The sun., 1873-09-01
The Key Note in Ohio.

In his recent speech at Columbus the
Hon. WILLIAM ALLEN, the venerable DEM
ocratic candidate for Governor of Ohio.
struck the key note of the campaign in the
very first sentence There is but one
political question" said he, before the
people Of the United States; all other
questions are subordinate 20 that one and
merge in it and that question is whether
il will be possible for the American people
10 purge the great principle Of popular
representation from the pollutions which
now contaminate il, and TO keep IL free
from contamination in the future" The
entire speech was confined TO an exposi-
tion of the doctrine enuuciated in this
opening paragraph, and its application not
% the times of JEFFERSON and JACKSON
but TO the corruptions OF the present day
the Pacific Railway swindles, the Credit
Moblier bribery, the salary steal, and kim
dred frauds and Iascalities.
Mr.. ALLEN has been called a dead man.
But this speech shows that he is alive to
the condition of the country ana the paiu-
mount issues of the hour. In n crisis like
this when thieves in ofiice-Democrats as
well as Republican.-are thrusting their
States. the cities. and the counties all
over the Union. 10 round of phrases about
the ancient principles, the traditional
policy, and the time-honored history Of
the Democratic party If mere sonorous
cant. 1t as irrelevant to the exiCency as il
would be for prisoner arrnigned before
the oyer and Terniner for larceny and re-
quircd 10 plead 20 the indictment TO
respond by singing one Of WATTss hymns.
The hymn might be excellent, but IL
would not meet the issue raised 10y the in
dictment.
Mr.. ALLEN sees this inconsistency. He
L. appalled, by the demonlization which
pervades the politcs of the country. Re-
gardiug the Republican party as mainly
responsible for this degeneracy, he never
theess does not spare the Democratic
party for its due share of the blame; and
especially he doesn't mean "a try to sub
stitute sounding phrases about Democratic
principles for severe denunciations of
Democmtic rogues,
More than anything else the test question
In the last Congress was the salary swindle,
the back pay and the fore pay, The Credit
Mobilier bribery, though IL came 10 the
light only Inst year, was comparatively an
old affair. But the salary grab wa, fresh
rasoaliy; ana though the Republicans
took the lead IN carrying through this vile
mean measure, the Democrats of the two
Houses, in proportion 10 their numbers,
gave II an equally vigorous support. So
600 in the matter Of the return of the back
pay 10 the Treasury the Democrats do not
ttand one whit better than the Republi-
rans, nor .n point Of numbers quite sC
well. In the last Congress Mr. ALLEN :
own state had six Democratic members
Including Senator 1HURMAN. No one OF
them except THCRMAN has returned the
money to the Treasury. OF the fifteen Re
publican members fivc have seut il back
al the Democratic members IN Maryland
and Pennsylvania ana twelve of the SIX
teen III New York keep IL.
The Democratic masses are honest an(
favor reform. If they would overthrow
their Republican opponents they must lis
ten to the voice of men like WILLiAl
ALLEN, and drive corrupt leaders out o
the party