Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-11-15
THE SOUTH DAKOTA RESULT.

shows $4,000 or 10000 majority for
Mckinley and the state ticket, nor
whether the Republicans have a
majority of 100 or only 81 in a legis-
lature of 1872 members, the fact re-
mains hat the victory in that state
is one OF the most notable in connec-
ton with the recent landslide. -Four
years ago the Republican party was
hopelessly demoralized, but managed
to save most OF the state ticket and
prevented Bryan getting more than
1873 majority. Two years ago con-
ditions were somewhat better, but
the opposition made no fight except
for governor, and managed to pull
him through by a narrow margin.
This year the victory was a clean
sweep from top to bottom, and it
will be entirely the fault of the Re-
publicans themselves If they lose
their hold OH the state during the
next ten years.
The chief reasons for this splendid
result are these:
In the first place Mckinley was
right. In other words, the record
of the administration was a source of
strength, as it required no defense
when its actual policies we're attack
ed, for they were their defense.
1t was only when the opposition
manufactured issues to befcol the
people that effort was necessary to
counteract their effect.
Secondly, the people were right.
They were satisfied with the existing
conditions and were in a receptive
mood when it became necessary to
enlighten them on immaterial not to
say faxed up issues. They early
saw the gauziness of imperialism and
m~ilitarism, and the idiocy of the talk
about slavery and polygamy in the
Sulu islands, and they soon realized
that the trust question was many
sided and only incidental in its bear
ings.
In the third and most important
place, the organization was right. 1t
was the most perfectly constructed
machine the state has ever known,
and it was in the hands of the most
thoroughly equipped chief engineer
and the most skillful and willing
assistants that eve worked together
to a common end. The machine was
perfect because it was built on the
confidence of the party membership,
and made every individual in the
party realize hat he was a more or
less important cog.
The state organization played
with the opposition for the last two
months as a cat does with a mouse.
Not a move was made by the enemy
that was not anticipated and thwart-
ed where it threatened mischief. Not
a private circular or personal letter
was sent out from fusion headquarters
but that it's nature was known short
ly after it had reached it's d~estina.
ton. While the opposition was
to divert the campaign into a
particular channel, and had it's plans
laid to enlist support for it's chief
beneficiary on the ground of SYM
pathy because of personal attacks
on him, the Republican managers
were firing hot shot on the main
issues into the enemy's camp to
its utter generalization.
Scarcely less important than the
other factors was the fact that the
nominees on the state ticket were
irreproachable. No time had to be
wasted in defending attacks upon
them, and they were able to be on
the aggressive themselves in all d.
rections.
And finally, the enemy chose the
wrong line of defense, even had all
other conditions favored it. If the
had put up a strong fight
and a square one for every candidate
on the ticket, instead of turning
their organization over to the use of
one man, their rout MIGHT not ba va