The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-17
THE OHIO CAMPAIGN.

THE OHIO CAMPAIGN.
The State election In Ohio, which comes off
In the beginning Of next October, Is univer-
sally considered as the most important poltt-
ical event which occurs this year. Poltti-
cally speaking, this Is considered rs an "o1
year" in national politics, though some OF the
most important of our State elections occur
In 1t, and the Congressional election In Call
fornia, which will furnish four new Repre-
rentatives to the National Legislature, Is
conspicuous among the electoral contests
Of 1879.
The Ohio campaign undoubtedly ahsorbs
public interest almost to the exclusion OF that
felt for the results OF the struggle for party
supremacy In any OF the many contests which
will occur next fall In other States.
The people OF the country have understood
from information furnished that the contest
on the stump and in the hustings IN Ohio
would have been opened before now. But up
to date, an active and aggressive campaign
has been opened by neither party. The ef-
forts Of the Democracy seem SO far to have
been properly devoted to perfecting the party
organization, shaping the campaign policy
and securing allies from the Greenbaek and
/ National forces In Tire Buckeye State The
party seems to have been eminently success
| full In this, the most important part OF Its
campaign labors, and 1t is ready to enter the
! field, on the first appearance of the opposing
| hosts, with Its organization intact, its mordte
perfect, and feeling Of unitcation and har-
mony peryading Its ranks.
| AS far as the indications go In the Ohio cam
paign, the advantages of position. prestige
and strength apparently are held by the
Democratic party Of the State. The Republic
cans. divided and disorganized, have lately
been devoting their chief energies to healing
the dissensi0ns promoted In the struggle Tor
supremacy between the administration. or
Sherman wing Of the party, and the stalwart,
or Grant faction. The national Republican
leaders, In moody silence, seem to watch the
work of their party candidates In Ohio. The
great lights OF the party in Washington have
withheld their sympathy from the Republic
can candidates. and are apparently utterly
Indifferent to the result of the contest. The
Ohio Republicans, therefore, lacking their old
advantage of the entire national party's sup
port, with the encouragement OF its leading
politicians and journals, tacitly confess that
they are entering upon an uphill fight. They
have fallen back on the favor OF the admins
tration as their last line Of defense. The
financial policy Of Secretary Sherman and
the friendly patronage of President Hayes
are now looked to as the only means OF saving
their party from most ignomintous defeat
Their candidates war record-an issue on
which they have hitherto builded their victo-
i RES with other candidates-cannot be twisted
| In position wherein to base an appeal to
the patriotic masses. The welding Of a calico
yard-stick In Fostoria fails to kindle sc
much enthusiasm as the appearance Of
1.-THE three-legged concern" represented by
4 Ewing and Rice, which "bled on UnioI
battle-fields." Deprived of their whilon
advantage, the Republicans, however, have
not entirely abandoned the bloody-shir1
issue. They have resurrected and brought
together the prisoners of Andersonville ant
other Southern military prisons, inspired By
the forlorn hope of instigating hatred for thu
South, and hatred logically to the Democracy
because the South happens now to be solidl,
Democratic.
When party resorts to such desperate
!, shifts as this to save itself from defeat |
shows signs Of its weakness and impotency
But the Ohio Republicans do not rely upol
this issue. They seem to have little confidenc
eE in it, and virtually abandon while the.
have SO paraded it. They have used ever,
means to form an alliance with the none.
power centred in the financial metropolis Q
the country. Their main reliance is placed Ii
, national banking corporations In New Yor
, and levies upon the national employees In tn
government service at Washington and else
where At the latest accounts Charles Foster
who wants to be Governor of Ohio, was i
Washington, where he was in consultation
with Hayes and Sherman on matters apper
tanning to the Ohio campaign. Hayes ha
promised him his support: but Sherman ha
done better, as he has, according to the hes
information, succeeded in raising for the Obi
Republicans campaign fund OF 100000, from
sthe voluntary contributions" Of clerks in tn
various departments. OF course the principle
Of civil service reform have not been violates
in doing this.
The Indications ars however, that neithe