The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-12-04
TEE srAY-Ar-HoMs ,yo1E IN oHIo.
II WIN Not Stay ne Home Next Yesr-It
WIN Vote Rerubiieas H Tariff II the Issue.

II WIN Not Stay at Houe Next Yesr-1t
WIN Vote Rerabiieas ir Tariff 10 the Hssue.
To THE EDITOR or THE suN-Sir. The ofllcial
vote Of Ohio at thelast election was announced
by the press dispatches some days ago and
shows that there was an average falling OF In
the Democratic vote In each OF the several
counties Of the State OF 1913 votes. making alto.
gether 28864 votes The falling on in the Re-
publican vote was but 90 In the average OF all
the counties. making total OF 5.544 votes.
II all these votes. "a. 4OS In number. had been
cast according to supposed party predictions.
Campbell would havo boon reelected by ma
jority Of nearly 1000 votes over Mckinley. d.
Why 34.40S citizens Of Ohio refrained from
voting at 30 exciting and important an cleo
ton as that held on the 4th OF November has
been matter Of great surprise and OF much
conjecture-some Of the conjecture being Of
very wild and preposterous kind. Gov. Camp
bell has offered his conjecture. which does not
enlighten us In the least. Gov. Campbell says
that tho stay-at-home Democratic vote was
underestimate. Undoubtedly this is the fact,
but why nearly 10000 Democrats stayed at
homo is not made In the least clear. Gov.
Campbell promises. however. that in nation
al election these nearly $4,000 Democratic
stay-at-home votes at the last election will
turn out and "help u.s." BY which he means
that they will 60 to the polls and vote the tariff
reform ticket. Gov. Campbell Is an exceed
ingfy promising man.
1t Is certain. however. that no Democrat in
Ohio could have made . more thorough and
effective campaign than that made by Gov.
Campbell No Democrat In the State could
have aroused more enthusiasm and political
activity than he did. and he had the advan-
tage. II It was an advantage. Of being pitted
against that particular Republican who. more
than any other In the country. represented
everything that is most offensive and obnox-
ious in the protective system. II the Demo-
Gratis Of the State could themselves have
made choice Of the Republican candi-
date for Governor. they would have
been unanimous for Major Mckinley. It is
not worth while now to deny this fact. and to
allege another reason for defeat-the silver
question-than the true reason. The fact is
that the silver question did not determine 500
voters In all the counties Of tho State put to-
gether. The Republican position on the silver
question. as represented by the legislation OF
1890. was satisfactory to the Republicans: at
any rate. It was much more satisfactory than
the Democratic position-if the divided senti-
ment moro apparent than real. however. OF the
Democrats. could be said to constitute q posi-
ton on the question at all It is extremely
probable that, II the Democrats had presented
q united and vigorous front for free coinage OF
silver they would have elected Campbell It
is scarcely doubtful that there are more Repub-
licans In the State who are for the free COIN
age OF silver than there are Democrats who
are against It: and It is certain beyond any
doubt whatever that II the people Of Ohio were
called upon to decide between q repeal for
instance. Of the Silver act Of 1890 and the
free coinage OF silver. they would vote
by very great majority for free sill
yer. The letter Of Mr.. Secretary Foster
to the assembled bankers at New Or
leans and his speech to the Chamber of
Commerce on the silver question are suffl-
ciently significant as to the truth Of tho asser-
ton just above made. Mr. Secretary Foster is
not less devoted to the particular interests OF
the purely moneyod class than John sherman
or any other Of the more recent heads OF the
Treasury Department: but Mr.. Foster knows
and defers to the temper Of the people whom.
sooner or later. he doubtless hopes to repre-
sent in the United States Senate.
The fact stands out with entire clesrness.
therefore. that it was the tariff reform"
question alone that determined the voters Of
Ohio to the election Of William Mckinley: and
it was the tariff reform question also that de-
termined nearly thirty thousand Democrats
and more than i've thousand Republicans not
to vote at all.
The friends Of tariff reform assume to be
true too much that is not true at all.
Their most fatal assumption is that the indus
tries Of Ohio are In the hands and control Of
members Of tho Republican party. This
would be deplorable state Of things. II it
were really the fact. which it is not.
There is a large and most valuable and impor-
tant body OF Democrats in Ohio. both employ
ers and employed. who are directly and deeply
an actual business way-in the
protected industries Was 1t to be expected
that these men would deliberately step up
to the polls and vote for an alleged reform"
which. II successful. is absolutely certain to
do them serious personal injury? Doubtless
the advanced reformer expected them to do
this. and doubtless 1t imports-in the view OF
the advanced reformer-a desperate want OF
patriotism and party loyalty that these men
will not vote to injure themselves: but they
will not. and they are wise in their day and
And the fact is that the nearly
thirty thousand Democrats who stayed away
from the polls n the 4th OF November last in
Ohio almost all belonged to this class. They
only stayed away from the polls on that day.
but next year. when the question Of tariff
reform" Is presented to them In the concrete.
they will not stay away: they will 60 to the
POLLS and they will vote tho Republican ticket.
In national election. actually involving tar
III reform" Ohio may be depended upon to
give forty to fifty thousand Republican major
Ity: and II there SHOULD arise any really wide
spread belief among Democrats that reform"
means free trade. the Republican majority
would be very much larger.
On the other hand there is a fraction OF tho
Republican party In Ohio which. without being
Tor tariff REFORM" however. did not approve
30 drastic a measure as the Mckinley tariff.
These would not vote for Campbell and did not
vote for Mckinley. They constitute nearly the
whole OF tho 5.544 stay-at-home Republicans
But that they will the national Republican
ticket In 1902 no one need doubt for second.
The lesson OF the Ohio election is perfectly
clear. and points the result OF q national con-
.est in 1892 II wagcd for tariff reform" New
York. believe. 10 as certain for protection In
1892 as it was in 1883. and as certain as either
ohio or Pennsylvania for tho Republican
ticket: and for the same reason-that there Is