Year: 1873

the war a political campaign so barren OF all ex-
citement as the present campaign has been thus
far, in the interior this State and yet, venture
TO say that no. even the canvassers sent out by
the parties to sleel the public pulse" in every
nook aud corner OF the State have az yet been
able to make up their minds as TO what she result
OF the election on Tuesday will be- taking the
State as q whole. 1t has been my duty during the
past few weeks to make myself as well acquainted
with the political affairs or each county and ais
trict as possible and In the prosecution Of
that purpose I have come across and derived In
formation from the active workers OF both parties
In cities towns and villages from the ex-
treme western portion OF the State to the
very borders OF New York city, and l must
confess that I am to-day almost as utterly
unable to indicate with any degree OF certainty
which party will carry the day as when l first set
foot In Chautauqua county preparatory to my zig
gag tours through the various counties, on my
way home ward. This Is certainly rather an un-
pleasant condition to be placed In, after all the
pains have taken to be able to arrive at definite
conclusion as to the final result; but facts, they
say. are stubborn things and that things political
are considerably mixed all round is = fact that
has stared me out OF countenance in every district
have visited.


A GENERAL STATE OF UNCERTAINTY.


Yet do not by any means desire to be under
stood saying that there are no "Old time'' in
dications, as the politicians call the changes OF
front made by individual voters in ION years."
which point to the success OF one party over the
other. found to be sure, general indications and
plenty OF them, which might give as reliable II
were to put confidence In everything that
the various republican county committee
chairmen told me, and which 60 to
show, you know. that the democrats
1o,n yiya thav
the other side OF the story l. or course heard told
time and again, with all the usual embellishments,
in districts where pretended. for purposes OF my
own to pin my faith entirely on the statements OF
the democratic county wiseacres who are allowed
to pull the local wires. But what makes both sides
more than usually to be disbelieved Is the conf
dence with which each side announces that "there
is no doubt about the thing at ALL" Indications
OF certain kind, then, as to what the result will be
are plentiful enough but indications that point
unerringly, and upon which person who cares
for neither one party the other can place full
reliance, there are absolutely none. And yet.
Ii there has been nothing OF the old time
campaign spirit manifested in any part Of
the State whith might give me clew
as to which way the political current
was setting, there is one thing which attracted my
attention IN almost every town l have been in,
and which may In all probability turn out to be
after all one OF the surest Indications Of how an
election may be carried by activity; refer to
the apathy everywhere manifested by the repub-
Leans.


WHAT CAN THE NATTER BE


The democrats, II il true, have been, rule,
inactive but then their inactivity has been down.
right work compared with that Of their opponents
and besides in many counties where l discovered
the apathy OF the republicans to be absolutely
astonishing by the extent OF It's sleepy influence
not blind to the fact that. while pretending
to little for the election as their antagon-
ists and that on the surface they were as deter
mined to do as little as possible in the matter OF
|. real campaign work, the democrats were slyly
and c0verty working like beavers Indeed,
the general want OF action on the part OF the repub
cans in every part OF the State surprised me
more than anything else connected with the
political doings IN the various counties; and what
snowed me Sas thus apathy Was not simple orget
icans, but deliberate neglect To put it more
forcibly, and At the same time TO be nearer the
truth, think ought to say that this feeling OF
apathy appeared to be more q feeling OF dscon-
what the party's success depends upon-the active
cooperation with the said wirepullers OF every
VU'sr say sbonld bappen
that next wednesday the State ticket nominated
at Utica by the democrats should be the successful
one, and that from districts strongly republican
LARGE DEMOCRATIC GAINS,


II not here and there local democratic triumphs,





themselves to thank for their defeat. And yet
make bold to assert that II this should be the case
| tory being OF small account-in view OF the TACT
| that 1t was brought about by republicans being a
little negectful rather than because the democrats
| were any stronger than the year previous -tw1ll
avail to cover up the real cause OF the disaster 1t
is quite one thing when man forgets to vote, but
| quite another thing when he refuses to vote. 1t
may be stouty argued that II voter really desires
to upset his own party he has no surer way or ac-
70 artv vet W m Vpr 70 in
| the abstract, 1t will not sufiice to convince
the country voter. who doesn't like to vote with
the party which ne always as rule votes against,
that, BY refusing to contribute his individual
weight to the support OF his own side OF the house,
Some people may call this sort OF thing the natural
| effect Of an otf-year campaign but wnere the
apathy takes the positive 1orm OF discomfort, In
| some cases openly avowed as have often heard
1t during the past few weeks to call 1t the effect
OF a rain storm or the hay fever would be Just
about as plausible. Now, while repeat that am
/ not attempting even TO conjecture that the dem
ocrats have better chance OF carrying the State
| than their opponents am OF the opinion that
/ hundreds OF republicans will not go to the polls
this year at all, who as general thing vote aith
| fully every year, and who Will remain al home,
not through neglect, but through determination to
show the party at large that they are not satisfied
With all Its dotngs, yet ore not 80 unfalthful 70 II as
WILLING TO 90 OVER TO rmR ENEMY.


II Is not for to argue whether there Is really
s,,sooq cause to justify this kind OF action on the
Al, ns,,so, considerable number OF republicans.
part Oh a. .~aly to record facts as ind the m,
my duty IS s.a !. widespread feeling Q. ss,,s.on-
ssn, an% nss .aSse aSs rennoc ~ the rural districts Il
iact beyond dispute. wne.. -tAlS teeling viii
/ beget such want OF confidence In Tie party be-
| tween now and election day as to cause such
| large number OF the discontented 10 remain .%ey
from the polls that the democrats Will be vict0-
| ton day alone can answer The fact OF the matter
! ls that in some OF the districts-in all OF
| them to Q small extent, and In few
to q very considerable extent-there are republi-
cans who, wnlle anxious 70 do their duty as parti-
sans so far as they can consistently with self
respect, are unwilling to be regarded as men who,
because they are republicans, are ready to vote the
| straight ticket and waiow the good and bad men
at one gulp be considered as endorsers OF the
corruptions at washington and elsewhere OF their
party, or corrupt meR pctted BY IL, because they
| themselves vote to sustain the party. And the
men OF this stamp whom | have met with are not
republicans OF the liberal stripe, but outand-0ut
republicans OF good standing In some counties
came across O few VINO were open In their avowal
that they were so disguised with afrars the
party generally that they would not vote az all.
y L. 4xaa4 Iaa lIanax.