Evening star., 1934-11-04
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

washington was, OF course, IN
tensely interested in the outcome of
~ the presidential election
CleVelano so years ago. The Star
Elected of November 5, 1884, the
day after the balloting.
says:
Rarely has Washington witnessed
such exciting scenes as those of last
| night The returns came in such
conflicting shape that no one could
| guess the outcome and the fuctua-
tions Of feeling were at times quite
dramatic. The Democrats had it all
their own way till toward IL o'clock,
when it began to be noticed that the
great Democratic claims in New York
| City refused to materialize. AS mid
night approached, tidings very hope
| full to Republican success began to
| stream in and the downcast Repub-
licans suddenly found their voices,
while the Democrats grow anxious.
| So preposterous we're some OF the
dispatches that many believed they
were framed to deceive in the in
| terest of gamblers. Such charges
we're freely made and widely credited.
The matter is an important one, for
it is very desirable that election re-
turns should be reliable The time
for brag and bluff is then passed and
figures and estimates are only val
liable as they adhere strictly TO the
facts"
It was not until Friday, the third
day after the election, that The Star,
in a special dispatch
CONSERVATISM from New York.
Is Expected. printed the 1.s3s,. cTnces.
election by the Republican National
Committee. In the issue Of that day,
November Z, 1884, 1t says:
The latest returns point unmistak-
ably to the election Of Gov. Cleve-
land. The National Republican Com
mittee have so notified Mr.. Blaine
and by almost universal consent 1t
is agreed that the Democratic party
has won the fight.
"At this moment 1t Is too early To
consider in any detail the issues in
volved in such a verdict of the peo-
pie. 1t can be said, however, that
the change, radical and startling as
it may be, in the administrative con-
troll will not produce those injurious
effects which partisan zeal and bias
would have us fear. The country is
larger than party and has separate
destiny. And despite the heated
claims of extremists it can be con-
fidently held that neither the dignity
nor the prosperity Of the United
States was involved in the result Of
the present election. Both parties
wish well to the Republic and the
| contention between them was based
on differing views as to what was
better calculated to advance its COM
mon interests.
I'VE believe that President Cleve-
| lands administration will disappoint
those who look for melodramatic up
heavals. There will be no political
earthquakes; no chaos. Cleveland is
bound by his pledges. his career and
the character Of his support to a
conservative administration He owes
his election to Republican votes and
was given these votes on the explicit
understanding that he represented
the views OF administrative reform,
and especially civil service reform,
which are held tenaciously by the
element in the Republican party
which supported him. The large body
Of Government employees, who dread
loss Of their places and means Of
|, livelihood, may feel assured, therefore,
that there would be no wholesale
discharges from their ranks under
President Cleveland's administration.