The Irish Standard

THE RESULT

After a week's suspense the official vote of the State of Minnesota has been finally announced. There were 209,328 votes cast, of which A. R. McGill received 105,805 and A. A. Ames 103,523, thus electing the Republican candidate by the paltry majority of 2,282. Even in defeat the Democracy can well feel proud of the result. In 1884 James G. Blaine, the Republican candidate for the Presidency, carried the State by something over 41,000 majority, and in 1886, after a most thorough canvass of almost every village and hamlet within its borders by that party, they have barely escaped an overwhelming defeat. A. R. McGill can well and rightly accredit his success to one of those unfortunate circumstances that now and then befall a great party. Human nature, in our mind, is about the same in all parties. You can always find an element in any of them ready to jeopardize its interests for success. Thus it was on the night of November 1. There is a wide diversity of opinion now as to who precipitated the shameful struggle that occurred on one of our most principal thoroughfares upon that night. It is claimed on the one hand that men in the ranks of the Republican procession began the outrageous proceedings, and on the other that persons outside the ranks were the aggressors; but where to place the direct blame will perhaps always remain unsolved. The Republican party was not in power in Minneapolis, Mayor Ames was absent, unfortunately, from the city on the night of November 1, and therefore the blame, whether right or wrong, could be easily attached to the party who had control of the city's destinies. All this was done quickly and with marvellous effect; the Republican press by a system of falsehood, added fuel to the flame on the morning of election, the prejudices of the people were appealed to without cause and at a time when the facts—if to be secured at all—would be too late to refute the charges and insinuations made. It was a most cowardly and uncalled for procedure on the part of the opponents of the Democratic candidate, but we believe it was the great reason—and almost the sole reason—for his defeat for the Governorship of Minnesota. The methods practiced by the Republican party in the recent election will only go further to strengthen the Democratic party in this city and State, and the final and inevitable result must be the redemption of Minnesota from misgovernment and misrule.