Watertown Republican

When the news first reached us that Farmington had given a Democratic majority of 60 at the late election, we confess that we were somewhat astonished. But at no time have we thought that the Republicans of that town were at fault for such an adverse result, knowing, as we do, that there are no more reliable and efficient Republicans in the county than those of Farmington. A comparison of the vote this fall with that of two years ago explains the whole matter and shows that our friends there have been working manfully, and under the circumstances, have done better than was to have been expected. In '58 the total vote of the town was 251, and the average Republican vote 116, whereas now the full vote runs up to 422. This great increase is owing mainly to the fact that on the eve of the election, large numbers of foreigners claiming a residence there were naturalized, who voted, in a body, the Democratic ticket. The average Republican vote reached 182, or 70 more than it ever was before. So that the increased Democratic majority there is not on account of the decline of Republicanism, or the inactivity of our friends, but solely because of the increased vote of the town, and of persons who really had no more legal right to vote there than we had.