Los Angeles herald., 1891-09-21
M,KrNLEY.s PLAN OF CAMPAIGN.

M@kANLkI FLAN Ut OAMEAlUNs
Governor Campbell has opened the
campaign in Ohio on the Democratic
side with vigor that will tell when it
comes to count the votes. Ill health re-
tarded his appearance upon the stump
until after his competitor, Mckinley,
and Senator Sherman had committed
themselves to a plan of campaign.
Curiously enough, the author of the
war tariff bill went before his people
with a speech devoted almost exclu-
sively to an attack upon free coinage of
silver, and ignoring the great question
that so conspicuously divides the two
parties. No doubt the Democrats OF
Ohio are divided upon the question of
free coinage. Perhaps a large per cent
age of them are under the spell of the
gold-bugs and have fallen victims to the
monometallic sophistries of John Sher-
man. This would account for McKin-
1ey's plan of campaign. If he could
ignore the tariff, the Republican farmer,
who is disgusted with policy that
taxes him to death for the benefit of
monopolists, might be held to his party
allegiance, whilst the Democrat who is
afraid of the silver dollar might be won
over to vote for high tariff under the
delusion that free coinage of silver would
scale the honest dollar of the country
down to 78 cents. Sherman took this
attitude. and Mckinley followed suit.
It is an evidence of Governor Camp
bells return to physical and mental
health that he met the tactics of the
enemy in way that will force him to
throw off the mask and confront the
real issue of the campaign. Whilst he
admitted that there was an honest diff
terence of opinion amongst the Demo-
erats on the silver question, yet he
wanted to know, if Mckinley was sincere
In his opposition to that metal, why he
voted in congress few years ago to sus-
pend the rules and pass measure pro-
viding for the free and unlimited coin
age of silver. Mckinley voted for the
Bland bill in 1877, which provided that
any holder of silver could deposit it in
any mint and have it coined into stand
ard dollars.
This, of course, settles McKinley's
planOf campaign. He emust abandon his
line of silver attack and come back to
the tariff question, which is one of great
danger to his cause, especially amongst
the farmers and laborers of Ohio.
Governor Campbell is armed at all
points on the infamies of the Mckinley
war tariff in time of peace, and in the
days that remain for him to make his
fight before the people he will riddle his
opponent with red-hot shot.
1t is apparent from the character of
the demonstrations the Republicans are
making in Ohio that they are opening
i'bar'ls" of money in order to carry the
state by all the devices known to the ex-
pert and experienced politicians
of that party. To lose Ohio,
with the father of high tariff
at the head of the ticket, would be
disaster of far-reaching consequences.
Its effect on the presidential campaign
of 1892 would be staggering to the Rep
ublican leaders. With the new west
ern states in revolt and creatinga third
party out of the old Republican ranks,
the loss of Ohio at the present time
would be simply a catastrophe from
which recovery would be impossible.
Therefore the Republican leaders will
leave no stone unturned to achieve a
victory in that state. The fat will be
freely fried out OF the monopolists who
are piling up millions through the pro-
tecting care of Republican legislation,
and money will be spent lavishly to
turn votes over to Mckinley.
1t is really a struggle for life
with the Republican party. But
with the Democratic party
tits very different. 1t would not rufiie
it very much to lose a state that has
only chosen two Democratic governors
in forty years. Indeed it would not be
proper to call it loss. 1t came to us
at the last gubernatorial election by
chance. But should it come to us again
this time, there would be more than
chance at the bottom of it. 1t would
show that a great and radical revolution
is coming up from the people, and that
the days of class legislation are over.
The Democracy can lose nothing as a
national organization by defeat in Ohio.
The Republican party, however, is in
the position of the gambler who has all
at stake.
just now the banner of Jefferson is
cleaning gaily in the sunlight OF Ohio,
and if it is not leading to victory, it will
mot be found stranded in ignoble defeat.