Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-09-12
In the Politics Of the Country and Doubt
full States.
WILL KEEP THEM GUESSING.
The Great Thing to Fear is the Peoples Party, Which
at Present is an Unknown Quantity
The Situation in Ohio and
New York.
spsefa. telegram to the Rsoine-.


much political work being done as this
year. Even In states where only minor
state officers are TO be elected this fall
the prospects are discussed as II much
depended upon them and 1t may be said
with substantial accuracy that the ma
tional committees Of the two great poll
tical parties are now watching and d.
recting the political movements over the |
whole country in way they have never |
before done except during the Presiden-
tial campaign,
Even the campaign of Pennsylvania,
where no officer higher than State
Treasurer and Auditor General are to be
elected, assumes almost national i'm
portance. In Ohio, New York and Iowa
the result In awaiting with scarcely less
interest than during national cam
paign and the consequences OF vic
tory or defeat are regarded by the man
ayers OF both parties as potential for the
future.
There are a great many things which
go to give this importance to, otherwise,
comparatively unimportant elections.
First Of all the fight now Is preliml
nary TO what is expected to be n lilo
and death struggle for one OF the par
ties a year hence and every energy Is
being strained to get the advantage of
position.
The passage OF the Mckinley bill,
with all the dire predictions as to It's
effect, makes a test OF popular sentl-
| ment with regard TO it after IL has been
in operation for while all important,
while the overwhelming defeat the Re-
publicans sustained at the last Congress
| sional election Is considerable offset
TO the feeling Of confidence inspired by
the former general victory. The sig
nificance Of that defeat is yet to be fully
tested. A third party has arisen
| TO bring In new element the
strength and influence OF which has not
vet been measured, and both OF the old
parties are in doubt as To what the con-
| seGuenceot sJne new moyemcntwi oo
to them. Again there is the widest diff
ference OF opinion and delightful un-
certainty in both OF the old parties on
the currency question, and IL is import
| ant to determine what part the question
OF free coinage Of silver is going TO play
| in the Presidential campaign. Inciden-
tai to the currency question and the
| tariff questions, comes in that of the fis-
cal policy put into practice by the last
Congress, represented by Liberal appro-
priations." from a Republican point Of
view, and by "extrayagance and ma
tional bankruptcy, according to DEM
ocratc view OF it.
With these issues, now defined more
| clearly than ever before, and as yet
practically untested. the two parties to
| begin their skirmishing long way
ahead.
Going along with these are the indi-
vidual ambitions of men who seek the
honor OF leading their parties In the
coming fight, and the selection Of Presi-
Dental candidates depends much upon
the results OF contests now opened.
The result in Ohio means a great deal
10 both parties, because the two ques-
| tions which most disturb them are both
to the front. The Democrats are little
afraid Of the free coinage plank they
have put In their platform, and the Re-
publicans are accused OF being very
anxious about the tariff question. The
Democrats are consequently doing their
best TO make the tariff the main issue,
while the Republicans insist upon keep
ing the other issue well TO the front.
While both parties profess confidence,
and though the State is ordinarily Re
publican, there is enough doubt in tho
situation to make both parties ex-
tremely anxious, and the third party
element in the fight is one which |
neither can measure. The fight on |
Senator Sherman is personal. and he is !
subject TO three attacks from three |
ouarters-the Democrats on one side, |
the third party folks on another, and |
vet on another by Foraker. But, while |
this situation is one calculated 10 ex-
cite discord, ii does another thing, |
which may not be 10 the advantage OF |
the Democrats. Sherman has taken a |
firm stand on the money question and |
no other By going 20 the front and |
making himself the central figure Of |
the fight. he gives that issue promi- |
nence which IL could not have IL atten- |
ton were directed 10 Mckinley. In |
the opinion OF great many Republi- !
cans the party made & mistake in Sc
lecting a nominee whose association |
with the single question Of tariff was
such as TO preclude all other issues. |
They repeat the admonition about put
ting all the eggs IN one basket. The !
attitude of Mr.. Sherman Is In a measure |
an Offset 70 this complaint, and Is apt
TO prove perplexing 10 the Democrats,
who count on opposition 20 the Nc
Kinley bill for their success.
The Democrats are putting forth |
every effort In their power 10 have the |
tariff oyer-shadow everything. Out OF !
thirty letters received at the Democratic /
headquarters IN this city the other day |
from the secretaries OF various clubs in |
Ohio, twenty-nine asked for tariff litera- |
ture, while only one made a request for |
documents on the silver question. The !
policy Of the party will be 70 Gil the |
State with tariff speakers and TO force |
Mckinley TO defend his bill. The free
coinage Democrats In the State and the
leaders OF the third party, who are
fighting for the same thing, more or
less directly, may take care OF the cur
rency question. bat the work done
through the National Committee will
relate 70 tariff.
The opposition to Campbell In Hamil- |
ton is a thing which will figure In count
ing up the result, but TO what an ex-
tent no one can tell. The Australian |
ballot system f. expected by the Demo
Gratis TO operate in their fsver, but that |