The morning call., 1893-08-11
LAWRENCE T. NEAL.
The Only Man Who Was Willing to
Face rICKiniey.

Face TICKinley.
Lawrence L. Neal was not, at least UNI til
very recently. candidate for the Demo-
cratic nomination for the governOrship of
Ohio in the sense that he sought to be
named the leader of his party. There has
been some difficulty, in fact, in finding a
Democrat in The Buckeye State of suffi-
cient prominence TO give him a fighting
chance who was willing to break a lance
with Mckinley, admittedly the strongest
man in the Stale.
Neal had been prominent. however in
the counselS of the tariff reformers, and it
was natural that he should be chosen to
oppose Mckinley. if he would consent to
make the race. 1t was after he had con-
sented that the silver question came in
prominently 10 comDlicate matters, and
then for the first time there was developed
opposition to Neal. Though he stood with
The administration upon the tariff, he was
also leading advocate of free coinage,
and there were Democrats = Ohio who did
not think 1t good politics to go into the
first great battle following the election of
Cleveland with man opposed to the
President upon what has come to be con-
transcending the tariff for the time being.
The result shows that more Ohio Demo-
Gratis stand for expedency than for
strict adherence 10 principle, and the
somewhat anomalous condition is pre-
sented Of free coinage candidate stand
ing upon n platform that follows the ad-
minlstratiOn in its opposition to silver.
Mr. Neal goes into the fight therefore with
somewhat heavy handicap.
Lawrence T. Neal was born in Parkers-
burg, Va, on September ., 1874 In 1864
he removed 10 Chillicothe, Ohio, where he
studied law. and in 1866 he was admitted
to the bar there. He held several minor
offices and was a member of tine Forty
third and Forty-fourth Congresses, since
which time he las been somewhat proIni-
nent figure in national politics.
After serving two terms lie returned
from Washington in 1877 TO resume his
practice Of the law. The political COM
plexon of his former Congressional dis
trict having been changed he was with
difficulty induced by his party in 1882 to
accept a nomination, and. after a memoir
able campaign, reduced the ordinary Re-
publican majority of 1000 to 10 votes. In
loco iic " dS dSdlu uOluludleO IOT congress
in the same district against his positive re-
fusal and made over fifty speeches for the
Presidential ticket. In this contest he
again cut down The usual majority. Since
his retirement from Congress in 1877 he
has been continuously and successfully
engaged in the legal practice. but has al
was taken a lively interest in political
affairs and IN advancing the success OF the
Democratic party.
He has represented his State in every
National Democratic convention since
1880. and outside of his executive uualifi-
cations he is thoroughly in accord with
the underlying principles of his party
In the St. Louis convention of 1883.
which renominated Mr.. Cleveland, when
Senator German and Henry Watterson in
the committee on resolutions wrangled
whole day as to the tariff declaration of
the platform, Lawrence 7. Neal. the Ohio
member Of the committee. brought the
contending elements together and framed
the plank as it was accepted by the CON-
mlttee and ratified by the convention.
lie was a member of the platform COM
mittee OF the Chicago convention and
proposed the amendment which was tin-
ally adopted as the tariff policy of the
party upon which To make the campaign.