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The Situation In Ohio

The Situation In Ohio image
Parent Issue
Day
24
Month
July
Year
1891
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

There is a great deal of politics to the square inch in Ohio just now, as there generally is. Ohio has been the scène of many a hard fought battlefield in the past, and although the democrats have occasionally carried the state, the republicans have oftener found the majority of the people going their way. In fact, under ordinary conditions, Ohio may be put down for from twenty to twenty-five thousand republican majority. Politics are not as reputable in Ohio as they are in Michigan. The gangs whieh control the conventions of both parties ally are not the most honest and intelligent men in the world, but they are up to all the tricks of modern politics. One of these tricks is to put the best men at the head of the tickets, while the gang pulls the ropes behind them. In this way, Ohio generally has able men as candidates for governor. Sometimes the gang f ails in endeavoring to pull the strings behind the able man they elected. This was the cause of the fight made against Campbell's renomination by the gang who first secured his nomination. Campbell is an honest, incorruptible and able man, a credit to Ohio, which, as the blatant Foraker says, is "a great state." And the Argus sincerely hopes that he may down the gang this year and be reelected governor. But if he is electec it will be in spite of a bitter factional opposition in his own party. The republicans haye put forward probably their strongest candidate for governor. McKinley is as far above Poraker in manliness and devotion to the principies in which he believes as daylight is above darkness. He is personally extremely popular with a people who have so niuch state pride as the Ohioans have, and who were very proud of the pre-eminent positiou he held in the national councils of his party. This state pride feeling, which is stronger in Ohio than in any other state, will bring McKinley votes. On the other hand, his nomination will make the McKinley bilí a prominent feature of the canvass. The workings of the bill have not conr mended it to the people. There has been a strong reaction against it, and were the issue not complicated, McKinley would be'buried under thousands of votes. The farmers of the fitate are greatly disgruntled with the bilí. Many of them, however, instead of throwing their votes for Campbell, may be led off by the alliance party, who are talking of putting a ticket in the field promising free silver and the sub-treasury scheme. The senatorial contest also complicates matters. Senator Sherman is a candidate for re-election. Foraker wants his shoes. A peace was apparently patched up between the two leaders at the state convention, but war is already breaking out again. Sherman demanda that only out and out Sherman men shall be nominated for the legislature. If Sherman sees that he is beaten, and sulks in his tent, prospects wil] be dark for McKinley. To indícate Sherman's influence in Ohio politics and the selfishness which has been characteristic of him, we need only to refer to the remarkable fact that whenever Sherman was a candidate for senator, the Ohio legislature has been republican; but whenever a strong man has come up as a republican candidate for senator who would be apt to divide the loaves and fishes at the disposal of the Ohio senators, the legislature has been democratie. And so Ohio, although republican, has generally been represented in the senate by one republican and one democrat, The charge has often been openly made in the republican press that Sherman was responsible for this ytate of affairs. Sherman would undoubtedly prefer to see a democrat to Foraker in the United States senate. This little senatorial by-play may help the democrats. Then again, it may not, as peace may be declared. Campbell has a personal following who admire him for his courage and manliness, and he is a good campaigner. It will be seen that Ohio is red hot politically this year. As Michigan has no election, it can sit by and watch its neighboring state enthuse.