The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-10-11

in the year of Presidential election. There
are two reasons why this Ohio contest has
been so strenuous and has excited universal
interest outside the State. One Of these
reasons is that since the change of the annual
election in Pennsylvania from October to
November Ohio is the only great State
which viii afford a preliminary test of the
strength Of parties in the Presidential year.
The consequences Of victory or defeat in
State Of the first rank a few weeks in advance
of the Presidential election are tremendous,
and very often decide the contest, as the
October election did in 1872 In October
Of that year Governor Hartranft was elected
in Pennsylvania by majority Of 35,627; but
month later President Grant received a
majority Of 1877, 748 in the same State-a re-
publican gain Of 1922 12l-by the effect Of vic
tory on a subsequent election. ONO
next year will take the place 50
long held by Pennsylvania as the
key Of our Presidential contest and as the
party which carries the State this year will
have the best chances of carrying it again
next October when the control Of the national
government may be virtually decided in Ohio,
it is not surprising that the canvass which
closes to-day has been 50 vigorous.
The second of the reasons to which we al
lude has had still more enlivening effect.
The bold revival of the imitation ISSUE which
had been dormant since President Grants
veto gave the republicans an advantage
which they were not slow to seize. They
saw, or at least thought they saw, great OPP
portunity to rectify their own record and de-
moralize their opponents. We incline to
think, after closely watching this singular
canvass, that the Ohio democrats ''builded
wiser than they knew" in constructing their
platform. One undersigned consequence is
the cure Of the republican infationists and
the commitment Of the republican organiza-
ton TO sound views Of the currency. Party
spirit is more potent than argument, and the
effect of the Ohio platform has been to enlist
republican party feeling on the side Of good
money For the conversion Of republican
inhationists there is no other part Of the
Union where the birth Of the rag baby"
could have had so great an effect. 1t was
the kindred Ohio heresy Of Reputation that
made the first election Of General Grant 50
triumphant in 1868. What was then called
"Pendletonism" or the payment Of the gov
eminent bonds in greenbacks, was the main
cause Of the overwhelming democratic defeat
in the first Presidential election after the
close Of the war. The Pendletonism Of 1875
is so identical in its origin and 50 similar in
its nature to the Pendletonism Of 1868 that
it has been an easy task to array the republic
can party in opposition to it.
Another effect Of the democratic folly has
been to win back distinguished liberal
republicans like Mr. Schurz and Mr.. Fenton,
whose steady opposition to imitation makes
it easy for them to advocate the election Of
Mr. Hayes It is true that few prominent
republicans continue to urge imitation, but
they ere men who have lost the confidence Of
the party, like General Butler, or who never
possessed it, like Mr.. Wendell Phillips. The
Ohio canvass has done good in forcing one of
our great political parties to ALLURE initiation
and put itself on the right side Of great
controversy.
The effect on the democratic party has
been less marked, but is on the whole salu-
tary. At one time it seemed to be purely
miscellaneous. When the Pennsylvania
democracy adopted the Ohio platform it
looked as if the infationists were rising to
the control Of the democratic organization.
But the emphatic hard money platforms
subsequently put forth by the democracy Of
New York, Nebraska and Massachusetts
proved that the party could never be united
in advocating imitation, and within the last
ten days the Ohio democrats have
essentially changed their position. They
have been forced by a strong current Of
public sentiment to aver during the week
which has just passed that they are merely
Observation-Disclosures, and not infationsts.
Let the election tomorrow 60 as it may, in
aation is dead as q practical issue in our
politics 1t has become of little consequence
in the general politics Of the country
whether Governor Allen is reelected or not.
Let the Ohio election 60 as it will, the Presi-
Dental contest will not be fought on the cur
rency question.
Another reason why this question will be
pushed into the background may be found
in the probable action Of the democratic
House Of Representatives next winter. The
House will be chiefly occupied in inyesti-
eating the secrets Of President Grants adj
ministration. If it should make astounding
discoveries in this fruitful field, as it proba-
bly, will, every other question will be
eclipsed BY popular cry for reform.
THE CHIEF INITIATION ORGAN in Ohio, the
Cincinnati Enquirer, has, within few days,
renowned its aggressive indationism and
declared that 'too much money would be
almost as great on evil as too little" This
i sudden change Of front is SO remarkable that