Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-07-17
From the New York Tribune
The Greenback Party In Ohio.

The GreenDack rarity In ONO.
The Ohio campaign, which opens for the
republicans so auspiciously that the sup
porters of General Ewing already begin
to growl, is likely to prove the making or
the spelling of one political party at least.
The greenback party has name to live,
and the Ohio election will show whether it
is dead or not. In the elections of last fall
its part was not glorious. In fact, no 9th
er party ever threw away as many votes.
1t cast votes enough in all the States to
constitute a very respectable balance of
power, and yet, so greedily did its candi-
dates and managers rush after democratic
support, that it succeeded in electing a thin
omnibus load of representatives, and found
part of these in the democratic caucds
when the session began. More than nine
tenths of the votes cast by the greenback
party were wasted, because they were so
cast that the democratic party appropriated
all the results and all the glory.
1t has become clear to the managers of
the greenback party that it may better die
outright than be nibbed up in this fashion
In plain truth there is definite purpose
which that party represents, aud which the
democratic party in many localities also
pretends to represent, and one or the other
can embody that purpose with some force,
but it becomes ridiculous when it is kicked
about as football between two parties.
If the democrats are to represent it, there
Is no more use for greenback party than
for a fifth wheel to coach, and if the
greenback party is to have that place the
sooner the democratic party is dead and
buried the better. These ideas have been
growing for weeks, in the minds of men
of the greenback persuasion, and the net
result is that Gen. Ewing goes back to his
home from 'the sad sea waves" in a med
tative frame of mind
If the greenbaek voters cast their votes
mainly for Ewing they may fail to elect
him, but they will not fail to put an end
to the separate existence of the greenback
party. and to its possibility of diverting
republican votes. For they will make it
known by voting for him that there is no
reason for the existence Of any other than
the democratic party, in their opinion, for
the expression of the beliefs which they
avow. 1t is only too plain that this will
make an end of the diversion of republi-
can votes. Then the small politicians of
the greenback faith will see that they
have no future except in the democratic
ranks and thus the party will die natrl-
raj death. 1t has had no right to exist,
for months, and no power to continue ex-
listing, except in the hope that it might
draw away enough republican votes to
form balance Of power in the next Pres
idential election; and il that chance is
thrown away by vote for Il regular dem
oeratic candidate in an election of supreme
Importance, the party may as well order
its faneral at once.
The leading men of the grcenback faith
have already expressed their opinion in
line matter pretty clearly. The discom-
fort of Mr.. Ewing is not unnatural
although the kindest feelings toward
him personally are expressed by
the EXTREMIST They say, how
ever, that General Ewing is of some use
where he is. and would be of no use
whatever as governor. If he should be
transferred from a seat in Congress, that
seat would probably be filed by a hard
money republican, and the cause of soft
money would lose AN effective man in
Congress, and gain nothing On the
other hand, they reason that AN independ-
ent course this fall will make the demo-
cratic party more ready 10 consider
the wishes of the greenback party
in its Presidential nomination. If
they can show power in Ohio, and in some
other States-power enough TO justify the
.l..... that tha democratic n.,.x- o.n,,,,