Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-03-09
Ohio the Battle Ground.

Ohio seems destined to occupy for good
while to come, as she has for some time past,
commanding position in American politics.
As the center of population of the Union
falls within her borders, and as her geograph-
| ical relations make her the central CONNER
cial and manufacturing State, so also in po-
| litical affairs she has become in larger and
more important sense than Pennsylvania ever
was the keystone of the national arch. This
| is due in part to the influence of her represen-
tative men in public affairs, but it is more es-
pecially and chiefly due to the intelligence Of
her people, and the intrinsic force of their
judgment in guiding and controlling the gen.
eral sentiment of the nation. AS Ohio goes,
so goes the Union. generally speaking, and of
late it has usually been her fortune to lead off
in political contests 1t was SO in 1867 when
the equal suffrage was first raised, and it was
so last year in the fight for honest money.
Had the rag baby people carried Ohio last
year they would also probably have carried
Pennsylvania, but the issue here in October
virtually settled the issue there in November.
The time is now approaching when our
State will occupy similar relation to, and
exert similar influence upon much more
extensive and important contest. Nothing is
more certain than that Ohio will be the main
battle ground of the next Presidential cam
paign. Everything conspires to make her So
The National Republican Convention will be
held within her chief city. Her electoral vote
will be morally and perhaps absolutely essen
tial to success in the canvass, and the party
that loses it will in all human probability be
defeated. If the Republicans would win
they must carry this State, and the same is
nearly Or perhaps equally true of the Demo-
Gratis. But what will make Ohio's voice par
ticulariy potent and decisive this time is the
fact that she VIII choose her State officers and
Congressman in October. just month in adj
vance OF the Presidential election in Novem-
Der. The moral effect of success in the State
election will be immense, and will be felt
from one end of the country to the other.
The party, no matter which it is, that shall
suffer defeat in Ohio in October, will have
Efnety-nine chances of hundred for being
defeated again in the general election in No
Venber On the other hand the party that
wins will have an equal prepon1erance of
chances for electing its candidate for Presi-
dent.
Here, thssefore, the great contest is to be
fought. The Democrats, possibly, will nom
mate Hendricks, the Governor of an adjoin-
ing State, also holding its State election in
October. This woSA5 broaden the field of the
main contest so as 10 tsxe in Indiana, and in
tensify the Importance q the October cleo
tion. Should Indiana go against the Demo-
cratic nominee he will of couIse be defeated,
provided the Republicans carry Chic. Should
Indiana go one way and Ohio the otiaer, the
disparity of chances will be reduced Nfh o
strong leaning to the Ohio side In any event,
which ever way Ohio goes the Nation will be
almost certain to follow, and consequently
Ohio must be considered not only an infuen-
tial but a controlling and almost a decisive
factor in all Presidential calculations.
The importance of this fact cannot be too
early brought before the minds of Republicans
throughout the country, nor be too thought
fully considered. While almost all the prom
inent candidates suggested are believed to be
able to carry this State, it would be an act of
folly to nominate one whose chances for SO
doing would be seriously doubtful If there
are any such they may as well be counted out
now as any time, except as subjects for mere
ly complimentary votes in the National Con-
vention. The question of carrying Ohio is
sure to be one of the main questions before
hat body.-[O S. Journal.