, 1875-07-10
The Ohio Campaign.

Hitherto, the Keystone State has had the
honor, if honor it may be called, of determin-
ing the political eurren, Of The year. and her
verdict has not been reversed since the organ
ization as existing parties Now, however,
Pennsylvania votes in November. while Ohio
will hold her important State election in Oc
tober, and upon her decision will probably
depend the fate of parties and candidates IN
New York and Pennsylvania in November.
1t Is not merely because Ohio is to elect
Governor and other important State officers,
that the action of her politicians attracts at
tention throughout the nation. but it is to be
the bugle-caIl that other great States Will
likely obey, and upon their joint judgment
the issue of 1876 will be pretty certainly fore
shaduwed.
With such grave responsibilities imposed
upon the Ohio politicians. 1t Is no; surprising
that they have devised their plans OF battle
and chosen their standard bearers with
common care. The republicans s'srt with
the prestige of success against them, and
with Governor Allen IN position where he has
made HqUsisss record. Their elements were
discordsnt and disintegration WAS making
rapid head way In their ranks The whole
German element had been slienared, and
could not be won back. This element, 50
strong, IN Cincinnatti aud other cities, Is def
nitely independent. 1t Is made up of tree
thinkers in everything-in religion, in poli-
tics and in regard to all sumptuary laws. II
is for free beer free religion, free speech, free
political ideas and free everything but free
schools, are organized in Ohio. They are
not democrats, nor are they republicans, but
they are independent voters. How 10 rally !
the broken political ranks was the great |
problem presented TO the leaders for solution. |
As an experiment, they tried TO make up a
victorious party by running circLs for
Mayor in CINCINNATI lately. but the failure
Was conspicuous, and they We're left worse off |
than before. Failing IN every hing in the !
line of political morali Y, as the offensive re-
cords of their leaders demonstrated, and fail
ing again III rallying the ragtag and bobtail,
they had but one resource left. They turned
20 the religionists, and staked everything On
gu imaginary issue with Catholicism by a
bOmbastic deliversnce against the division of
the school fund, hoping 10 win sincere Prot
estants 10 take the places of the loose material
they had 50 loaS coer'ed and finally lost,
Just as rats are lost from a si.king ship.
With this one live plank IN their platform,
Ornauented with the usual variety of fire.
works for the galleries, they nominated a
good ticket and adjourned
On Thursday the democrats held their cor
vention, and were expected TO step into the
sectarisn school trap 50 cleyerly set for them,
but they were wiser than their adversaries.
By unanimous vote they declared unquali-
fedly against seciarianiSm In the educational
system of the State, and any division of The
school fund under any circumstances So
honors are left easy between the two parties
on the only vital issue the republicans had
aeizsd upon to restore them to power. T. was
superlarive folly for them thus 20 precipittte
a religious issue TO save dIscorilnt party,
and the fact that they did so was a confession
of weakness. and justly earned the contempt
of all dispassiOnate men. a law passed by
the last legislature simply allowing persons
i'll State charitable institutions, needing The
minisirations Of a spiritual adviser 10 select
one of their own fai h was exaggerated and
distorted to iultme religious bIgotry; but
when agitation led to Us examination, II was
found ~ be such a law as no one outside OF
Hindoo jurisdiction could oppose, and that
has failed as political engine. The integ-
ATTY of the school fund thus affirmed with
equal positiveness by both parties, and the
whole religious element discarded from the
political arena in Ohio, the two parties will
/ fall back upon the real issues 20 be decided
by rhe verdict of The people, just what the
republicans manifestlv did not want. And
as the democrats exploded the religious plank,
| they wisely guarded their political allies by
their nominations and their platforms. Next
to Governor Allen On the ticket IS Gen. Sam
| Carey, the representative Of the labor or
| Grange element and an old republican, and
| the whole list of nominees i made up of men
in all respects the equals OF their competI'ors-
So opens the great political battle Of 1919,
| 1t will be desperate We dOnbt not. The
| whole power and resources OF the party Will
/ be- emploved TO compass the defeat Uf Gov
! Allen. but the probability l. that the more
! certain viii be his election The republican
party OF Ohio l. warer-logged with such
/ effete and corrupt leaders as D-lano, and
! sueh intraetable and radical campaIgners A.
| Wade. while he taint OF the whisky ring
and the lingering stencil IF Credit Mobe.Ier
! Is in the nOS:rils Of rhe people. To th'Ne
( loads must BE- super added the crushing
weight of Grantisrn. with Grant indifferent
TO their success, and they Will have the odI-
mn Of supporting his administration wIthSu1
the cooperation Of his office holders, o. Their
assessments 10 Iep'euish their oAmpliSn
treasury. On the other hand. the democrats
have undergone enforced publication by long
exclusion frrm power and pIunder, and they
have gone beyond The bounds OF even common
sense in their reach for the votes Of all who
are impoverished by the depression OF basI-
n ss, and for every wrong and want they
propose 2 phnscea.
They have played az TIE game o; ski. proposed .
dernoraliz repu 5ictss, AMI have b=atsn them Two
20 one an will start the race free run all lef'-
weight while the republicans with clear majority
in the State On political Convictions are 70 haid-
capped by their own folly and G-ssnersey that t.ey
can hardly esclp= defsa-. II is, OF course irlusl-
20 calculate the result of election tnat Is n-aIIy
four months distant and certain 10 y, cont sstel mo-
d-sperat " but all the signs on the surface to--E
polnt 70 the reelection Of Governor Alien Dy q ls
ci iei majority II will not be 50 because ODle j.
democratic but because II can te no longer fsPu-
can under the rule Of The demoTahL-l Iepu 1i4I-
| .bar nj la- ToklLIFFDFIH lEHcs.