The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-09-16
A HOPELESS Fight

Thoughtful Democrats have prob
ably not entertained much hope OF
success in the present campaign, but
the thoughtleSs, enthusiastic Dartisans,
if they do not largely outuumber thc.:
more philosophic brethren, are ge1cT-
ally more vocifcrous and managed 10
Pa considerable extent to impress their
views on the party. The latter have
been greatly shaken OF late by events
the significance of which it is impos-
sible to ignore. and the results in Yer
mont and Maine will in all probability
extingush their enthusiasm. These
States may be fairly regarded as polit-
iCally typical Of any ard all the States
except those i'll the South. There aye
two parties in each OF them and both
parties have had their facti0nal quar-
rcIs This may be said of every State
in the Union. for though the Southern
States have practically but one party
it has it's factions, and serious ones
at that II spite of divisions the Re
publican party poilcd a phenomenal
vote in Vermont and Maine. The
Maine Democrats are as partisan, if
NO. iiItie 81, lilStil AZ >iiis <AAiiHi Aott't
State and they made 81 supreme eff
fort, but they failed to weaken the Re
publican phalGnX, while in Vermont
many of the Democrats voted square
~ with the Republicans. declining i"
sever the connection to which they
were driven by Organism.
The people Of these two States are
not essentially different from the pco-
pie of other States. They are as amen
able to reason as others, and as likely
10 i3e Influenced by political happen
in:-s5 which call for reflection and
change of political Jews. II there
were any serious opposition to Rcpub-
lican administration outside of a par
tisan Democracy it would certainly
show itself in these States. 1t might
not be as decided in Vermont as in
other States. but il would be seen
and felt in the election, while in Maine
it would manifest itself as fully as
in any other State of the Union The
votes Of those States speak for them
selves. There is absolutely no weak
ening III the Republican ranks. no
drift whatever from the Republican
party to the Democrats, while a con-
siderable number of the latter are act
ing with the Republicans and may be
regarded as permanently enrolled in
the party.
There will probably be no further
effort OF the Democrats to carry any
New England State. The most nhtuse
Will recognize that Connecticut and
Rhode Island are Democratic rain
bows But the lesson taught by these
elections is far broader. There is no
more probability OF carrying Indiana
and New Jersey than there was of
carrying Maine or of reducing the ma
iority in the latter to a small figure.
1t is evident from these elections that
the Republicans are not only satisfied
with their party's administration of
public affairs, but are highly gratiicd
and most anxious for a continuance
Of tho cOuntry's prosperity under the
same conditions. There is absolutely
no drift from the Republican ranks
to the Democratic party, not the slight
est Indication OF such q uOvem ent
and unless hundreds of thousands Of
Republicans vote the Democratic ticket
in November there can be no reason
able hope OF Democratic victory
Baltimore American.