The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-08-18
ST. FRANCOIS DEMOCRATIC

Presenting that the Democrats anC
/ Republicans of st. Francois county
at the primary polled a relative pro.
portion of their strength, the county
is Democratic by between 500 and
600, and the Democratic ticket ought
to carry the county at the general
/ election close around that plurality
Taking the vote for Governor, which
probably more definitely represents
the strength of the two parties in the
county, the Democrats cast 1901
votes and the Republicans Ito, a
difference in favor of the Democrats
Of 531 votes. At the primary cleo
ton in 1912, the Democrats cast g.
046 votes for Governor, and the Re-
publicans 1885, difference in favor
of the Democrats Of 461. At the gen
eral election that year, the Demo-
Gratis cast 2,786 votes for President,
and the Republicans 2,305, or Demo-
cratic plurality of 487, twenty more
than it's plurality at the primary the
same year. Reasoning by proportion,
the Democrats ought to carry st.
Francois county at the general elRc-
ton by plurality of at least 500.
1t is true that two years ago the
plurality was reversed, the Republi-
cans carrying the county by 1853 in
the vote for United States Senator,
the Democratic vote cast being 200
less than it was in 1912. But that was
an "off" year The Wilson admins
tration had just begun to correct
some of the abuses that had crept
into the government during long years
Of Republican ascendency. The effect
upon the country of the constructive
and remedial legislation inaugurated
by the Democrats could not be fore
seen, they had to be tried out, and
there were skeptics even among
Democrats as to the wisdom of the
policy of the administration. But
today the country secs and better APP
preciates what the present admins
tration has accomplished and has in
contemplation in the way of whole
some, progressive reforms. The peo-
pie realize how the monetary system
of the country has been placed upon
substantial basis and taken out of the
hands of Wall Street and panic breed
ers; how big wealth is made to bear
its proportionate Part in supporting
the government that gives Il protec-
ton; that more remedial legislation
has been enacted in the past three
years than under any previous adj
ministration; how, when all Europe
is torn with war, President Wilson
has kept our country from being en-
'broiled by wise but firm policy in
dealing with the most delicate inter-
national questions that have arisen in
our history, and that the country was
never more prosperous and business
more confident of itself.
All this has worked large change
in sentiment in the last two years.
Where doubt and timidity appeared in
the earlier year and half of the ad-
the people are now slim
ulated with confidence, which grows
stronger from day to day in face Of
all the unfair and narrow carping of
the old reactionary element of the
Republican party. Democrats are
more united and aggressive than they
have ever been. They are proud of
the record their party has made and
stand ready to approve and uphold it. !
With this feeling and with good
county ticket to back UP the State and
National tickets, the Democrats look
forward confidently to carrying the
county by 500 plurality. This they
can do with earnest, persistent work
between now and November. All that
is needed r. to pet ont the fnll Demo-