Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-05-06
OHIO POLITICS.

be liberal for awhile, in refusing to become
entirely partisan in his management; but re
Gently he has abandoned policy for party, and
now he acknowledges himself the slave Of
party dictation. 1t has been the aim of the
Democratic party in Ohio, since Aliens elec.
ton, to make a clean sweep of all the reform
atory and benevolent institutions, to turn out
Republican office-holders without regard to
/ qualifications, and Democrats We're appointed
/ because they were Democrats, without expe-
rience and often without any claim to fitness
for the duty devolved upon them. One of
the first moves was against the Soldiers and
! Sailors Orphans Home. The man appointed
/ to that place was soon accused of debauching
the orphan girls of the institution, and whether
innocent or guilty, a Democratic committee
was compelled to force him to resign The
management of the penitentiary was also de-
moraliZed. Experienced and tried men were
turned out and mere partisan tools were put in
their places who have done as mere partisan
tolols always do. The benevolent institutions
have been assailed in the same way. Expert
enced men and women, who understood their
business and discharged their duties faithful
ly, were turned out to make way for hungry
Democratic office-seekers who had nothing to
recommend them except that they were Dem
ocrats and very hungry for office Gov. Allen
resisted the pressure against the Ohio Reform
Farm until lately, even until after the adjourn
ment of the Legislature This is an fnstitu-
tion that has been notoriously well managed,
and that required peculiar fitness on the part
of its officers yet the Governor at last applied
the party ak, and when appealed to by good
men to spare at least that institution, he re-
fused to read the documents presented to him.
and made the humiliating confession that he
was under a PARTY NECESSITY to make the
changes. Thus, confessedly, against his own
judgment and contrary to his belief, from
long and careful personal observation, asto
the real interests of the benevolent institution,
he yielded to the lowest motives that could be
urged in favor of the change
Gov. Allen in these later performances has
given an exhibition of true inwardness-that
is to say, he has acted out what has always
been in him. During the first year of his ad-
ministration he tried to rise above mere party
with view to conciliating those who had op-
posed him politically, and for time he sue
eeeded, but he soon threw off the garb of the
statesman, and he now appears in all the full
ness of Allen as he was known in olden times
the mere politician and bitter partisan-who
believes that to the victors belong the spoils,
and that political opponents are to be under
all circumstances as such, even to the extent
of undermining and impairing the usefulness
of our benevolent and reformatory institutions.
Yet Allen, as he now appears, is better than
the party that is behind. Objectionable as he
is, he would do better than his party if he
dared, but the reckless leaders who carry the
party whip are too much for him. He was
forced to yield to their dictation. The men
who profess to be running him for President
of the United States, who are by far, the
worst section of the Democratic party of Ohio,
control him, and as these seek the lowest par
tisan level, Allen follows their lead, until now
he has become mere partisan, dong whatev-
er may be represented to him as necessary to
promote his chances for reelection to the of
fee of Governor, and nomination for the Pres
idency.
In this connection with the action of the
Ohio Legislature, Objectionable as that was
in many important partlculars-and there is a
striking exhibit of what the people of Ohio
have lost in putting the Democratic party in
power. They have gained nothing g-absolute-
ly nothing, while they have lost heavily, not
only in the State. but in all the cities where
the Democrats have obtained control. Nota-
bly, in this city the late election was fraud.
The voting places, in many instances, were
controlled by the bludgesn in the hands of po-
licemen. Honest voters were driven from the
polls, and thousands of fraudulent votes were
polled, and, as the result, the city is now in
the hands of the worst government that ever
controlled the city of Cincinnati, or any other
city, not excepting New York in the palmy
days of Tweed.
There are votes enoughi in Ohio to overthrow
this party. 1t is only necessary to get out the
vote to demonstrate this proposition, and it is
our opionion that a fair exhibition of the infa
nous record made by this party during the
brief period it has been in power will so
arouse the honest voters of the State as to re-
move the disgrace under which Ohio is now
suffering.
To aid in this important work the Republi-
can party should present candidates who will
in themselves be sufficient assurance to the
people that the government will be reformed,
and that neither corruptionists nor sectaran
bigots can rule Ohio, but that the government
will be administered upon the highest princi-
pins of honesty and economy, and that no die
tation on the part of the Roman Catholic
Church or any other sect will be permitted
This latter has, in fact, become one of the
most prominent as it is the most threatening
issue at present presented. The late Legisla-
ture obeyed the commands of the Roman
priesthood, and the latter, in return, graran-
tee to the Democratic party the solid vote of
that Church. The Roman Church has now
the control of the government of this city.
Men who do not patronize or believe in our
school system control the Board of Education,
and through it the free schools. The objec-
tive point is the destruction of the latter, or
division of the school fund, in some such
way as is now being attempted in New York,
New Jersey, and wherever the Democratic