The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-05-04

cratic ticket was, as whole, an excel
lent one. There were weaknesses in 1t;
and some of them have been made plain
by the result. When the party nomi-
mates it's best men for the several offices
the people usually show, as they showed
reassert their belief in its regard for the
welfare and good government of the COM
munity.
In the aldermanic contest the results
were, in many cases, extraordinary. Yet
the explanation is quite simple. better
or a more popular man was nominated
by the Democrats in every case than was
set up against him. The Seventh, Tenth
and Eleventh wards sent Democrats to
the council chiefly because the voters in
these sections had lost confidence in the
worth of those in power. and because
they knew intimately and well the men
whom the Democracy placed before them
for aldermen, and knew them to be splen-
did types of our most public-spirited and
upright citizenship. Our defeat in the
First ward might reasonably be expected
in view of the known character and ten
Gency politically of the great majority of
the people over there. In the Second
ward, however, we ought to have won,
and we would have won were it not for
the excellent work which was done there
by those responsible for Republican sue
cess, notably by the city committeeman,
NJ. w Fitzgerald whose popularity and
influence among individual Democrats
is recognized throughout the city.
The Democracy was not as successful
as it should have been in the contest for
assemblymen This was due to the deep
interest which prevailed IN the mayoralty
campaign, and to the conviction which
seemed so general that the very wretched
record made by the present assembly
would accomplish of itself the defeat at
least of those of that body who had been
given denomination. The election Of
Messrs Haas. Parker and Whitcomb
shows moreover that the question of in
dividual popularity and worth is prime
factor in the result of such contests.
Is the city normally Democratic? The
result in the election of assemblymen
and on the minor offices seems to indicate
that it is not. But no hard-and-fast test
can be applied in the determination Of the
question. Let the Democracy nominate
its best men for every office, conduct its
campaign on lines that appeal to the in
teIligeace and public spirit of the people,
and show, when in power it's readiness
to meet popular expectation in the direc-
ton of curtailing public expenditure and
promoting the general welfare. and 1t
will be found that the chance Of Demo-
cratic success is as strong, If not strong
er, than of defeat. Independent voting is
not confined to the members of either
party. That vote is a controlling factor
in city contests; and this election shows
that it's disposition is toward the Demo
cratic nominees, everything else being
equal
Whatever conclusion individuals may
draw as to the significance of the result
Of Tuesday the great fact to be borne
ia mind is that the voting population does
not put enc or other set of men into pow
er solely because they belong to either
one or the other party. but because it be-
lieves that they viii serve TIE public in
terest better than their opponents would
do If elected.