The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-14
Political and Personal Consequences
OF the Ohio Election.

Il
thizers in other States will not ALLURE their
heresy at once, partly because it is not
in human pride to make such a prompt
acknowledgment of blunder, but chiefly
because the democrats who voted the in
aation ticket were quite sincere acting on
convictions originally strong and fortified by
the delusive arguments to which they
listened in the canvass. But their final atti-
tude must not be predicted from what they
may say while. smarting under defeat and in
dignant at what they regard as the treachery
of their democratic brethren in New York
Although they may vapor for while and
"breathe out threatenings and slaughter
they swill at last submit 1t iss not
probable that their hostility to Governor
Tilden and his supporters will ever be over
come but although they are pretty certain
to harbor their grudge until they get an OPP
portunity to pay it of, they will not renew
the imitation battle. As soon as their heads
become cool after this exciting campaign
they will see that the imitation issue could
not again serve any other purpose than re-
venge and that they can wreak their revenge
without reyiving it.
When they have taken time to swallow
their chagrin they will recognize the fact that
| Ohio is to be the pivot of the Presidential
campaign next year, and that their only
hope of recovering the State is by concert
with the democratic party at large. Since
Pennsylvania has shifted her election to
November Ohio will take her place as the
theatre of preliminary test of the strength of
parties. The party which carries Ohio next
October will be likely to elect the President.
The State election in Ohio will precede the
Presidential election by about three weeks,
and its result will foreshadow the coming
event. Even this year it will have an i'm
portant influence on the November elections,
although there is little resemblance between
this year and next, since, at present. the
democratic party stands on different plat
forms in different States. Next year it will
stand on the same platform in all the States,
and defeat in Ohio will be a defeat of the
same principles which are supported by the
party throughout the Union. Even this year
the Ohio election determines the result in
every State where the same issue has been
raised The Pennsylvania election was de-
cided on Tuesday in Ohio, as the New York
election would also have been if New York
stood on the Ohio platform.
1t would be as great mistake to suppose
all State elections of equal Importance as it
would be for military commander to regard
every square mile of ground as of equal
value in conducting campaign. By gain
ing Vicksburg we gained possession of the
whole line of the Mississippi; but there was
no other point whose capture would have
given us that commanding advantage The
Ohio State election next year will be to the
Presidential campaign as Vicksburg was to
all the points on the Lower Mississippi.
When Ohio is carried great deal else goes
with it or soon follows. The republicans,
having now regained this important State,
have a chance of retaining it year
hence, and with it a mighty in
huence on the Presidential contest 1t
is all important for the democratic party
to carry Ohio next year in October, of which
there can be no hope on any such issue as
has now been voted down. The democratic
as the agitation Of the late campaign has
subsidized, and they will not throw away all
the chances Of the party by persistence in
this imitation folly. Their recent defeat is
chiefly due to Mr.. Schurz who influenced
Germans and liberal republicans enough to
turn the scale. But he did not appear in
the canvass as q republican. He took pains
to declare, in the introduction to his first
speech, that he reserved his freedom to act
with either party in the Presidential cleo
ton according to his sense Of the public in
terests. If the democratic party should
take ground on which be can stand Mr..
Schurz is as free to win the German vote to
the other side by his reasoning and eloquence
as he will be to support the republican
candidate if he should give.him the prefer
ence. Both parties will court Mr.. Schurz,
but neither can gain his support against his
convictions. He is therefore in position to
render great public service by the influence
he can exert on both parties. 1t will be in
his power to give Ohio to either according as
he approves its policy and Ohio will next
year be the key Of the political situation.
1t is an easy inference that the republican
party cannot renominate President Grant
Mr.. Schurz would not take part in canvass
for General Grant under any circumstances
and inasmuch as the republicans can retain
Ohio only by keeping the German vote they
cannot afford to drive Mr.. Schurz to the
other side. The result Of the Ohio election
renders General Grants nomination impos-
sible on broader considerations. His only
chance depended on such a widespread pre-
| dominance Of the imitation sentiment as
would fill the business classes with alarm
and make them prefer q third term to fnan-
cial ruin. That danger is removed. In con-
sequence Of the defeat in Ohio in