The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-10-12
THE OHIO DEMOCRACY,

Union has shown more frequent and VIC
lent political changes than Ohio, there is 9
method about her instability that generally
relieves II of the character Of a surprise
Up TO 1910 Ohio had never cast an anti
democratic vote. Since then her electoral
vote has been cast for but three democratic
presidents against elk republicans; yet In
"off years" since 1872 the democrats have
nearly as often carried the State as the re,
publicans, by majorities ranging Gas In
1882 up to 10000 so that the State has sci
dom been without at least one democratic
L. s. Senator.
The secret of this persistent vitality OF
the Democracy of Ohio Is that Its people
are really welded to and I'm bued with
democratic principles. The great and not
able successes of the opposition have gen.
orally been gained In seasons of special
excitement or popular hullaboo or delusion,
like the famous hard cider campaign of
1910, the loyalty yell of 1868, and the
periodical bloody shirt howls since then.
The democratic victories have been gained
when the popular mind had Gained down
and cool reason held sway.
Thus, while In regard to the general
principles on which the two great parties
of the day are divided, such as relate 10
paternallsm, rigid economy In the govern
ment, financial stability, and especially to-
day to excessive protection and oppressive
tariff taxation, the calm, sober mind of a
majority of the people of Ohio, judged by
past experiences, may almost be surely re
lied upon as democratic. This Is shown
by the vote In 1886, when the Republicans,
though electing their Governor by small
majority, were really 10000 In the minority
on the popular vote. At that election the
rural population voted their cool and hon
est sentiments on the subject OF tariff re-
form and kindred questions, and the result
showed the majority Of the people at heart
to be democratic.
At the Presidential election In 1888,
however, through the efforts Of John Sher-
man and Gov. Foraker, In again waving
the bloody shirt and reiterating the sterec-
typed howl against the southern Briga.
diers,' as in most of the Northwestern
States, the Changers we're once more
knocked of their base, and forgetting
their tariff reform convictions and that the
war was over, again voted to "down the
South"
In the pending campaign, however, no
artificial excitement is apparent to drive
from the farming population their cool and
honest conviction that through socalled
protection" they are really made the cats
paws with which the chestnuts are taken
out of the fire to fatten other industries
than their own. The "Home Market" de-
luslon will scarcely deceive them, while
they have the sense Ito see the utter fallacy
Of the proposition" as young Thurman
says, that man can get rich by buying
from himself and selling to himself. Such
nonsense only breeds contempt"
But aside from this advantage on the
tariff question, the Democrats have decid-
eddy the upperhand of their opponents on
local Issues. One of the grlevous affections
from which the State has suffered for sew
eral years Is Forakerism. A young man,
possessing no solid qualities, but swayed
by boundless ambition, endowed with the
cunning OF a thousand foxes and armed
with mouth as dreadful as Corporal Tan
ner's, Foraker is not only the ridicule and
scorn Of the democrats but the dread of
the better men of his own party. Know
Ing the disposition Of the latter, on the
first suitable occasion, to "down him." For
aker devised scheme, a few years ago, by
which he hoped his power could be fas-
tened on the State like perpetual night
mare. The scheme was to take the gov
eminent of all the cities and leading mu-
inequalities of the State out of the hands
Of the people and place II In the hands Of
three or more commissioners for each
municipality, appointed by himself and
holding power at his will. How this works
may be illustrated by the single case Of
Cincinnati. Here Foraker's Board of
Public Affairs" is really more powerful
than the mayor and city council combined.
1t appoints nearly all the municipal officers
of the city, some 400 In number, with a
pay roll of $SOO,OOO year, and every enc
Is the sworn servitor and tool of Foraker.
That the possibilities for corruption by such
an arrangement are Infinite is again Illus
trated In the case of Cincinnati. All the
public works, street Improvements, &c, Of
all the Ohio cities and larger municipalities
are In the hands of these boards. Mr..
Campbell, the Democratic candidate for
Governor of Ohio, has brought out letter
written by Topp, one of Foraker's commits
sioners in Cincinnati. to local contractor,
wherein Topp says;
please make out your bills for gravel
that you have delivered up to June g.
Make the bills 81 yard and you pay me q
drawback Of 25 cents q yard In cash. I
bought your gravel very cheap, and II Is
fairly worth 81 70 the city. Get your bills