The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1902-11-08
Victory in Defeat.

Daily States.
1t does not ALWAYS require absolute sue
cess in every detail to constitute substantial
victory. Triumph has often been purchased
at a cost which has left those winning It
more tiisastro usiy undone than were their
Opponents who lost. 1t seems to have been
such 4 result this that the Republicans
achieved in the elections yesterday. In the
sense of losing control of the country they
ma be said to have won, but as compared
to the sweeping victories they have been ac-
customed to since 1896 the result may truly
be characterized disastrous from a ke-
publican point of view. While there aP-
peared to be good ground for hoping that
the Democrats would wrest control of the
House from their Republican opponents,
vet there is some comfort to be drawn from
the fact that when the day of reckoning
comes, as come it inevitably must within
short time, the responsibility for all the ills
that result from owe. capitaliz alton, trust
control of everything, and the desperate
financial and legislative exploitation of the
past few years will be chargeabie wholly to
the Republicans.
The splendid vote that Coler piled up in
New York, while falling just short of seeur-
MS cleCuCI, WIS uCSOtAu(lSSS - AAAA'-
velous victory. New York is the home of
the president and of Tom Plat, who is re-
garded as the m,,st astute of all the Repub-
lcan State leaders, and the plurality for the
Democratic candidate Of $4,000 votes in
Greater New York was not only unprece-
denied, but under the circumstances it can
not be considered in any other light than as
a notable victory. An unusual and most
suspicious in the upper part of the
State saved Odell. but the big vote in
Greater New York is like the handwriting
on the wall, presaging an early and disas-
trous downfall of the Republican forces.
In the Congressional elections distinctive
gains were made by the Democrats in
number of States, and the Republican
majority is substantially reduced.
There was never any doubts with regard
to a single district in Louisiana, out from
the returns far in, it will be seen what
pitiful showing the little coterie of Office
seekers styling themselves ''Lily White"
Republicans, made. This was inevitable
from the outset, but when they endeavored
to hold the favor of the president by en-
dorsing his adminst ration on the one hand.
and on the other, to hold the favor of the
sugar interests by opposing reciprocity,
there was no escape from a falling between
the two stools. They have lost ignominiouly,
and in their deserved fall there are ''none
SO poor to do them reverence.' respect
able white Republican party in Louisiana,
or in any part of the South, is wild dream
which can never be realized; because it is
based upon fundamental injustice to the
only real Republicans in Louisiana and the
South-the negro and no party, founded
upon injustice and black ingratitude, can
hope to prevail.
On the whole, it would appear that the
Democrats came out of this election with
much cause for cungratulation. They did
not reap the laur:ls that some overcnthusias-
tic friends predicted for them, but thy lost
thing and they did make the most aston
lshng substantial gains, which is a great
deal more than the Republicans can claim to
have accomplished. Its moral effect upon |
he party can not fail 10 he most salutary,
As il is recognized to but the foresha lowing |
# vigorous and irresistible forward move
nent all along the Dem ,cratic lines during
he two years intervening before the great
,attle of 1904.