Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-12-05
POLITICS IN OHIO,
What Murat Halstead Has to Say About
iIr. Foraker's Defeat.

What Murat Halstead Has to Say About
Mr. Foraker's Defeat.
There is anxious labor on the part Of
the Democratic leaders to find some
thing in the election returns that may
be interpreted to mean that the country
has lost confidence in President Har-
rison and his Administration.
Speaking for Ohio, we have to say de-
cidedly that the question whether the
Republican form of government was well
conducted since the 4th of March last
did not enter gravely into the discus
sions Of the late campaign. The Repub-
lican speakers were in the habit of say
| ing good word for the President, and
the Democrats seldom referred to Ne
tional affairs, save when they had TO
talk little tariff, just to keep up APP
pearances. Their tariff arguments were
utterly without force-the mere roaring
of transformation.
An effort was made to excite attention
to the removal of Corporal Tanner, but
it was failure. The Ohio struggle was
fought on local issues. Occasionally q
Democratic paper would say that if For
aker was elected he would .un for the
Presidential nomination in 1892, and
strive with this far-fetched fancy to
arouse jealousy, but nothing came of
it. The fact that Campbell represented
the crowd opposed to Cleveland and
hateful toward him, AMI that the cleo
ton of Campbell would make point in
connection with Hill against the Demo-
cratic ex-President was mentioned, but
the people cared nothing about it.
Home affairs absorbed attention-and
the Owen law changed the votes right
here in Cincinnati alone that would
have elected Foraker and Republican
Legislature. The question of turning
the whole country over to the Democ-
racy was not before the people.
Even the distinct National matter
that the General Assembly will have
the State to redistrict for Congress-did
not arouse more than languid interest.
What the dude and Democratic and
damphool editors are terming the per-
sonalities of the campaign, and their
lamentations that it was not fought on
high plane, by which they mean the
analysis of vulgar fractions in tariff
schedules-was actually a contest over
problems of State and municipal govern
ment. The vital issues were whether
the non-partisan board system should
be northumberland with it the election
laws, and the preservation of orderly
and fair elections-and whether ''the
thieves" should be kept down in our
towns or given the reins of government.
These were the matters discussed, and
the personalities were but incidental.
As for ourselves, we regard our course
as marked by astonishing moderation.
The victory won in Ohio has been by the
worst, the smartest and the most reck-
less, the boldest and the most unscrupu-
lous band of cut-throats ever known in
any State of the Union. The difficulty
is that the truth about the scoundrels
now supreme is incredible.
The most disreputable of the happen
ings of the campaign is the appearance
in behalf of this crowd, and their in
dorsement by respectable citizens, who
have a fanatical infatuation for the
Democratic party as barbarous as the
superstitions of Congo negro or Hot
tentot. Or if there is any thing equal to
this in the developments it is the dead
ly folly of respectable Republicans who,
with all their lofty professions, were
basely ignorant of their own surround
ings and falsely and shamefully preju-
diced in scratching Governor Foraker,
who has done more for the good name
of the city and more good works for her
than any Governor of the State from
territorial times down. The ultra-re-
spectacle people have shown a disgust
ing incapacity for self-government
They are too particular about small mat
tiers to be of any account in matters Of
oment.-Cincinnati Comm ercial Ga
Zette,