Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-09-23
The Great Issue in Ohio.

There is a diSpOS ton on the part OF
Democratic papers to assert that Major
Mckinley in Chic has abandoned the
tariff issue and proposes to fight his
battle on the silver question, because in
his first and opening spec h of the cam
paign he made the silver problem the
subject of his opening remarks
They are welcome to &c Give them
selves on this ore, if they so eiect, says
the New York ress, but it is not to be
overlooked that while Ma or Mckinley
devoted the first twenty minut-s of his
address to the implement of the Demo
cratic party of Ohio for its unlimited
coinage plank, and quoted the Demo.
cratic national idol, Mr.. Cleveland, to
show the extent to which they had de-
parted from the Demo cracy Of the
Cleveland era, he gave his fullest atten-
tion, his greatest weight his most in
tense thought, and his most powerful
diCtion to the portion Of his speech in
which he dwelt on the tariff in general,
the protective tariff in the case of the
United States, and the Mckinley bill in
particular
AS reported in full, his remarks on sill
yer occupied only about one-fifth of the
space devoted to the tariff space does
not always indicate weight, but the space
devoted to these two topics by Major
Mckinney happens in this instance to be
somewhere near their relative import
ance. The tariff issue is the great issue
in Ohio, with which nothing can dispute
supremacy.
Nevertheless it was good politics for
Major Mckinley by putting silver to the
front, to challenge the Democratic posi-
ton on that subject, and let the people
no, Mid e.
all the shining lights of Democracy in
the East in favor of keeping down silver
circulation, lest it should destroy the
double standard, and with fully half the
Democrats in Ohio agreeing with this
Eastern view, the Democratic conyen-
ton nevertheless passed a resolution de-
claring that the country must have I'M
restricted coinage Of silver. The plank
was scarcely cold in ink before Cover
nor Campbell half repudiated it by saying
that it would not become an issue in the
campaign, and that, while it was the
act of the convention, it would cut no
figure.
The convention undoubtedly passed the
resolution to cater to the Alliance vote
The Governor as undoubtedly saw in it
O. dangerous weapon to cut away from
his support the German-Americans, who
have supported Jnc DCmOCTdGS Ou Lu6
! liquor question in Ohio, but never fail to
| vote with the Republicans on the money
| question Major Mckinley, therefore,
very properly called his antagonists to
| time by putting the silver question well
| to the front 1t was good politics that
dictated his course.
The paramount issue in Ohio, how
ever, is the tariff, and the Democrats
may be sure there will be no Sinking
| it, no side-tracking, no letting down
| in it's advocacy Ohio is peculiarly
well adapted for discussion of the
tariff policy of the country. 1t might
be termed a free field with nc
| favor. 1t is neither pref Onderatlngly an
| AGRICULTURAL nor manufacturing State,
but combines nearly all the elements
that enter into the prosperity OF her sis
ter States, the mining OF precious
metals alone excepted 1t is protection
! State, both as regards manufacturing
and agriculture Its wool-growing in
dustry alone engages q sufficient mum
Der of voters to turn the ma ority either
| way as between parties.
Besides, the nomination of Major Nc
Kinley stamped the issue of protection
| indeliby en- the Ohio contest-so in
deIibiy that it cannot be removed by any
/ agency whatever And so, while WI
| have the tremendous advantage there
in the foolshness and laundering OF thi
Democrats on silver, we have also thu
benefit of a contest as the main issue OF
the great American principle-protec
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