New-York tribune., 1879-03-13
OHIO POLITICS.
IN THE NEXT CAMPAIGN.

tOsTFR's PREMATURE PROMISENCE-JUDdE 1Afi
THE PROBABLE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE fon
GoyERNoR-"UNCLE DICKS" VAIN horho-i'h
DEMOCRATS DISPOSED TO NOMINATE GENfhAI
RrCH-yARroUs AsPIRANTs AND THEIR ChANon''
IFRoM SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUNE,
CLEVELAND. Ohio. March 4.-Judgng from the
talk one hears in this city and in CINCINNATI anu
from the expression of views at the recent cohici
ence of leading Republicans in Columbus, hepupi-
can feeling in Ohio in relation 10 cahu'u"'o
for Governor has undergone great change Sih.o
last Fall. Before and after the election "
vas conceded ON all hands that Charles Foster
,vorId rooeive the nomination. Fully three-fourths
of the Republican newspapers spoke out openly III
bi favor and not more than half dozen dissented.
The objection of the small minority was that he had
not beeu stalwart enough in the past. Dir. rosters
carlos of brilliant successes in his Congressman
district which he carried four times III
the face of heavy Democratic maJoritles III
the off-years, seemed 70 give MIN slrons
claim to the higher honOrs OF his party, ana tns
claim was considerably strengthened last ran
when declining a nomination In the Ioleuo uls'Iio"
which he might have carried, he ran again IN his
old district. gerrymandered beyond recognition and
loaded with a Democratic majority impossible 10
overcome His candidacy had the effect oil cutting
down that majority considerably ana OF giving
the Republican State ticket a poweriui hie' LII
the gubernatorial aspirations which MS long ser
vice IN Congress and his prominence III MS parry
certainly gave him the right to cherish. Mr.. Foster
had the announcement and powerful support OF
his Republican colleagues in the House. Foster Is
vel. bked at Washington. He has great deal OF
bopbommie. and dfuses atmosphere OF
stnrdv. wholesome good fellowship. 1t was
natural that men who had worked with
him for wears in the labors OF politics
and legislation should feel, as he was ABOUT
to drop ont of Congress, that he ought to be made
the Republican standard-bearer in the coming can
yass in Ohio The incipient movement OF last fall
to make him Governor was therefore spontaneous
outgrowth of his record, party services pe1sonai
fr;endsb,ns. and the attention attracted to him by
the peculiar circumstance of his being wanted as
q candidate in two Congressional Districts
TWAS premature, however. 1t began at the top
instead Of at the bottom of the party-with the
Congressman rather than with the people. lrue'
the masses seemed to cordially acquiesce, but they
did not feel That Foster had a preemption on the
Office that would hold good under all contingencies
Circumstances have changed since last Fan. Inc
course of the Democrats In Congress mas
mode tbe Republicans of OHIO exceed
incly stawart The financial issue on which
the last campaign fought 10 already
desire to make vigorous protest against the scheme
of the South to get possession of the Government
and iustify the rebellion by victory at the polls.
The last canvass was made without reference to the
Soutb but in the next little else will be talked
about This new wave of stalwart Republcanism,
set in motion by the action of the
Democrats has left Mr.. Foster far behind
He does not represent the present overmastering
tendency Of his party. Although no doubt, now
fully in sympathy with that tendency. his record
in connection with the Louisiana investigation of
1878. and with the early days of President Hayes's
Administration, is a drag upon lin
Not long ago few Cincinnati politicians VINO
had never gwen III as much as passive
adhesion to the Foster movement, determined to
bring out Judge Taft. few newspaper articles, an
interview with the Judge himself, aud very little
consultation and planning brought GRANTS last
attorney general prominently to the front. Ihe
demonstration in his behalf had substantial OASIS
of popularity and fitness TO go upon, and 1t did not
reauiro much pushing to make 1T assume formld-
able proportions Judge Taft is admired through
out the State. and next to General Gar
the rural voters of all the Ohio Republican leaders
An injustice was done him IN 1870
when hIs iudicial opinion on the question OF Bible
reading i'm the schools was used to crowd hlm out
of the place he had fairly won at the head OF the
ticket, and there has been feeling IN the party
ever since that something ought to be done TO make
good TO him that undescTved backset. In
iS77 he came within a few votes of getting
the nomination for Governor, ana "9nld
some uncertainty the mind OF the Convention
as to his acceptance. He had not been announced
"a a candid lte prior to the meeting of the COnYen-
ton and when the Cincinnati delegation threw his
name into The fight, they were not aole to produce
anv authentic withdrawal of his previously pub
lished decnatIon. so lie was beaten; but when
the elec1ion resulted in the defeat of West,
eyerv Republican 10 eGretted that Taft had not
been chosen and believed that if he had
,fnrrr a
have been won. Thus there il added to the cOnyic-
ton that he deserved the nomination IN $40 the
belief that the party was whipped In 1917 because
it was not wise enough to put hun IN the lead.
Judge Taft is o strong man intellectually. All able
though not q very brilliant speaker, and his
dignity and force OF character would put the
canvass on high plane If he should be
nominated HIS connection with President
Grants Administration, which might have dam
aged him two years ago. would rather help MN thah
Otherwise, for his renewed popularity IS largely the
effect of the Grant wave winch Is just now running
high in ONO. AS an evidence OF laits present
strength better proof need be offered than the fact
that at the meeting of the State Central Committee
III Columbus last week. which brought together
leading Repub lean politicians from All parts OF the
State he was the only man spoken OF for Governor
With "Pappy Taft" he Is atfectlonately
called. at the mead of the ticket, the Leutenant-
GovernOrsnip Will go to the Western Reserve. and
probably to Cuyahoga County, whose heavy vote Is
a power III state conventions. Colonel W. i. FOgg
a prominent and active Republican the
OF the party and S gS% SnS OF o 1ee GTneis
much spoken of as "a good and available can
dldate. lie would make creditable APP
pearlnce on the stump and AN excellent presiding
officer tor the State Scnate Democratic preference
among asprants for gubcrnatOnal hon0rs sets III
the direction of General A. V. tAmericus Vespucius)
Rice late Representative III Congress from the
AiglaIze district. General Rice working up
toward a nomination IN the convention OF 1877
when the stampede for Bishop was gotten up to
head of Ewing who was developing unexpected
strength Last Winter as chairman of the Pen
siOns Committee, lie was active in pushing through
the new pension blll, aud tins ciTcumsta ance,
ii is thought added to hls excellent NIL
itarv career will make him popular candidate.