Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1904-11-17
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER II, 1904.
WHAT CAUSED u.

WHAT CAUSED IT,
Intelligent Democrats from the begin
ming of the recent political campaign had
but little hope of Democratic success
The eagerness with which they hunted for
Issues and the intense earnestness with
which they attempted so inject weak and
false issues into the campaign, showed
that they we're influenced more by des-
peFallon than hope.
But neither the Democrats nor the Re-
pubicans. were expecting or prepared for
the overNheiming victory won by Roose-
yelt,. asthe leader of bis party, at the
electidl on the 9Th inst. 1t is amusing
and ,s1ifying to read the many opinions
expressed IN the Democratic press &C
counting for the remarkable results of the
election. The Lynckburg News, in an
editorial in which it seeks to gather
"Crumbs of Comfort from the stu alton,
says;
1T will be said that patronage, trust
contributions and general prosperity COM
bined to give victory to the Republicans.
They may have bad their influence, but
the simple truth is that majority pre-
ferred Roosevelt and Republican Rule.
There is one gratifying circumstance
in connection with the election. The re-
suit was determined by white voters.
Roosevelt does not owe bis election to
the negro vote in the so-called doubtful
states. In each of them his majority WAS
greater than the total negro vote, and he
would have been successful if not single
negro mad gone 10 the polls. 1t cannot
be said that the trusts controlled the
election by the lavish use of money. The
Republican majority is too great to be &c
counted for in that way. The personal
popularity of Roosevelt and the general
prosperity of the country, we're the two
most potent factors in determining the re-
suit"
The above practically admits that the
two chief issues used by the Virginia and
Southern Democracy-the negro and the
trusts-were false and misleading. 1t is
also an admission that the two chief issues
presented by the Republicans-Roosevelt
and prosperity--were true and real. This
is why an immense majority of the people
preferred Roosevelt and Republican rule.
The Norfolk Virginian Pilot takes a
different view from that of the Lynchburg
News. 1t says:
"Whst happened to the Democratic
party on Tuesday came nearer being de-
molition THAI defeat. There will be varl-
GUS reasons offered for it, some OF which
will be be worthy of consideration and
many of which will not"
"The first and most important of these,
is, that the leaders of the party who have
stood by it f1r the past eight years, surren-
dered virtr'd control 81 St. Louis to the
me.. Who hf q done their beet during the
sause time Q destroy it,"
"To o. to the root of the matter, the
desire Tor return to the flesh pots OF
Egypt ON the part of the hungry Demo-
cratic politicians paved the way for q
surrender to those interests that the party
bad consistently and conscientiously OPP
posed for eight years before"
Our Lynchburg and Norfolk contempo-
raries have both given substantial reasons
for the results of the election on the 9Th
inst. While the personal popularity Of the
President and the general prosperity oil
the country were the chief contributing
causes to the splendid Republican victory,
these we're greatly accelerated by the
reckless abandonment on the part OF the
Democracy of all the principles it had go
earnestly contended for in the two pre-
ceding presidential elections. The people
had confidence in President Roosevelt and
in the policies of the Republican party.
They did not have confidence in the abll-
ity and sincerity of the Democratic party,
or its leadership. For these reasons, to
use the idea of Tom Taggart, the Demo-
Gratis did not have enough votes on
alectlGn day.