The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-10-03

Republican rapers throughout the country
arc claiming that the Democrats in Ohio are
losing ground. and. significantly enough. they
base their hopes upon the fact that the free
silver plank Of the Democratic platform Is
proving too heavy load for the Democrats
10 carry And that they have good cause for
this hope is shown by q recent interview with
! Judge Mcguire Of San Francisco. who has
given the Ohio situation very careful study.
He said that the Democrats made a fatal error
| in dragging the free-silyer issue into the cam
/ paign for il disguised and disheartened
thousands. He declared the Democratic party
in Ohio contains large proportion Of con-
sentative. thoughtful men who vote accord
| ing to principle. They are not blind parti-
sans who are willing 70 commit themselves
to any foolish policy that may be proposed in
order to catch votes. Above all. they are
unwilling TO advocate cheap money for the
sake of q temporary victory at the polls.
These men have been aleDated by tho free
silver plank in their party platform and lie
fears that all of Mr.. Mills persuasive argu-
ments will not bring them back.
IL was certainly an act Of very grave folly
IN the Democracy Of Ohio to have loaded
themselves with tho free silver burden. and
their folly was All the moro glazing because 1t
was SO manifostlY unnecessary. They had
splendid fighting issue IN tie taria, and had
they gone into the campaign OF that alone
there IS little doubtthat Mckinley would have
been defeated. As it 10. however,
the complication of the great issue.
upon which the Ohio people had so
plainly already expressed their sentiments.
with the free silver craze has seriously
jeopardized Democratic success. and may
lead to McKinley's being tho successor Of
Governor Campbell. Surely the Democrats
might have known that they had hard
enough fight on their hands as it was. for
though the people we're with them in favor Of
tariff reform. stiil they had TO combat the
concentrated capital OF the monopolists Of
the country. They might readily have done
this though, on the principle that truth was
too mighty not % finally prevail. had thoy
not deliberately placed q ireo-silver stick ia
their enemy's hands with which to break their
own backs.
It is to DO hoped that tie voters Of the
Buckeye State may yet recognize the impera-
tive necessity Of defeating the monopolists'
tariff. and place that above all other consider
atoms Free silver is really local question
upon which both parties are divided, and
which cannot be made distinct political |
issue. and the Ohio people may have
their eyes sufficiently opened to this to
enable them 20 vote for tariff reform with |
out regard to anything else But if /
Governor Campbell should be defeated !
on account of this silver plank it will teach the
Democrats Of the country wholesome les |
son in showing them the superlatiye folly Of |
permitting themselves to be diverted from
the great questioned tariff reform by any side |
issdes Whatever. Ia that case Mckineys |
success would be only temporary triumph. |
and would really prove blessing in disguise.
since it would solidify the Democracy for the
great campaign of '92