New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-05
THE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN IN OHIO

THE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN IN OHIO
The Democrats Of Ohio are to hold their
State Convention for the nomination OF GoV-
ernor and other officials the latter part OF this
month EX-Congressmn Campbell. who is the
most prominent candidate for the inverted
pleasure Of being beaten by Governor Foraker,
has Just been unbosoming himself to a reporter
touching his party's prospects i'll the approach
ing canvass. He starts out by affirming that
"the chances Of Democratic success IN ONO
this year are very bright" but there is nothing
in what he further says to warrant the hopeful
assertion. lie explains that it will be the pol
icy of the managers Of the campaign to force
the fighting on State issues, and touch lightly
upon the tanff question.
This looks very much like playing into the
hands Of the Ohio Republicans. Certainly
nothing can please them better than to have
the campaign turn largely on State issues.
For, as was lately shown in these columns, the
contrast between Republican and Democratic
administration in the Buckeye State during
recent years makes campaign document which
the more it is studied by intelligent voters the
better il will be for Governor Fofakers pros
poets and the worse for those of his opponent
whoever he may be. Under the last Demo
cratic Governor the States finances were con-
spicuously mismanaged. Notwithstanding the
fact that when he took the Executive chair
there was over $780, 600 in the State Treas
uiy. Governor Hoadly turned over to his sue
cessor deficiency of over 81 100000. Under
Hoadly the Penentiary was run at a large
loss under Foraker it has been more than sell
sustaining. Under Hoadly the credit of the
State steadily declined; under Foraker it has
steadily improved BY all means, MIR. Camp
bell, let State issues figure largely in the OHIO
canvass.
1t is only natural that the Democrats Of Ohio
should fight shy of the tariff question. Burnt
children dread the fire. The free-trade ele-
ment of the democracy is pretty certain to con-
troll the coming convention, and will doubtless
feel compelled for cOnsistencys sake to in
dorse the platform which proved fatal to Cleye-
land and Thurman last year. 1t is an embar-
RAISING situation, and Mr. Campbell confesses
as much in the remark attributed to him in the
interview in question. 1t is mighty poor
policy" he remarked "to make campaign
on an issue which you know is losing one.
think in the long run we will gain
by advocating tariff reform but the fact re-
mains that the Democrats have never been
able to carry Ohio on a National issue. and
do not think this is a good time TO try" This
certainly is frank, if not discreet. But can it
be possible that the Congressman imagines that
anything his party can do will result in rele-
eating the tariff question to a back seat? Does
he suppose that the men of Ohio have already
forgotten the campaign of 1888 or that the
majority of them are now prepared to condone
a party which then went on record as menace
to American industry? Oh, no, Mr. Campbell,
both State issues and the tariff issue are certain
to figure in the Ohio canyaSS-in fact, it is alb
surd not TO regard the tariff issue as in an i'm
potant sense a State issue.
Discretion being the better part of valor, we
advise the Congressman not to accept the Dem
ocratic nomination for Governor-unless he be-
lieyes that he stands in need of the Christening
influences Of defeat. Governor Foraker has
earned reelection by good and faithful ser
vice. and the Republicans of Ohio have only to
do their best to assure his success.