New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-23
HONEST ELECTIONS IN OHIO

There is the inspiration of purest patriotism
and most fervent devotion to the public welfare
in the battle which the Republican party in
Ohio is fighting in behalf of honest elections.
A short time before he secured the Democratic
nomination from the Dayton Convention, Mr..
Campbell thought that the real issues in the
struggle were local. lie has been taken az his
word by Governor Foraker and Mr.. Halstead.
who are doing yeomen's service in behalf of
their party and its principles, and in conse-
quence Mr.. Campbell has discovered that he is
much more of a tariff reformer (Which is
euphemism for Free Trader than he was con-
scious of few weeks ago; but not until he
had fooishly attacked the Republican fortress
where its armor is thickest and its guns the
most destructive. Governor FOrakers admin
istration of the finances of the State needed no
defence. He began his first term with legacy
of debt left by his Democratic predecessor, and
in few months he placed the State on the
highway to prosperity. His clear, penetrating
Judgment and promptness Of action stood him
in the same stead in this department of his
duties that it has in the others in respect Of
which his administrations have been admirable
and conspicuous.
~
cratic candidate, born of colossal and I'M
considerable laundering for the official flesh
pots which most distinguishes the party, led him
to proclaim one of the chief purposes OF the
struggle on that side to be the abolition Of the
election laws which since 1886 have preserved
the State Of Ohio from the outrageous frauds
which for three years previou' had tainted Its
elections. The record opened by so unblushing
an attack on decency, purity and fairness IS
one that ought to dispose of the last lingering
doubt as to the outcome of the present canvass
II makes an issue out of the most shameless
crimes against free suffrage that recent pohtl-
cal history in the Northern States has to dis
close II recalls the forgeries of tally-sheets in
Columbus and Cincinnati in the hope OF Sc
curing a Democratic majority in the Legs
lature on Joint ballot. 1t brings back lively
recollection Of one of the bright ornaments in
THE TRIBUNEs famous Black List, Mr.. Mike
Mullen, who having been sent to the peni-
Tertiary for locking up 152 colored men on
election day till it was too late for them to
vote, was pardoned by President Cleveland,
and rewarded for his brief martyrdom by pro-
motion to the nspectorship of the Democratic
police of Cincinnati. 1t enabled Mr.. Hastead.
in speech delivered in Wilmington last Satur-
day night to prove that careful registration and
an honest election had reduced the Democratic
vote over 5000 in seven election precincts in
Cincinnati alone. 1t permits the Republican
speakers and newspapers to show what would
probably be the conduct of their opponents |
were they to succeed in throwing off the safe
guards with which the people of Ohio have !
surrounded their elections by recalling the case |
of Fourth Ward A, Cincinnati, where in 1884, |
though the Democratic count already exceeded |
the registered vote by six, 200 more were |
added under instructions from Democratic |
headquarters, and the figures of the tally-Shcet |
changed to correspond. Nothing more fragrant |
ly wicked and stupid than that forgery has
ever happened in Ohio, unless it was the case
of the returns handed in to the County Clerk |
by Democratic Judge of elections in 1876, on
which some much-wanted TALES were added /
opposite Democratic name in purple ink, the
document having been written originally in
black. That Judge was an Alderman as well |
as patriot, and after he had served out HIS |
period Of martyrdOm in the county jail, from
which not even the eloQuence of Judge Hoadly |
could save him, his compatriots received him
with brass band and escorted him in pro-
cession to his home.
A Governor and Senator are the grand
prizes which will reward the Republicans of
Ohio this fall if they show themselves alive TO
their duty and conscious Of their opportunity.
But even these prizes will be of small value
compared to the preservation of that system
of control which has purged the elections of
their State from the iniquitieS of former years.