The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-04-18

A DISASTROUS VICTORY.

| naVe scored triumph. The democrats
Of st. Louis and Missouri will, how
ever, find it worth their while to cal
culate the cost of the victory and to
| prepare for the struggle that awaits
| them.
In November, 1900, the republican
national ticket received 60,60S votes in
st. Louis, and the democratic national
ticket, which Mr.. Wells refused to
support, received 59941 At the re-
cent city election Mr. Wells received
| 1902 votes-nearly seventeen thou
sand less than the democratic vote of
last fall, while Mr.. Parker, the repub-
!ican candidate for mayor, received 34,-
$40 votes-about twenty-six thousand
less than the republican vote of last
tall. Mr.. Merriwether, democrat in
national politics running upon a mu-
nicipal ownership platform, received
3O,568 votes and Mr.. Filley, a republic
can running on an Independent ticket
received 2,O68 votes. 1t will be seen
that the total vote cast for mayor was
large for local contest, amounting
to about ninety per cent of the vote
cast last fall. If Mr.. Wells and Mr..
Parker had polled the same proper
ton of the total vote that the national
candidates Of their parties polled in
1900, Mr.. Wells would have received
about $4,000 votes and Mr.. Parker
about $500.
1t is impossible to ascertain how
many democrats voted for Mr.. Merri-
wether and how many voted for Mr..
Parker, just as it is impossible to say
how many republicans voted for Mr.
! Wells and how many for Mr.. Merri-
wether, but it is reasonable to suppose
that the republican vote which left Mr..
Parker went largely to Mr.. Wells,
| while the democratic vote which left
Mr.. Wells went principally to Mr..
Merriwether.
Mr.. Wells lost at least twelve thou
sand democratic votes, if he gained no
republican votes, and TO this must be
added a sum equal to the republican
votes received. If, for instance, he re-
ceived 10000 republican votes the ac-
count would stand thus: For Wells,
33 900 democratic votes and 10000 re-
publican votes-total $4,000 votes. But
this would show loss of % 900 demo-
cratic votes; can the reorganizers af-
ford to trade $4,000 democratic votes,
good at all elections. for 10000 republic
can votes, good only in local elections
Stllu WHICH, 1CPuDllSuil 10
on the democratic ticket?
If Mr.. Wells only received 5000 re-
publican votes, the account would
stand: Wells $4,000 democratic votes
and 5000 republican votes-total, 49,
900. This would show a loss of sew
enteen thousand democratic votes, or
an exchange of three democrats for one
republican Is there anything in this
victory to boast of? If the democrats
who voted for Mr.. Merriwether had
followed the example set by Mr.. Wells
and voted the republican ticket, Mr.
Parker would have been elected by a
considerable majority.
But what Of the future? The Re
public with commendable franllness
recommends a national application OF
the st. Louis plan of harmonizing. II
says:
"St. Louis has supplied the example
OF thoroughly united democracy
With little evidence of reluctance al
elements Of the party Joined hands il
the recent campaign. They worked to-
gether tremendously and voted with
out scatching.
"To obtain national ascendency this
unifcation must proceed heartily al
over the country.
with a united democracy the party
Is certain to win the next nationa
election. The republican party ha!
drifted so far away from American
principles that the revolt of the people
will be overwhelming when the force!
naturally democratic are found acting
together.
"The ST. Louis democracy has set it!
face to the future Give us such unio1
of popular forces in all the states ant
the next national election will be from
that moment won"
This is exactly what might have
been expected. Mr.. Wells was no
nominated because the reorganizer:
were especially interested in a goo6
municipal government; he was nomi
rated because he represents corpor'
ate element which calls itself demo
cratic, as matter of habit, but gives
it's pecuniary and political support tc
the republican party. 1t will never be
found supporting a democratic ticket
unless that ticket is selected and con-
trollcd by those who have some spe-
cial privileges which they desire pro-
tected by the government.
If the democracy of ST. Louis had de-
faated Mr. Wells, the democracy Of
Missouri would have been spared the
fight which must now be made. The
contest, which resulted in the Pirtle
Springs convention was fought over
the silver question, the fight which is
row opened will be a broader one and
will involve the very existence of the
party.
The Republic will lead the Francis
Wells element and will be supported
by the railroad attorneys and corpora
ton agents as we'll as by the gold
standard advocates. Every democratic
newspaper in the state will be COM
PEELED to take sides and contest
which might have been settled in a
day, if confined to St. Louis, will KEEP
the state stirred up for the next four
years.
What is the use, it may be asked, Of
opposing the Republic-Francis-W
combination? Why not allow it to con-
troll the party organization? The an.
swer is found in the election of 1894
Such slump in the democratic vote as
The London Daily News is authority
for the publication of the conditions tt
be imposed by Denmark upon the
United States in the case of transfer
of the Danish West Indies. Its Copen
hagen correspondent says:
81 am enabled to state, on the yer!
best authority, that Denmark has com
municated to the United States tn
following conditions for the sale of tn
Danish West Indies:
81. Four million dollars to be pai'