New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-10-02
THE ONO CAMPAIGN.

Matters in Ohio are looking better for the
Republicans. The canvass is as dull and the peo-
ple are as apathetic as ever, and even the joint
discussions produce only little local warmth
in the places where they are held, which speed
ily disappears under the influence of the sur
rounding frigidity; but it has been discovered
that the new registry law works to the disad-
vantage of the Democrats. This was fOreseen
by the Democratic State Convention, which de-
nounced the law in one of the pianks OF Its
platform. II is the mildest sort OF law, only
recurring that voters who have changed their
residence from one ward or township to an
other since the last election, shall register, or
lose their votes. 1t does not affect one voter
in a hundred, and those who are affected
by it are put TO no more trouble tnan are the
whole body of electors in the cities of New-IOrk.
But it hits the shiftless population who
have 10 fixed dwellings, and completely dis
franchises the tramps who have been in the
habit of lOcIing into The towns to earn a dol
lar or two by voting the Democratic ticket.
The time for registering expired about fort
night ago, and it has since been discovered
that the Republicans with few exceptions,
who came under the requirements of the law,
have put their names on the list, while thous-
ands of Democrats have failed to do so, and
are, consequently, cut off from voting. Some
estimates place the Democratic loss from this
cause as high as 10000 votes. The result of
the registration betrays singular lack OF or
ganization and discipline on the part of the
Democrats for although it was not to be ex-
pected that the floating voters OF that party
would know the law as well as the more in
telligent Republicans, still, in any ordinarily
vigorous and well-conducted canvass, they
would have been looked up by local commit
tees, and their names put upon the tally-sheets.
Evidently the party is trusting to luck in Ohio.
and expects the election to go by default
hoping only that the other side will default
the more.
The discovery that the law is likely to prove
fatal to the Democracy has brought General
Banning to the front as chairman of the
Hamilton County committee. He is bouncing
around Cincinnati, declaiming against the re-
gistIy law as Republican trick, and trying to
rouse his party friends from their soporiic con-
dition by working upon their sympathy for
the men who will be restrained from voting
this year. 1t was not to be expected that
General Banning would like the law, but
the fragrant Odor clinging to him of Eph.
Holland, and the gangs of rcpeaters who
elected him to Congress last Fall, by
voting early and often, ought to make
him see the propriety of keeping a decent re-
trement. for u time, at least. He is a con-
spicuous example of the wisdom of the registry
law. The rascals who voted him into Congress
when the people had elected his opponent, are
for the most part secure behind stone walls
No doubt their places could be supplied, but
the law stands in the way. So Banning's tai
ents as an organizer" are not of any service
this year, and he has plenty of time to spend
in abusing the law. We should think that the
Republicans of Ohio would enjoy the spectacle.