The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-11
THREE PrArN 1nasoNs.

The election just past carried with 1t in at feast three States of the Union, object lessons, 60 plainly written that he must be blind indeed who fails to read and understand them.
 In New York Democracy ought to have won. The Democrats of the city had practically united and were working fin harmony for the time-bsing. ct least. The Republicans were not harmonious. There was dissatisfaction with the President, with the Governor and with the Repub- iscan city onicials in New York. The Democrats of the entire State wisely ig-
 nored the financial issue which had been
 such a bone of contention and adopted
 platform upon which all Democrats could
 unite, had 1t not been for the coal own ership plank. That was the fly in the ointment. it was not good policy and it was not good Democracy. It was plain Iy put into the platform because of con- ditions then existing with the hope of catching the socialist vote of the State. It is not to be wondered at that SOtno DCIHOGTato Who S'O~ in the old principles of Democ-
 racy were driven off. just as they were driven off in 1896 and 1900. There was no excuse for putting that provision or demand in the platform. Even the candidate nominated for Governor could not endorse 1t, and there can be no doubt that 1t caused thousands of Democrats to turn away from platform and ticket Hill was in the saddle and he was respop-
 sibie for that feature of the platform
 as chain is no stronger tnen | its weakest link so Is pohticai ] platform judged by its objectionanie parts. Neither 1t nor the candidate were 1 as strong as the occasion demanded and
 defeat followed. It is to be regretted but
 not to be wondered at.
 Tn Ohio the Democrats had little to ex- pect, except to keep down the Republi-
 can majority, but this hope was rendered
 abortive by the spectacular performances of Tom Johnson. He may have thought he was doing the right thing but if he did think so he is now in position to re- wise his thinking machinery. Instead of
 reducing the Republican majority the lat ter show up with a plurality 40 to 50 per cent larger than that of 1900, which was Presidential year. and nearly double the plurality at the election for Governor in 1ss9 There was no chance of winning.
 but if there had been 1t would have speedily vanished under Johnson's man. agement.
 The Kansas election gives us another | lesson worth needing The fusion be-
 tween Democrats and Populists disgusted
 both sides. Many of the Populsts com
 pIained that they had been sold out to the Democrats, and many of the latter charged that Democracy had been subor-
 dinated to Populism. Craddock the Flu
 sion candidate for Governor. seems to
 have descended to the lowest arts of the deuaeoRue in his appeals to the people, and the entire campaign was seemingly made without regard to real Democracy All over the State we have the singular
 spectacle of local County officers elected bv the Fusionists or Democrats, while
 the same counties gave decided majori- ties for the Republican State and Con gressional candidates, nearly doubling the
 Republican plurality of two years ago. It | was not a Democratic fight and they
 have nothing to be proud of
 The result in these three States. as well
 as in others, shows that Democrats have
 nothing to gain by abandoning straight | Democracy and running after strange
 gods.