Year: 1874

BOR-THE INFLUENCES WHICH REVERSED IhE


YORMER REPUBLICAN MAJORITY NO LONGER


PowERFUI,-CARPENTER'sC TOO HEAVY


ALOAD FOR THE REPUBILCANs-THE REFoRMERs


sANGUrNE OF GAINING FOUR CONGREssMEN-CAR-


PENTER APPARENTLY DOOMED


70 the Edttor Of TIE Tribune.


SIR: The political revolution which swept
over the State of Wisconsin in November last mat
ter greatest no less TO the
ers" than tho Republicans themselves. From the cleo
tiou of Coles Bashord to the Gubernaoral chair In
1885, to the election OF washburn IN sl stretch
ing over period Of sixteen years. the Republican party
had held undsputed control Of the affairs OF the state
The majories which gave this party so long lease oil
power were emphatic and decisive, ranging anywhere
from 5000 at the State elections ana from io"
to $4,000 in Presidential contests In the State election
Of 1873 the Republican party met Its Waterloo ior the
first time in the period referred TO- In the preceding
election c. G. Washburn elected Governor by neatly
10000 majority over his Democratic competitor Jas ~
Dooitte In the contest Of 1878 Gov. Washburn was
candidate for reelection; but the Reform party, which
includes all the elements OF opposition to Doth state ana
Federal administrations. not only wiped out tee
10000 majority Of the preceding election, but swept the
State by magnificent majority OF 1900 Inc causes
which led to this unprecedented political revolution In
tho Badeer State we're as they were poten
vet it could not be ruthfuy said that the result was
attributable unpopularity OF Gov WashDurn nor
to any dstrust Of his administration, for ne was con
ceded by both parties to be man OF more than ordr
nary executive ability and Of official integrity which had
never been questioned. Bat there were seVerai
elements entering into the canvass OF ias'
year which were powerful levers in the over
throw of the Republican party that may not be so erect
i've in the contest now before First tremendous


financial panic had swept the country but snort
time before the election sending mionares into peg
gary parayzng the Of labor destroying confidence
among men, aud depressing the financial and business
interests Of the whole country During periods OF hnan-
cal disaster the party in power is always made the
scapegoat to the troubles Of the people In sucn
times large fraction Of that voting population whcn
has heretofore given generous support to the
party will either remain away from the polls OF vote
against its further continuance in power trusting that
a change in the administration Of affairs may anord
them relief from the evils that environ them


As remarked, the financial crash Of last year had
much to do with defeat Of the Republican party IN
Wisconsin, and had occurred In 1872 instead OF lsIs
Horace Greeley, believe. would have been triumph
antIy elected President Of the United States


Secondlv: The Credit Mobiler exposures, followed
soon after by the Salary Grab had produced feeng OF
discomfort in the public mind, which financial panic
such as followed few months thereafter was Dut iltte
calculated to alay. Added to all these troubles, which
were sorey vexng the Republican party was the almost
total deserton of the German element from its ranks
caused by the passage OF the Graham Temperance law
which had been almost sodly sustained by the Repuo'
cans, and as uniedly opposed by the Democrats ana
Reformers Nor this all Gov. Washburn had en-
countered hostility OF certain railroad interests IN
some portions Of the State, which cost the state ticket


many votes while add to the troubles OF that party,
the Grangers cropping for good which they knew not
how to clutch, voted almost in body for the Reform
ticket


Under such combination of nntoward circumstances
it is not strange the Republican party Of Wisconsin


ty.otf Aan ropf1 1n uyp
amid gloom and defeat such as 1t had never before ex
perienced its organization as party rout 80
total and complete that not single man on Its state
ticket came within 10000 votes Of election, while its
usual strength of to one In the House was wasted 10
hopeless minority Of twenty, aud its tenure OF lie
maintained in tho Senate only in consequence OF the
large number OF Republican Senators holding over
which saved the party the control Of that body by one
majority.


Two weeks hence the great battle between the Repub


icans and Reormers to be fought in this State
The elements which defeated the Republican party last
Fall do not exist in the present canvass, or, existing
less potent; and, in any event, cannot De moded
strong active opposition which was used with
such effectiveness in the last The panic has
in great measure spent its force and Is remembered
only as a thing of the past The Credit Mobilier no
longer occupies the public attention The Salary GRAB
which. like the sharp knife OF tue guiloine,
would have politically beheaded every offender 1t could
have reached at the time Of the has become
dulled somewhat by the modification OF its worst
features and will be used only in the present canvass
as against individuals and not as against party The
Objectionable features Of the Graham Temperance law
were somewhat modified by the last Legislature and
the question is therefore not an issue IN the present
canvass. Again, Gov. Taylor, who was indebted In
great measure to the railroad interests for his election
has by his overzealOusness In promulgang procama-
tions touching tho enforcement Of the celebrated
xha ri
inimca best interests of the State as well as ad
verse to the interests of bond and stockholders added
nothing the strength Of the Reform party but on the
contrary has. possibly. weakened it,


Thus while it is quite evident that the which
led to the defeat Of the Republican party in 1873 are not
conspicuous in the present canvass there are yet other
causes which portend defeat as great as that
of 1873 II not greater Senator Matt H. Carpenter the
"gifted-since receiving Kellogg's checksnssts upon
becoming his for the ensuing six years
His candidacy is the frghtfu incubus which is resting
upon the Republican party of Wisconsin to-day In vain
have the wiser and better men OF the party besought
him TO withdraw. In vain have they portrayed
the utter futity Of carrying load so heavy
that it cannot be pulled through. Proesaons are OF
no avail. Carpenter persists In his candidacy, and the
leaders of the party either in despair open revolt
Rock County, which, for many years was the home OF
the Senator, Is like seethng caldron bubbhng and
boiling with heated fires Of political animosites en-
gendered aud begotten by his His candidacy is
most embarrassing to every Congressional candi-
date of the Administration party. In the eight
Congressional Districts the Democrats have heretofore
been able to members but IN the present
condition Of political affairs IL quite probable that
the status OF the delegation maybe completely reversed
giving the Republicans but two members instead Of six
and the Reformers six Instead of two The Ist District
which gave Williams, Republican, nearly 1000 majority
and the With. which gave Gen. Rusk quite as largo
majority two years ago. may be coDsid-
cred tolerably sure to return the same
gentlemen, both having been renomnated but 1t is
said that neither candidate his way quite clear
a. he would like, In view Of the results in OHIO aud