Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1905-01-05
THE ELECTION FIGURES.
Roosevelt's Victory Due More to Dem
ocratic Slump Than to Re
publican Gains.

1t has of course been known for some
time that the recent republican victory
was due rather to democratic weakness
than to republican strength. But the
complete returns, which are now pub
lished, make this very clear, says the
Indianapolis News Qnd.). In the first
place the total vote this year is 400 900
less than it was four years ago, which
of course means that a great many peo-
pie refused or neglected to vote. The
comparatively slight gain made by the
republicans over 100000, S22-proves
that Mr. Roosevelt after all got compar-
atively few new democratic votes. On
the other hand Judge Parker received
LIT, 772 fewer votes than were cast for
Mr.. Bryan in 1900. Yet in one sense the
basis of comparison is not fair. For in
both 1896 and 1900 Mckinley got many
democratic votes, and as Roosevelt
gained over both those years, it must
be concluded that he retaiHsd all that
was gained by his predecessor, McKin-
ley in 1896 gained 1000, 900 votes owe
Harrison in 1892. Naturally therefore
his gain in 1900 was slight, being only
about loo, 1000. From this point of view
Mr.. Roosevelt's gain of 0 1000 is signiti-
cant, being made over the very great re-
publican votes of 1896 and 1900, when
the high-water mark was reached.
At the same time, the noteworthy fact
is the tremendous democratic slump of
more than a million votes. 1t is princi-
pally to this that Mr.. Roosevelt's great
majority of 1,746,7 6S over all, and his
plurality of 2,547, 57S over Judge Parker,
are due. The comfort for the democrats
in these figures is the assurance that
there are plenty of democrats in the
country. The problem is to get them to-
gether in support of some well-detined
and coherent policy. When this Is done
and, of course, it will not be easy to do
the party will show at least a respecta-
BILE strength. Just now it looks as though
the republicans are absolute masters of
the situation. They won a most remark
able victory, and the returns prove con-
clusively that they had the confidence
of the people. Mr.. Roosevelt was a
strong candidate, and his party made a
good fight. Judge Parker was a weak
candidate, and the democrats made
practically no fight.
But, though the democratic party was
weak in the last campaign, democratic
principles will survive. There are
enough democrats left to make things
interesting for their a%dversaries in flu
ture elections. Even the victors are
being influenced by democratic princi-
Piles, as is proved by the republican de-
mand for tariff reform, and by the presi-
1ent's avowed purpose to accomplish
something in the way of controlling cor
porations. There is thus not the slight
est probability that the democratic
party will go out of business. What its
future will be depends on the wisdom
and good sense, not only of the leaders,
but of the rank and file. Even underline
present depressing conditions democrats
can accomplish much good by fair and
intelligent criticism of the measures
proposed by the majority, and by honest
and manly cooperation with it in the
enactment of wise legislation.