New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-10-10


IRON STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRTBUSE.l
DAYTON OHIO Oct 4.-The Ohio canvass is not q
one-sided affair, as people in the East may have
been led to suppose by the reports that have come
| to the Republican papers during the past two
months. On the contrary, it is souty contested on
both sides. The Democrats are making as strong
fight they have made at any time during the past
ten years. The Foster "bOom," of which we have
heard much, is "a reality but its influence is very
little felt outside the Republican party. Crhs
word boom is detestable but the Western papers
have so fastened it upon the political vocabulary
that there Is escape from IT, The best that can
be said of 1t is that it has completely banshed the
we-wOrn phrase "tida-wave," just that super
seeded the older grounds well.1 The Foster
boom. them exists, and Is papable force inspiring
working Republicans with unusual zea and stirring
up the indifferent, who rarely vote pit In Presi
Dental years but great number Of Democrats
are swept away by 1t. and the activity is causing
In one party arOuscs antagOnstic activity
In tho other. Thus tho campaign, instead of
retreat and a pursuit Is a stubborn bat
tie, which tho Democrats do not give up
all hope OF winning in spite of their Disadvantages
of position and OF certain weaknesses in their
leader. Ewing has proven, on the whole, better
leader than expected at the opening OF the con-
test. His dreadful record of soft-money demagog-
Ism docs not seem 10 luiI MN Ilhtu n lew Ntths
ago the Republicans hoped that by spreading this re-
cord before the haId-money Democrats Of the State
$4,000 or 20 900 votes might be detached from him
and gained for Foster. Most OF them have gwen
up that hope now. Ohio Democracy Is bred In the
bone and Is not TO be cured by arguments addressed
10 the reason. The hard-mOney Democrats dislike
Ewing's financial views, but they argue with them
selves that the currency question IS settled By re-
sumption, and that no Governor of Ohio can un-
settle IT, 10 matter how absurd may be the notions
he entertains while The Presidential question Of
1850 Is not settled. and victory in OHIO this year
would give the Democratic National campaign next
year a good send-of and do more TO make 1t sue
cessful than anything that can be done in any part
of the country this Fall. BY this logic they easily
persuade themselves that it is their duty to stick to
their party.
While Ewing viii lose few votes among the old
school Democrats of the Durbin Ward stnpo by
reason of his currency theories these very theories
and the assaults upon the money-power" he
makes in line with them, givo him great
popularity among the Communistic elements
of the party in the towns and among
the poorer class of farmers In the country.
His speeches abuse history and outrage common
sense, but they inlame the poor against the rich.
and cause the debtor to put the blame for his dis
tress upon the man who leaned him money instead
OF upon nllustll. nus lucy itNc tue NtIut tuctJ
here as Scion Chase's arguments had in Maine and
as .noral Buffers candidacy has in Massachusetts,.
Every fellow who dollar and can't pay it
looks upon Tom Ewing as q great tnancler Last
night heard hun talk to audience of three or
four thousand people in front OF the Courthouse III
this city. Not half OF them could hear him or get
anything more ont of his speech than view of his
back and his gesticulatng arms. but the interest
and enthusiasm shown sufficient TO convince
an observer that the fighting spirit of the Democ-
racy is fully aroused, and that EwIng's at
tacks capitalists and moneyed interests meet
with ready response. Boiled down into few
sentences, Ewing's argument is as follows; The
debtor class are obliged to pay 81 for every one
they borrowed, by reason of demonetization of
silver and forced resumption. The money power is
grievousy depressing the people. That power con-
trolls the Republican party. To perpetuato its hold
on the Government II surrounds the polls with bay
onets and deputy marshals aud intimidates the
honest Democratic voter aud II seeks To de-
stroy the rights of the States 10 CEN
tralize all power at Washington and to
make this despotc Government. Here
is Ewingism I'm nutshell. Elaborate these
points into a two-honrs' speech and Won have the
gument on which the present Democratic canvass
in ONO is being rum An assault the banks
comes in, naturally "a part of the general attack
/
opportunity for stirring up all the dregs OF Com
! munIstc feeling which lie at the bottom of every
civilized society," General Ewing proposes no
specific measures for debtors moneyless people,
but he makes them believe that if the Republican
party is defeated and the banks destroyed year of
Jubilee will come when every mans pockets Will b.
stuffed with greenbacks, and when creditors Will
cease from troubling.
Ewing i too intelligent man and too much of
gentleman by birth and breeding 20 fit well INTO his
role of a dcmagogue. lie has a fine presence, face
that bears the stamp of intellect courteous and
genial manners and clear, pleasing style OF speech
In short. he would be taken BY his looks for a Re-
publican anywhere In the North, or If suspected OF
Democratic pr,clIyites, they would be supposed 10
be of n mild. high-toned, conservative character
His personal graccs and mental culture. however,
make him more formidable an opponent for the Re
publicans than man of the ordinary lugw hanger
type of Democratic orators could possibly be:
About a fortnight ago the u. IIuCtHtlc leaders
made up their minds that they could keep their
hard-moncy vote. which, earlier III the canvass,
they feared would bolt. THIS gave them fresh
courage. and they have since had hopes oi elccing
Ewing. They sill making thc Legislature the
chief point toward winch to direct their efforts.
but their stumping campaign IS general and yigor-
Gus all over the State. aud is 10 be strengthened
next week by fresh arrival Of orators from the
East Ample funds are in the hands of their CON-
mittee not only To pay legitimate campaign ex-
penseS but To use In underhaud ways III carving
the close counties 20 all appearances the Demo
il elected Allen IN s73 and Bishop IN 1877. There
is however a disaiiccted element, winch the lead
ers are probably not aware Of themselves, and
which can only be discovered by careful inquiry
through the medium of private conversations. II
j. not strong element numerically, and doesn't
make any noise. refer To such o: the business
men in towns and cities. connected with banks,
RAJ roads, insurance companies manufactures ana
large commercial houses, as are Democrats 10y haDt
and education, though not patlsans. 10 men of Tins
class Ewing's financial views are Odlou~. and many
of them will quietly scratch his name from tier
tickets without talking about what they are gOug
TO 40 beforehand except to their intimate friends.
In every town have visited | have heard few
Il