The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1892. THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2821, 12 November 1892, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1892. THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

The election of President of the United States has resulted in a complete reversal of the vote of four years ago by which President Harrison was elected. At that time the Electoral College polled 233 votes for General Harrison against 168 for Mr Cleveland, though the latter had a majority of about 100,000 of the popular voteg. At the present ejection Mr Cleveland is stated to have 2fT votes and Presisident Harrison 135, and though the •lection has not yet taken place, it will probably be found that these figures are approximately correct; at any rate Mr Cleveland's election by a substantial majority is assured. The great question on which the election of the Electoral College—which elects the President—was foughjb was that of tariff reform. From JB6O down to 1884 the struggle was between North and South on. differences which had been accentuated, by the civil war, and Mr Cleveland's election in the latter year was the first occasion for twentyfour years on which a Democrat had been returned. In 1887 tariff reform was brought into the foreground of American politics by President (Cleveland's message to Congress, and o;a it the IsBB election was fought, the Republicans bjeing successful, and the McKinley tariff being fchp outpome. In 1890, however, the elections to Oongres, sindicated a great revulsion of the popular feeling, and the Democrats made large gains, Major McKiuley being amiQng the prominent Republicans who were defeated, tjhough he was afterwards elected Governor-General for his State, Ohio. The platforms of the opposing candidates at the present election left no doubjs as to {the issue that was placed before the country. President Harrison declared strongly in favour of the extreme protection which was secured by the McKinley tariff, while Mr Cleveland advocated a tariff for revenue purposes while still protecting the industries of the country and declared in favor of reducing the duties on the raw matjerfcjs for the American factories. Thus we k&e why the result has caused rejoicing in England an,4 £he polonies, Germany and Italy as well a* in jbhe States. We in the Australian colonies hope that the almost impenetrable banker 'vhieh has been set up against the entrance pf ,<?»r /wool into the United States will be materially lowered, to the great advantage of the great pastoral industry as well as the small farmers in whose hands is the main cultivation of crossbred ¥/001. The access to power of the Democrat^ party is also satisfactory because of their more dignified and less bellicose foreign policy, General Harrison and his late Secretary of Stat#, Mr J, G. Blame, especially were addicted to a spread-eagleism in their dealings with foreign powers, which however popular it might be in the Republican ranks caused more than once rather shaip Mpfion, and had it continued must sooner or jatjer h#4 jnore serious consequences. In all impoj?t§nfc respects, then, the election of Mr Cleveland ig matter for congratulation