Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-14
THE OHIO BATTLE AND ITS
PROBABILITIES.


THE OHIO BATTLE AND ITS
PROBABILITIES.
ii is not our purpose at this writing
when within twenty-iOur hours hence
we shall know with sufficient certainty
the result Of the vote in Ohio to-day, TO
try 10 convince the readers OF the
REGISTER that it will be Democratic
victory or a Democratic defeat.
We could present, without much
difficulty, view Of the situation on pa
per that would be quite conclusive OF
success iur the Democrats. And We
could 20 deeper down into the measures
and means and motives that are often
silently and secretly set To work in a
political campaign, AMI which are so
productive OF surprises in all the his
tory Of politics, and make II appear not
only possible but probable that the lie
publicans will carry Ohio to-day.
We could take the statistics OF the
vote I'M Ohio for a series Of years past,
and present case Of probabilities quite
convincing ON either side. To the very
creduluus calculator, the simple state
mcnt of the iudisputabIe fact that at
the last gubcrnatoriaI election the Dem
ocratS carried the State by a majority OF
over -. 1000 votes, might carry over
whrhuius conviction of the success OF
the Democrats to-day. Standing alone,
that fact is very stubborn one, but
unfortunately 10 must be taken in con-
ncction with the subsequent revelation
that al the last election, in 1873, the
Republicans carried the State by ma
ioritv Of 3,l54. These figures are all
that are necessary 20 show the nature
anil extent of the surprises that Ohio
laws I'm store for the political prophets.
But there are other statistics that enter
into the calculations of the campaign
which closes to-day, that are relied upon
TO a very great degree in iorecasting the
result. We know that in the last cleo
ton i'm Ohio, twelve months ago, the
Grccnbackcrs east a vote amounting to
3. 30. We know that this number OF
votes thrown against either the Demo
cratic or Republican ticket would more
than overcome the majority that either
the Democratic or Republican party is
able to pile mp against its opponent, on
the most sauguinc calculation.
II is plain, therefore, that the Green
hackers hold the balance Of power in the
State. Il has been conceded from the
first that they have it in their
power To decide the election to-day
AMI will decide it in iavorof one or the
other of the chief parties in the contest.
Ohio is Republican state when its full
vote is polleI, hut it is not Republican
against combination OF the Democratic
and Grceuback parties.
The whole question rs to the result
seems to resolve itself into the one in
quiry as 10 where and ON which side the
bulk Of the Greenbark vote will be cast.
II would seem natural that it should 90
to Gen. EwING. The Republicans have
generally conceded as much. The lead
ing Grceubackcrs vouch Tor it. \ dis
patch from Columbus which appears in
our columns this morning, states that
after a careful canvass Of the Grcenback
voters, Just completed, the figures show
that 1923 will 80 To- EwING and hut
2,G77 To his opponent, FOSTER.
This calculation is not above or be-
youd the expectations Of the Demo
Gratis or the assurances Of the Green
backerS themselves. And yet there are
Republicans in Ohio, quite well inform
el, who express thcms Ives as confident
that the Grrcubackrrs will all resume
their old party affiliations in ballutiug
to-day. and the majority of them will
vote with the Republicans, where they
originally belonged. While We think
they are honest i'm this belief, We are
very strongly inclined % think they are
counting without their host
A.ain. ii we throw aside figures, and
rely upon the opinions and belief of
men who have travelled through the
State, and mjxcl with the people, and
learned the public sentiment 10y actual
contact with the MASSES who have the
result i'm their hands, We have the most
positive, sincere AMI unqualified assur-
1urcs ON the one hand, that Gen. EwING
will be VIGOROUSLY elected. ~ single
example We might cite the opinion OF
Speaker RANDALL, who passed through
our city. yesterday. lie Is man who
is accustomed to observe tine course OF
politics. who has conferred with the
leading men in the Ohio campaign, and
who has been taking an active part in it
for some time past. lie gives it rs his
opinion that Gen. EwING will be the
next Governor OF Ohio. He, more
over, states that Gen. EwING is himself
morally certain Of election. This is only
one expression, among multitude OF
men whose judgment is Of value, to the
same effect. And on the other hand,
there are multitudes of Republicans who
are equally confident in their belief and
in the expression OF opinions directly
opposed to such a result. Our own
opinion is that none OF them know any
thing about it.
The most we know about the Ohio