Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-07-25
THE OHIO DYNAMTTERs.
A Republican Criticism OF Political
FreebOOters.
[From Harpers weekly.l

OPENING THE CAMPAIGN IN OHIO.
The political campaign of the year
opened In Ohio by the action of the Re-
publican Convention. 1t was an event
of peculiar interest as the first import
ant demonstration of the administra-
ton party since its return to power:
But that its action was inspiriting or
auspicious, no honest Republican would
assert. The three able and chief Re-
publican leaders In Ohio are Senator
Sherman and Messrs Butterworth aud
Mckinley. They were all opposed to
the denomination of Governor Foraker,
but Governor Foraker was renominated.
Whatever may be his private virtues,
as public man he is merely an extrav-
agant partisan of the Corporal Tanner
school. His apparent aim is to produce
sensation by outdoing the party vio-
lence and folly of the most reckless
stump ranters, and that, as against the
wishes of the Republicans we have
mentioned, he should be enthusiastic-
ally selected as the representative of
Ohio Republicanism, is a very signif-
cant fact. AS the New York Tribune
truly remarks, the platform matches
the candidate. Its important points
are the declarations for protection and
for general service pension. the extra
ordinary bid for the Irish vote In spe-
officially praising the appointment of
Patrick Egan, and the absolute silence
in regard to civil service reform. This
is what is now called Republicanism in
Ohio.
The declaration for protection, al
though not in accord with the views of
original Republican leaders, is its pres
ent platform of the party. But the de-
mand for a general service pension is a
new departure. 1t is not a pension for
wounds, illness, or disability, nr even
poverty, but for service only, to be paid
to the vigorous and prosperous rs we'll
as to the disabled. 1t would consume
the surplus and stimulate even an In
creased tariff, while 1t would suspend
all enterprises looking to national de-
fenses; and degrade the generous and
noble instincts or unselfish patriotism
This it wonld do, not because of any
necessity or obligation, or even as ma
tional charity, but simply as a bid to
secure the "soldier vote" The bid for
the other vote, the Irish, is made 10 the
form of commencing the appointment
as a foreign minister to the United
States of a newly naturslized Irish agi.
tator, whose sole political interest, SO
far as appears in the contest of ireland
with England. This Is the only ap.
pointment of the administration which
is praised, and this appointment is in,
tended to c0nciliate, among others4the
members of the secret club offoreigners
l'organized to take part in foreign politics
and now implicated IN murder In pur.
suance of its ends.
While the Ohio Republican Conven.
ton thinks fit to make these declara.
tions as illustrating the Republican
principles, policy, and spirit of to-day
1t carefully and contemptuously omits
any allusion to the question of civil
service reform, upon which the nation.
al platform of last year made SO trench.
ant declaration: In Ohio, it appears,
profuse adulation of Irish dynamiters
Is good Republicanism, but civil service
reform is not. 1t was stated in the ac.
counts that Mr.. Mckinley, who report
ed the national reform declaration oi
1884 and 1888, would submit a resolu.
tiOn of the same general character to
the platform committe. If he did SO il
was rejected, and even the amusing re.
mark of the chairman of the conven.
tion that the party had pledged itself to
reform and would keep its pledge, was
received with grim impatience.. This
is theopening of the Republican cam
paign of 1889. That there are hosts ol
honest Republicans disgusted with such
a party manifesto is unquestionable
But if a party be an agency to promote
the public welfare, would it. be bettel
for the Republicans to succeed or to bt
defeated upon such PLATFORM