Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1870-12-14
from the Wayne County Democratl
The Situation at Columbus

lin county is in such a condi
tion as to preclude its being
righted up by the election next
fall, we paid Columbus a few
hours visit last Friday night
and Saturday for the purpose
of ascertaining how matters
stand or lie, Our inquiries con.
vince us that the situation, SO
far as the Democratic party is
concerned, is anything but en-.
eouraging. The party is COM
pletely demoralized. Dissatis-
faction, bitterness, jealousy
and disgust prevail in it, and
conformity exercise their bane,
ful influence, and there seems no
one capable or willing to bring
order and organization out of
this chaos. The Statesman is
powerless. 1t has no influence.
1t is distrusted on every hand.
1t has only a daily circulation
of forty,nine quires, or one
thousand one hundred and sev-
enty-six. It's tri-weekly cir
culation is three quires or sew
enty-two copies, while the cir
culation Of its weekly is fifty
four quires, or twelve hundred
and ninety-six copies. From
this it is evident that the circu-
lation Of the Statesman, which
aspires to the distinction Of
State organ of the party, is en-
tirely too limited to pay ex-
penses or to exercise command
ing influence throughout the
State, did it even have a savory
character at home. The Crisis
is a weekly paper and by rea-
son of that circumstance does
not circulate largely in Colum-
bus, and hence can exercise
but little influence one way or
the other there.
One of the first things that
should be done with a view to
the restoration of the Democra-
cy to full power in Columbus
and Franklin county, and to
extend a healthful influence
thence, is the consolidation of
the Statesman and Crisis and
to conAne their publication
and editorship to persons who
can inspire confidence. When
this. shall have been done, there
should be enlisted in each coun.
ty of the State an active influ-
enoe that will greatly increase
the circulation Of the papers
thus united. To enable the
united journal to pay its way
and to exercise any power for
good, this must be done. It's
publication might be assured
by private contribution; but q
paper that has to rely largely
on such contributions for its
support is Of very little account
party-wise, and becoms griev-
Gus burden to the contributors.
Whether such q consolidation
as we speak Of can be consum-
mated, we do not know. 1t
will be exceedingly difficult
Even if the publishers of the
Statesman and Crisis could so
far forego their antipathy to-
wards each other as to consent
to abandon the field of journal
ism that other parties might
try their hands at it, we do not
know where a person could be
found willing to embark in an
enterprise that is manifestly
losing at the rate of somewhere
from six to ten thousand dol
lars q year.
1t has been suggested that
it were well to have q meeting
of the State Cen. Committee at
Columbus some day in the
first week of the meeting of
the Legislature, which will be
in the first week Of January,
and that to this meeting there
should be invited active and
influential Democrats from
each county in the State for
consultation, and to see if out
of such consultation there can
not be divised some plan of
campaign that will promise
success in the State next fall,
instead of the certainty Of de-
feat. This consultation should
elicit the explanation why it
was that our vote fell so far
short at the late election