Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 September 1888 — The Cause of Republican Gains. [ARTICLE]

The Cause of Republican Gains.

The undertow is in favor of the Republican party this year. Vermont tells the same story that Oregon told, that the Republican party is stronger than it has been since the war. Indeed, the figures from these two States would justify a still stronger statement. Oiregon has never given so large a plurality to any party in any, other election as that State gave to the Republican ticket this year. The Republican plurality in Vermont, if correctly reported, will be the largest ever known in that State in any contested election for Governor, the vote in Presidential elections being usually incomplete, because of the usefulness of Democratic effort. So the Democratic majority in Arkansas is large, and it pleases Democrats to observe that Southern solidity grows as well as Republican strength in the North. They are weffi?&ne to that consolation. It may be conceded that they have the power to, count for themselves whatever majority they please in Southern States, and they will probably exercise their power. The election is to be decided in Northern States, however, and the very fact that the entire-South is fanatically in favor of the present free -trade and pro-British Administration, thinking men will realize, is one of the

V- JL■ causes of Northern opposition to that administration. The House Tariff bill was uot only an ignorant and blundering measure, but the most sectional tariff bill ever framed. > If it is to be the rule that tariffs shall be formed for ths sectional interests of the South, thfe bill may seem to Southerners to deserve Southern support. But Northern States do not believe that tariffs should be so drained, and are naturally quite as determined in their opposition as Southern States in their support". 1 i