
which cannot again disgrace the ballot of
a free people, or be the means of electing
another Republican ticket in this state.
Had the voters of the state of California
been left to cast their ballots free from
the influences Of corruption and intimida-
tion, a bare Republican plurality would
have been changed to an overwhelming
majority for the Bryan electors. No
sensible person doubts that the large Re-
publican vote in 1896 did not and does not
represent Republican party strength