The New York herald., 1876-09-19
The October Election in oh.S.

carry his own State. There is not yet any
very strong reason for supposing that
result SO mortifying and damaging to the
republican candidate is probable. But this
at least is certain, that within the last few
days republicans have become uneasy and
democrats are beginning to be hopeful in
relation to Ohio.' A prominent republican
journal of this city sounded note OF warn
ing last evening calling on the party to
Remember Ohio" and saying, 1--WE hope
the republicans will not forget to carry the
election in Ohio in their anxiety to carry the
election in Indiana" We presume this ad-
monition is not SO much prompted by the
sudden hopefulness of the democrats as by
the tone of doubt and insecurity which per-
vades the recent republican correspondence
from Ohio. On Friday morning the leading
administration journal in this city pub
lished a despatch from Columbus which was
quite tho reverse Of assuring. "Unless there
is great change" Eve quote from the de-
spatch) "in the next four weeks it is useless
to expect more than a meagre majority in
October" This confession Of weakness is in
often repeated since Governor Hayes nomi-
nation. After description of the bad fea-
lures of the situation this republican de-
spatch goes on to say :-"It is not intended
to say that Ohio il in any danger of going
Democratic but only to assert that unless
their ajority next month will do them no
credit" On Saturday morning another
prominent journal in this city which is q
Jealous supporter of Hayes printed
long letter from Columbus reviewing
the situation in Ohio. which equally
betokened more formidable oppo-
sltion to Hayes in his own State
than the party short time since lad any
reason to apprehend. The writer of the
letter does not despair of the republican
canvass, although he fears a close contest.
Hayes carried the State last year only by
the aid of the German vote, and his ma
jority was small. 1t is supposed that two
thirds of the German citizens will now vote
for the democratic candidates; and should
this be the case Hayes would be in great
danger Of losing his own State. His majority
last year was only 5,544, and change of
2,773 votes would have prevented his cleo
ton. If the German vote, which was pretty
we'll united on Hayes last year, should be
divided this year and two-thirds, or even
one-hnlf Of it. be given to the democratic
ticket, it is difficult to see how the repub-
licans could carry the State. The repub-
lican correspondent whose letter we have
cited says on this point:-"I confess to some
anxiety as to the course of the Germans. They
saved the State for Hayes in 1875, and if it
be true that they threaten to oppose the re-
publican State ticket because of Mr.. Barnes
temperance views, then there is danger
ahead. The same republican correspondent
explains, in another part of his letter, that
Colonel Thompson, the chairman of the Dem
ocratic State Committee, 'places great reli-
ance on the German vote, which he is conf
dent the republicans have alienated in large
part by nominating a pronounced prohibi-
ZIONIST for Secretary of State" The corre-
spondent is unable to dispute the fact that
the republicans of Ohio have put fanatical
prohibitionist at the head of their State
doubt that Mr.. Barnes record shows him to
be a temperance man of the ultra sort, that
are forever seeking to force men into habits
of total abstinence by penal statutes"
Mr.. Barnes was probably nominated in
the hope of forestalling a separate
prohibition ticket, but if this was the aim it
has failed. There is o temperance ticket in
the field, and the republican correspondent
we have been quoting says "their movement
has some importance in a close contest such
as this promises to be, for whatever strength
they can muster is subtracted from the re-
publican ranks.
But quite apart from the temperance ques-
ton the German population, not only of
Ohio, but generally throughout the country,
have manifested a strong disposition to sup
port Tilden. 1t is certainly so here in New
York, and there is good reason for believing
that it is so everywhere 1t was stated in
our Indiana letter published yesterday
that more than two-thrds of the German
newspapers in the United States out of
240-support Tilden and oppose Hayes. If
the attitude of the Ohio Germans is such as
the democrats claim and the republicans
partially concede it is possible and not very
improbable that the slender republican ma
jority of last year, which vas wholly due to
the German vote may be reversed next
month. At any rate, Ohio, which was
thought so secure for Hayes, is suddenly be-
coming the centre of political interest. If.
contrary to oil previous expectations and
predictions, the State should bo carried by
the democrats, their victory will put quite
new face on the national canvass.
SOUTH CAROLINA PoLITIcs are very much
mixed The republicans talk Of withdraw