Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-07-22
stsuntott Spectator.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22nd. 1891.
The Great Contest In Ohio.

The Great Contest In Ohio.
The contest in Ohio will be interesting
and exciting. Fortunately, both parties
have nominated men of character as well
as of ability. 1t would be wonder if the
Democrats should succeed, for Ohio is not
only Republican State by considerable
majority, but unfortunately fer the Demo
Gratis, their party is divided, with factions
in Cincinnati and Cleveland, two important
cities, violently opposed to Campbell, the
emccratic nominee. The New York
says "lhe Democrats of Ohio have
ated fer Governor the one man whom
be hardest for the Republicans to
s And yet the Republicans must beat him
they will be lost, horse, foot and
y 9agoons, in the autumn of '92.
AM They already see the necessity OF con-
.ributiDg very generously to the campaign
fund, aud it is safe to say that the market
price of voters who are on the fence will
run up to an unprecedented figure.
This canvass promises to be very bitter,
very close and very exciting. one of the hot
test we have had in many year.
AS to the special draMatis personae,
Major Mckinley is popular and deservedly
SO. His public record is beyond the reach
Of hostile criticism, and without doubt he
would make an efficient Governor. What
ever the people OF Ohio may think of his
absurd tariff theories, his queer notion that
the more you tax us the better off we are,
they have great respect for the man.
His opponent, Governor Campbell, is also
a man of marked ability. To record
which defies investigation is added an in.
tegrity of personal character which has
never been assailed. He is politician Of
limitless resources, shrewd, long-headed
and daring. Those who know him best &C.
cuse him of being something more than a
politician, and deliberately charge that be
has many of the finer qualities of the
statesman. They insist that he can serve
the country efficiently in a wider sphere
than the State of Ohio affords, and declare
that the hand of destiny is pointed In the
direction of the White House.
We may look to Ohio for the first Skin
mish in the Presidential battle, for the sub
ject which will control the voters of that
State is the same subject which will be de-
bated in all parts of the country next year.
The issue, stated in plain terms, is this
Are the people most prosperous and con-
tented, and have they the largest material
resources when taxed to the verge of ex-
tortion in order to accumulate money for q
Billion Congress to spend, Oh are they bet
ter off when the government is run eco
snomically and every dollar of the laborer's
earnings is left in his pocket except what
is necessary for our national current ex-
penses?
In other words, Do we want the neces-
saries of life made as cheap as possible, OF
are we hsppiest when compelled to pay ont
all our earnings for food and clothing and
to travel on the ragged edge of starvation?
So far as Mr.. Mckinley is concerned
aere is certain desperate element in this
contest. With the polls of Ohio against
him he will personally become mere pile
of political kindling wood. He stakes all
he has in the world on the result OF this
election, and if it fails him he will be
buried beyond the hope Of resurrection. No
disaster could be greater than to have his
own State tell him thst his tariff bill,
pushed through Congress By the combined
influence of every trust and monopoly in
the land, is e c3los sal blunder, that the
people have been taxed beyond the point
of forbearance aud now demand fair show
for the sale of their farm products and theiJ
labor. Such verdict would relegate him
to the darkest corner in the corridor OF
time, and it's possibility, or rather, as many
believe, its probability, furnishes about ae
strong motive for action as any man can
have.
He is bound, therefore, to win at all
hazards and ct any cost. He will see to it
that the most honeyed and persuasive
orators take the stump in his behalf, and if
they fail to convince the people there lie
nothing left but resort to the purchase Of
votes enough to carry the election.
AS to this latter device, the party bosses
will assume all responsibility. They will,
of course, back their candidate with every
argument, every kind OF appeal and every
dollar they can command. No matter how
the victory is won; everything will be for
given if SUCCESS is the result. That is the
new motto, adopted by the Republicans
during the last twenty years.
They have good reason, however, for
their present uneasy state of mind. With
the ghost Of defeat in Ohio to haunt them
they would hght the Presidential campaign
with nothing better than tie courage OF
Richard on Bosworth tiaid, and when the
fight ended they would cry for ga horse.
A horsei' in order to escape the ocndem.
nation Of an outraged people.
1t is easy to see, then, why the Republic
can leaders are especially solicitous about
Ohio and why they hoped that some other
man than Campbell would be nominated
by iSS Democrats. The situation is unu-
sually interesting
In his annual report, Col. VIM. P. Craig,
hill, of the engineer corps, states that the
further expenditure at present of money Cd
the Now river improvement would DO al