The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-10-10
THE CONTEST or THE OHIO GIANTS.
A Review OF Thursdays Political
Discussion at Ada.
McKInIey's Logic and EIoquence
Against campbeII's Dexterity.
The major Had Decidedly the Best
of the Governor.

NEW YORK. October THE Tribune's
despatch from Ada, Ohio. thus reviews the
great political debate at that place between
Major Mckinley and Gov. Campbell. yester-
day:
Major Mckinley gave frankly to his hear
ers his views on the question Of the free
coinage of silver. He attacked the free
coinage plank of the Democratic platform
and defended the silver legislation Of the
last Congress. in which he had part. Gov
ernor Campbell, in spite Of his recent decla-
ration to the leaders of the Peoples party
that he would willingly go half fway with
them toward their goal Of an irredeemable
currency, could not be drawn today into the
slightest allusion to the free-coinage plank
of the party platform. Major Mckinley
broadly challenged him to defend free coin
age, and from the audience came calls of
"How about silyer?" at every halting place
in his two speeches, but neither In opening
nor closing the debate would the Governor
unboso,n himself on this important question.
Again, when the tariff issue was discussed,
and that was the supposed topic to which the
Governor pretended to c0nfne himself-he
for revenue tariff or an incidentally pro-
tective tariff, or complete free trade, but re-
stricted himself to attacks on specific clauses
of the Mckinley bill, and to the general con-
tenti0n that there was an unequal distribu-
tion OF wealth in this country, under which
the farmer and the factory laborers and, In
fact, the great body Of the people, suffered.
When asked whether he would raise reve-
nu5 for the support OF the government by re-
imposing the duties on tea, coffee and sugar,
he again eVaded committing himself to any
thing In the way of an affirmative plan of
off xxrtfh
some irrelevant reply. Governor Campbelps
programme is, In fact, simply one Of
political pessimism, finding, at whatever
cost of logic and consistency, what faults he
can with existing conditions, but offering no
lucid or ineligible remedy for what he
calls obscurely the unequal distribution of
wealth." Such shadowy and uncertain de-
clarati0n OF principles offers, indeed, no
ground OF serious argument, and Mr.. Camp
bell has to clOthe its inadeQuacy with a sue
cession of iippant and irrelevant efforts to
amuse and entertain his audience. He has
the gift of good humored .and clever style,
and his fun at the expense Of what he called
the failure to make tin plate In Ohio formed
the real backbone Of his whole reply to Ma
jor McKinley's admirable and forcible state
ment OF the purpose and results OF the pro-
tective system.
With the average crowd in town or city.
Governor Campbelps humOrism might have
proved more catching and popular than the
serious and dlgnifed oratory Of Major Nc
Kinley. But among the intelligent and
thinking class of farmers, who made up so
large portion of the audience, the sincerity
and power OF the Majors aggressive and SUBJ
stantial argument made the more profound
and lasting impression, aud it was the Re-
publican candidate who drew out at every
point the heartiest and least perfunctory APP
plause. Major Mckinley has a genuine elo-
quence and SURPRISING force as a public
speaker. and there iare few men in public
life who can rival him in the command which
he exercises over sympathetic audience