The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-11-27

How Thurman was Defeated.
In addition to the large fund raised
by assessments on office.hOlders and
contributed by pet banks, favored con-
tractors and other beneficiaries of the
Treasury, to run the campaign in Ohio
the Republican managers were mater
tally aided by money furnished by Jay
Gould and Huntington to prevent the
election of Democratic Legislature
and thus to defeat the return of Mr..
Thurman to the Senate.
These great corporations naturally
sided with theRepublicans,f from whom
they have always derived the greatest
protection and the most partial legis.
lation. An examination of the returns
of the legislative districts in Ohio
shows that the utmost care was direct
ed to those that were considered close
or doubtful. 1t is quite evident from
the results that these points were all
covered with skill, with intimate
knowledge of their character, and with
abundant means to carry them against
all corners.
That part of the campaign was Or
ganized on business principles, and
was managed like the letting out of q
section of railroad to be built within
a certain time and at given price.
No display was made. So many dis
tricts were necessary to secure q cer-
tain and clear majority in the Legis-
lature. Agents were sent out TO the
counties where the contest was sure
to be sharp and few votes would de-
termine their political complexion.
They were all carried by the free use
of money.
Except as auxiliary to their main
object, the corporations cared little for
Foster. They fought for q Legisla-
ture to throw Thurman out of the Sem
ate, because Thurman had cost them
several millions a year, and because
his presence in that body would be an
insuperable barrier to their future op-
erations. The capital invested in that
election was laid out after a deliber-
ate survey of the whole field and with
the expectation of a most profitable
return. Besides the desire for re-
venge for the passage of the Thurman
act, Gould and Huntington looked
hereafter which is to take the life out
of that law.
They can do nothing to remedy
their case effectively by litigation, after
the recent decision of the Supreme
Court. But they are rich and power
full, and they think that they can af-
ford to wait for the incoming Repub
lican House of Representatives in the
next Congress, when a scheme will be
brought forward to relieve these roads
of the obligations imposed by the
Thurman act.
Heretofore the practice of the cor
porations has been to buy up the Gov
ernment agents, from the commission
ers appointed to inspect the roads and
certify to the fulfillment of the con-
ditions of the law regulating the issue
of bonds, down to the clerks i'm the
who had to examine their
reports. They bought Judges and
legislation like common merchandise.
They had full swing at Washington
for years, with retained agents and at
torneys in both Houses of Congress.
The Thurman act was the first great
blow at these monopolies and at the
system of organized corporate power,
which, after conquering State Legis-
latures and courts, had been able to
Congressional majorities
and to dictate the policy of the White
House.
The absorbing question of the near
future is to be whether the great COR
porations shall or shall not dominate
this Government and convert it's
mighty machinery into an instrument
of their selfshness.-[N. Y. Sun.