Delaware gazette and state journal., 1899-11-30
THE VERDICT ON IMPERIALISM.

as an endorsement of Imperialism The
local papers from the contested districts
do not sustain this interpretation.
In Massachusetts, the Republican
plurality of 65, 600 was treated in the
dispatches as a plurality for i'm
Ierialism. The Massachusetts papers
show that it was plurality for candi-
date out of sympathy with Imperialism
and standing on a platform more ac-
ceptatle to Senator Honr than Senator
Lodge. Even such anti-imperialists as
the Springfield Republican and ex-
Secretary Boutwell, felt bound to sup
port him, and when the Republican
majority-in spite of such support
showed loss of $4,000 from laet year,
there was no question as to the un-
popularity of the Presidents policy. |
In the Franklin Hampshire district, |
where the anti imperialst Senator Par
SONS ran for reelection as an indie
pendent, he was defeated--as the press
dispatches state-by a majority Of GOO,
but this adverse maiority-as the press
dispatches did not state-was in dis
trict where the Republican candidate
for Governor had a majority OF more
| than 5000. The anti -imperialist vote
was nearly double the Democratic vote.
In the city and county elections in
and Virginia the Democratic gains
eaualled the Republican, and neither
were due to the issue of Imperialism
| The net Republican gains in this State
| over those for Roosevelt year ago were
made in this city, where the anti
| imperialist Labor party fused in most
districts with the Republicans, and the
most prominent anti -imperialists sup
ported the fusion ticket. In Penn
sylvania, also. the issue of imperialism,
/ though made in the platforms, was not
a serious factor in the result, and the
Democratic, gains cannot fairly be at
tributed to it. Here, however, the
press dispatches produced wrong i'm.
preston by Filling to report the Demo-
cratic gains, though the Republican
plurality, as measured by the vote for
the head of the ticket, was over 60, zoo
less than in the congressional elections
year ago However, the test vote in
Pennsylvania was that for the judicial
office, where the Republican candidate
was satisfactory to the entire party.
His plurality was only few thousand
less than last year.
4 In Maryland the Republican plat
form urged the issue of silver and
lodged the issue OF imperialism the
Democratic platform urged the issue
of imperialism at least, militarism
and dodged the issue of silver. In the
campaign that followed the Republican
newspapers urged strongly the silver
issue, and only the general disgust Of
Gold Democrats with the Presidents
Philippine policy kept hundreds OF
them from remaining with the Repub-
licans. Gov Roosevelt's tour through
, the State urging the determination of
Filipinos rather than pledge them indie
rendence from alien military rule left
in its wake succession of Republican
: oyerturns. In the State at large Re-
publican plurality of 5000 was turned
, into Democratic plurality Of $4,000.
, In Kentucky the Republican party
did not dare to endorse imperialism.
The Republican governor himself
openly opposes il. Both the Demo
cratic factions, ON the contrary, strongly
condemned it. Had there been Re.
publican majority, as at first reported,
IL would not have been majority fol
, imperialism, for the bolting Democrats,
= a3 the campaign grew more bitter, be-
q came more and more determined tt
elect the Republican candidate. The
/ local papers, however, show that abou
Z 10, COO OF the bolting Democrats voted
/ for the Independent candidate, givinl
l close majority against any semblance
: endorsing the administration. Fol
: members of the Legislature to elect {
= United States Senator, the Democratic
:, majority seems to have exceeded 10, 900
and about two. thirds of the new Legis
!, lature will vote for an anti-inperialis
N Democrat
!, In Ohio the situation, as seen by loca
y anti-imperialists, has already been 50
3 forth in the correspondence of tb'
q Evening Post. The official returns d.
= not however, show that the Jones vot
can be added to the Mclean vote ii
reckoning the strength of the anti.im
perialist party. Mayor Jones was tn
only candidate on his ticket, and mos
a Of his supporters voted for the Repup
" lican or Democratic candidates 70
is minor Offices. In the large cities abou
l. two-fifths Of them were Republicans
j. but in the rural districts nearly al
10 were Democrats or Populists. Tho tes
is vote in Ohio was that cast for thes
20 minor State offices, and here the averag
ID Republican plurality was barely 90, 90
III IA Democratic gain of over 40, 600 sine
is last year. If the remainder of the dome
is vote was divided between the two grea
H. PARTIES in the same way as the porto
O. which balloted for the minor Offices tn
or great Republican plurality Of a yea
to ago has practically disappeared.
In Iowa alone of tho States reall
is contested the Republican party di
90 we'll. Even here, however, its pluralit
I'd fell from 63.o0O to $4,000 The entii
s gain in the vote Of this year over lai
ts went to the Democrats, though the RI
IN publican chairman, when intoyicate
H. by the more promising early return
d. from the cities boasted truthfully tn,
lie his party had this year mnrvelot
j. organization for getting out the vot
RS ! In South Dakota hardly a third of IL
it. farmers cared to take the long.jouf ne
", to the polls to vote for the one judge
to be chosen, and the election was no te
be of public sentiment.
er In Nebraska, however, the recognize
I'M Importance of the campaign brougf
Iic the farmers to the polls in nearly {
laige numbers as in '96. Both parti'
ny fought hard, and both were contideI
IT, of victory. The Omaha Bee, whic
IT. had supported the Fusion candidate
mt former election because of his pc
it sonal superiority to his Republican o.
I'M ponent. this year supported the Repul
ne lican candidate on the ground that
a was incomparably better fitted for Il
he judicial office to be flied. When Il
Ter city voters registered and twice
ill many recorded themselves as Republ
he cans than as Democrats. Populists al
as, Silver Republicans combined, the B'
1850 ridiculed the Fusion claims of al
in. preaching victory. Yet even in Il
ng cities it was only for the minor oific
in- that the old Republican prediction