Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-20
POLITICS IN OHIO.


POLITICS IN OHIO.
sherman and Foraker Forces Opposed-Crit-
icism Of the Democratic Management.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
COLUMBUS, OHIO, August 10, 1892.
William N. Hahn Of Mansfield, Ohio, who has
been given charge Of the bureau Of speakers by
National Chairman Carter of the republican
committee, has had short and remarkably
successful career as . political manager. Five
years ago, when he became republican candi-
date for member Of the state board Of public
works, he was scarcely known outside his own
county Of Richland- Today he is known all
over Ohio AZ the most astutc political manager
that the republican party in this state contains
He is carpenter by trade, but left the bench
early in the seventies to engage in the insurance
business from which he has never fully with
drawn. He was born in Carlisle, Pa, in 1s45,
so that he is now but forty-soven years Of age
Before the war broke out his parents had
removed to Shelby, Ohio, from which place
young Hahn entered the army, lad Of only
sixteen years, being o drummer boy and
attached to company II, sxty-fourth Ohio
brigade-Sherman's brigade. He subsequently,
served on Gen. Hookers staff and was twice
wounded. He learned the carpenters trade
after retiring from the army. Mr.. Hahn is now
serving his second term ~ member OF the state
board Of public works.
In the Sherman-F oraker senatorial fight last
winter he espoused the cause Of his neighbor
Senator John Sherman, and being state execu-
tive chairman at the time, was severely de-
nounced for doing so by the Foraker wing Of
the party. Their bitter attacks upon him,
probably more than anything else, made him
one OF the most pronounced of the anti-F oraker
republicans. Last year, and three years ago,
he was state executive chairman Of his party
and led it to decisive victory upon each occa-
sion, electing Daniel ]. Ryan secretary Of
first instance. and Maj. Mckinley governor and
the entire republican ticket in the second
Just before each Of these elections Ne gave out
in figures his estimate Of what the result would
be, and 80 close was it to the actual result in
each case as to make one Of two things abso-
lutely certain, viz: That Mr.. Hahn was
political prophet or a very thorough and sys-
tematic campaign manager.
1t Is the general opinion here in Ohio that
he will prove a valuable acquisition to the man
agement Of tine national republican campaign
cRITIcIsINa THE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE.
DR.. J. A. Norton Of Tifin, ex-chairman of the
state democratic executive committee, and now
connected with the legal department Of the
Baltimore and Ohio railway, is talking very
freely and critically, too, concerning the new
democratic state executive committee and what
attempt to conceal the fact that the party or
ganization in the state has been captured COM
pletely by the same faction Of the party that
captured and controlled the democratic state
convention here in June and elected a delega-
tion-at-large opposed to the nomination of ex-
President Cleveland. Executive Chairman Far
ley, he says. has almost no experience in state
politics, while Vice Chairman Cole he SAYS. has
repeatedly proved himself failure as a political
manager.
DR.. Norton has travelled all over the state in
prosecuting his work for the Baltimore and
Ohio company during the last month and he
says the conditions we're never more favorable
for carrying Ohio for the democracy than he
finds them at present All that is needed. he
says, to insure democratic victory in the state
is an intelligently managed campaigns which he
evidently fears the party will not have.
THE OLD SHERMAN FORAKER FIGHT.
At the very outset Of the campaign work the
state executive committee of the republicans
and the state republican league, Sherman and
Foraker organizations respectively, have be-
come involved in quarrel that becomes more
complicated as it progresses and promises to
make tho Foraker-Sherman fight much more
prominent in the coming campaign than 1t was
in the last. The fact that the league arranged
some weeks ago to open its campaign work with
q meeting at Woodsdale Island Park, near Gin
clnnati, has already been referred to in THE
H.
with the advice and consent of Executive Chair
man Dick, who promised to aid the managers
OF the league to secure speakers and TO make
the meeting the opening one Of the campaign
1t Is evident now that this action did not
meet with endorsement by the state executive
committee, although nothing was given out at
the last meeting of any action being taken in
the matter. Chairman Dick immediately
changed his attitude toward the Woodsdale
meeting. gave out that it was not to be the
opening meeting of the campaign In Ohio at all,
and failed to aid in securing speakers. Worse
than this the league managers began to find
difficulty in securing speakers Of national re-
pute. Those they had induced to promise to
come cancelled their agreements and no others
could be secured in their places. In this con-
dition Of things the league managers charged
openly that the executive committee had de-
llberately gone to work to undermine the
Woodsdale Island meeting arrangements.
Last Wednesday Col W. L. Chase Of Dayton
and W. II. Gardner Of Cincinnati members of
the committee Of arrangements for the Woods
dale Island meeting, came here to meet Chair
man Dick and reach an understanding, but Mr..
Dick failed to appear.
NOT UNFRrENpLY TO CLEVELAND
Capt Gilbert H. Bargar, the new treasurer of
the state executive committee, said to THE
STAR representative that IL was a mistake TO
class him as unfriendly to ex-President Cleve-
land, saying that whatever the balance of the
committee thought Of Mr. Cleveland as candi-
date, he certainly had good reasons to support
him. as he held under Mr.. Clevelnnd's adminIs-
trstion one Of the most responsible federal
Offices in Ohio, that Of pension agent.
MIR. COMPTON MAY RUN.