Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-06-21
The Coming state Canvass.

The Coming State Canvass.
We are still months away from the
&C tive work of the campaign in Ohio.
Until the State Conventions meet-the
Democratic on the 25th of July, and the
Republican on the Ist of August-it is
impossible to say what issues will be
uppermost, or whether there will be
any vital issues at all beyond the mere
conflict of party orgariZ .tions and the
competition bet 3eeti two sets of men
named as candidates. The force of po-
litical habit and the power of establish
ed political machinery will keep the
great mass of voters within their ac-
|customed party lines, in any event.
But there will also be thousands of new
voters, and other thousands who are
accustomed to vote with one party or
the other, just according to the mood
in which election day finds them. In
which direction these two classes shall
the more strongly incline depends upon
circumstances not now calcula6le with
anytLing like certainty. One other
consideration, perhaps still more i'm
portant, is the fullness oftbe vote,
which varies quite largely in different
years. Whatever tends to produce dis
affection and Indifference, on either
side, Is therefore an important element
ia the case, and often controlling one.
as we have experienced in. our State
elections.
These general facts of the situation
all political leaders understand, and will
form their plans of campaign with a
view to bold their ranks firmly togeth-
er, to bring out their whole vote. To
this end, cur opponents will seek to
manufacture issues, if no real ones eX-
ist. They will aim to promote divi
sions in the Republican party, and to
induce all possible lukewarmness and
and indifference in its ranks, while cul-
tivating Democratic enthusiasm and
harmony to the utmost extent.
Ohio is, to-day, as for toe last twenty
years, Republican on full and honest
vote. Nothing but the most barefaced
frauds brought our majority down last
year to so low figure. With our new
Registration law, we ought to stand at
least relatively 10, 900 better than then,
other things being equal.
j Hence, the Democratic opposition to
this attempt to protect the ballot-bOx
from desecration. We challenge the
Il Democratic State Convention to make
the registration law an issue of the
campaign, as their press and local con.
II ventions have demanded. We want
! no better local issue. 1t will be in this
lcampaign as potent for our side, as was
the 'Geghan act in former one. a
i We-ha another advantage over
our opponents, as compared with for.
j mer years, in the Greenback question
4 National Democratic Convention, last
} year, put its foot down heavily on the
Greenback infiationists, and on Ewing
As their Ohio representative. 1t is toe
much to hope that this g-baby, which
the whole Democratic party has trod.
den over in procession and tramped
into dirty shreds will again be elevated
for the worship of the Ohio Democracy
The 25th of July Convention would
lgreaily oblige US by trying that expert
i ment. But they will not. They will
probably fall back on the Republican
position-happily stated by President
Hayes in words that should be em.
bodied in the Republican State plat
form. We are in favor of "a full re-
turn to the condition of things, in re-
! lation to the double standard of gold
and silver, which existed previous tC
+ the legislation of 1873, being convinced
that such a return to the former system
will greatly promote the resumption O
}, specie payments" That is the whole
in nutshell. We are willing to &C
into the fight on that issue, should the
Democrats choose to put themselves in
an opposing attitude. 4.ca.- 7-,.. .-
The whole Southern question is TAX
en- out of the coming canvass, so far as
any issue made by the emOcfacy
against the Administration is concern
t ed. The Democrats have now posses
sion of every State Government iE the
South, and if any issue is raised on thai
matter it must be in regard to the
II Democratic methods of exercising
''local self-government," and to the
manner of fulfilling The pledges made
by the Democracy in favor of protect
ling white and black citizens, both and
equally, irrespective of partisan opin.
}, ions, in all their civil rights. The
Democrats approve the Southern policy
! of President Hayes. Let the Republi.
can hold the Democratic party respon-
sible for the faithful performance of all
that. on their part, this policy exacts.
This is the attitude the Republican
Stdte OOuVSutiUu SuOuiu pf0Seut vi tue
ISouthern question. On this, every Re-
publican, of whatever shade of opinion,
can cordially unite. There is no Occa-
sion for any division over this subject,
and no expression of extreme views on
either side, in this regard, is called for
now-none would be in place.
Altogether, so far as can now be fore
seen, the outlook is fair for united and
earnest Republican action in the COM
campaign in Ohio, and for signal
success in October. Let nothing be
done rashly or factiously, that may
tend to mar this favorable prospect
Gin. Times.
The Wool Market.
The New York Economist looks up
10 ~ q