Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-08-21
THE OHIO CAMPAIGN.

suit will be satisfactory to the politi-
clans isa matter yet to be determined.
This educating the masses to disre-
gard of party discipline would seem
to be dangerous business to aspirants
whose success depends on blind ad
herence to caucus dictation and con-
vention manipulation, and it would
probably not have been begun had it
not been that new questions have
been sprung that override all efforts
for personal advancement, or local
party success with strong men with
new motives to discuss and enforce
them.
We naturally regard this campaign
then, with great interest; first, for
the settlement of grave questions land
second, as the beginning lat least of
new era in political life, wherein in
dependence of thought and action are
taught and practiced in the exercise
of the elective franchise, and new
and better men take control Of pOlit-
ical affairs. 1t has been no uncom-
mon thing in this canvass to find the
best men of both parties to the front
discussing the important questions
at issue and taking active part in the
contest in direct and emphatic oppo-
sition to the organization with which
they have heretofore been closely as
ISOLATED, and we may say that among
the masses the same disposition to in
dependent action is manifest, and
that more interest is being taken in
the campaign by all classes than for
many years. Two men of unimpeach-
able character and strong integrity,
well-schooled in public life, and strong
personal friends, are the can
didates for Governor, William Al
len the compeer of Clay and Web
ster representing the Democratic
side and Gen. r. B. Hays the Re-
publican. The platforms of the two
parties are essentially the same, with
the single exception Of the financial
plank. The Democrats declare for
q green-back currency and an in
crease of it, while the Republicans
insist upon contraction of the cur
rency and a return to specie pay
ments. Upon this important ques-
ton they have joined issue, and all |
other matters loose their dignity and
sink into insignificance while this i'm
portant question is up for argument
and decision. At the first blush it
seems queer attitude for the De
this declaration of hostility
to gold as the standard of value for
our volume of currency, for the rec
ords show them to have been the
clamorous opponents of specie ba-
sis, and the violent opponents of
paper currency which the exigencies
Of the war created, the Republican
party being the parent of the necessi-
ty. So does it also. seem queer
to see the Republican party
deserving its favored offspring to
an alien nurse, and taking to itself
the golden calf to which it. has
been a stranger all its natural life
To harmonic and explain this
change of position requires more
thought and space than we care to
give to it, and we content ourselves,
for the moment, with looking at the
facts as they exist, without undertake
ing to analyze the motives and ex-
plain the political necessities which
have occasioned this change of
base" This violent depression of
the two organizations from their es-
tablished records, is the prime cause
of the rupture of party lines in Ohio,
and driven men of opposing financial
faiths to such affiliations as accord
with their particular ideas upon that
subject. And this is just the ques-
ton that will do that thing, for an
appeal to prejudice and passions, in
ordinary times, falls short of the
mark, when an argument affecting
the pocket, wen directed, rarely ever
fails to bring its victim.
The nation looks on, then, to this
campaign in Ohio with unusual in
terest. 1t is the beginning of a set
Element of this financial question, so
important to the interests of the
whole country. 1t is the sharp Skin
mishing of part of the forces before
the great National Battle of next
year, which must be fought out upon
this question alone, the two parties
occupying the same position in the
final battle that they now do in the
preliminary contest in the Buckeye