The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-06
THE CAMPAIGN IN ONO.

Springheld. Ill.
H CAMPAIGN IN OHIO.
The campaign in Ohio is proving the
most interesting and exciting political
contest OF the present year. On a full
vote the republicans have always car
ried the state and the chances are
strongly in favor of their doing so this
year. 1t is not so much the uncertainty
as to the outcome of the contest, as the
fact that the republican managers are
seeking to shift the issues that makes
the campaign Of peculiar interest to stu
dents of politics. The republicans
started out by putting the great apostle
OF protection at the head of their ticket,
with the purpose of making the tariff
the n overshadowing issue. But in
stead Of offensive operations on this line
we have seen them every where shrink
ing from it, and even Major Mckinley
himself, instead of leading an aggressive
fight, apologizing for and defending tho
measure of which he is the author, and
seeking to turn the canvass to silver and
other issues. All Major Mckinley is
able to say for his tax measure is that
it really hasn't done any great harm yet.
He can say nothing for it. He is unable
to point out any benefits that have fol-
lowed it's enactment into law, and he ap-
parently sees that this does not satisfy
the Ohio farmers, who have seen wool
drop four or five cents a pound this year
and farm values everywhere shrink.
Very wisely the major is trying to lead
the silent, thinking rural voters to con-
slider other questions which they do not
SO we'll understand.
Governor Campbell, on the other hand,
is forcing the fighting at every point.
He has succeeded in arranging for n
debate with Major Mckinley this week
and has tried in vain to get the major to
speak from the same platform with him
at eight other meetings, but the major,
smooth and plausible as he is, knows the
weakness of his cause and does not want
to unnecessarily prolong his campaign
Of explanation.
We're the contest being waged in any
other state than Ohio there could be
little doubt of Governor Campbells cleo
ton. But the Ohio voter is slow to
change his base. Last year Ohio was
one of two or three republican states
that stood firmly by the old party whom
the whole union underwent a revolu-
ton. True, several republican congress
mon, Mckinley among them, were de-
feated, but the head of the republican
state ticket was elected by l1,G0O plural
ity, although the prohibitionists drew
about 10000 votes from the republicans.
Indeed, for twenty years the democrats
have only succeeded in carrying the
state when the republicans were disor-
ganized or staid at home. There is no
trace in the election returns of the state
of any accessions to the democracy from
the republican party. The prohibition
lists have cut into the republican vote a
little, but not enough to impair the SUI
premacy Of that party when it gets it's
vote TO the polls.
Another thing to be borne in mind in
sPoSu1auldS oA tIe ploDdDlS outCOulo OIL
the present contest is the fact that
never but once in the past twenty years
has the state been carried by the demo-
Gratis in the year preceding a presiden-
tial election. The year after presiden-
tial elections is a ~favorite year for demo
Gratis. The only democrat who has
carried the state the year preceding q
presidential election was Gov. Hoadlv,
who was elected in 1888 by about $4,000
plurality. The republicans redeemed
themselves by sweeping the state in 1884
by $4,000 plurality. They carried it
again in 1885 by nearly $4,000 plurality,
and repeated their victory in 1886 by
10000 plurality. In 1887 the same party
elected its governor by over $4,000 plu-
rallty, and carried the presidential cleo
ton of 1888 by 10000. Foraker's quar-
rels with Sherman and Mckinley gave
the state to the democrats in 1889, and
Campbell was elected governor by H.
600 plurality. The returns showed.
however, that $4,000 republicans who
voted in the previous year at the presi-
Dental election were absent from the
polls. Had the full party vote been
brought out, Foraker would have car
ried the state by at least 10000.
We have quoted these figures to show
how heavy is the preponderance of the
republican sentiment in the state. AS
we have said, the Ohio republicans, I'M
like those Of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and
Nebraska, have manifested in the past
no inclination to leave their party. They
have staid at home on two c. three his
torical occasions to eliminate objection
able candidates, like Foster or Foraker.
but with a fairly satisfactory candidate
they have stood by their ticket. 1s MI.
Mckinley such Il candidate? We as
sumo that he is. He has excited no an
tagonlsms within the party; he has been
true to his friends; he is a man OF high
personal character, and is popular with
men of both parties. While the masses
OF his party are disappointed in not get
ting any of the promised benefits from
his tariff bill and would like to see a
general lowering of duties, it is doubt
ful IT in the year before "a presidential
contest, when the very life of the party
is at stake, these voters will have the in