The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-09-26
The Ohio Quarrel.

| The quarrel among the Democrats in
| Ohio, though not so open and noisy as the
one in New York, is likely to prove as fatal
| to their State ticket. The trouble has its
| origin in the iealousies of two men and,
| like most Democratic quarreis, is entirely
one of place and position. Ewing and
| Thurman, who are both candidates for the
| Senatorship, are flying at one another's throats
with persistency and desperation that
makes it pretty certain that one or both Of
them will be strangled. As far as any prin-
| ciples are concerned in the contest in the
| State both of them are in substantial accord.
Both of them oppose the National banking
system and both of them attribute all the
business depression to the rule OF the Re-
pub ican party and predict the ruin of the
country if that rule is continued. 1t might
be supposed, therefore, that these two gem
tlemen would sink all their personal differ
ences and work together for the salvation OF
their country Such, however, is far from be
ing the casp. They seem to be perfectly will
ing that the country should go to the dogs.
The future of the nation does not concern
them half so much as their own. Thurman
is perfectly willing that Foster shall be
elected governor of Ohio, provided ne can
secure reelection to the Senate. True,
Democr attic defeat in Ohio may, and proba-
bly, will 90 far toward rendering National
Democratic success next year impossible,
and thus be instrumental in bringing on the
untold miseries that Thurman has been pre-
dieting, but Thurman probably thinks that
national distress is to be preferred to the
personal suffering which defeat for the
Senatorship would cause him, and, is acting
accordingly. To secure his own reelection,
Ewing must be defeated. The advantage
which an election to the governorship would
give the latter in the Senatorial contest
would be difficult to overcome, and
so Thurman has resolved to pre-
vent it, That is the first step. The second
is to secure a majority of the legislature IA
vorable to his own reelection. To accom-
plish these objects he has gone into the
trading business and is trying to give votes
for Foster for votes for himself. This move of
Thurmans, coupled with the fact that
good many hard-mOney Democrats have de-
clared their intention to vote against Ewing,
has caused the latter to virtually abandon
the contest for the governorship and to turn
his attention to blocking his rival. Foster
is therefore pretty certain of walk over.
The contest has become a fight simply
for the control of the Legislature.
The Democrats have so gerEmandered the
State, that the issue is somewhat in doubt.
But here again the rivalry between Thurman
and Ewing is likely to turn to the advantage
of the Republicans. Either of them had
rather see Republican Legislature than one
favorable to his Democratic opponent, and
if either finds that the other is likely to win
he will undoubtedly not hesitate to compass
his defeat by delivering the Legislature to
the Republicans. Republicans can therefore
afford to let the fight go on, resting assured
that the more bitter it becomes, the better
are their chances of success.