The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-08-10
TO FIGHT NJ 'KTNLEY.
Neal Appears in the Lead at
Present.
A CHAOTIC STATE OF AFFAIRS.

| CINCINNATI, Aug. 9.-The Democratic
hosts are marshalling for the state con-
| vention that is to select a standard
bearer to lead them in the contest
against William Mckinley and his ad-
herents in November. The situation in
| brief so far as q ticket is concerned is
chaos. But when Lawrence T. Neal of
Chilliothe arrives upon the scene, those
conditions are likely to undergo
sudden change. The Chillicothe man
is known not only by his activity in ma
tional and state Democratic affairs for
many years but as the author and advo-
| cate of the free trade plank that he
| literally drove with mallet into the
| Democratic national platform at Chi
cago last year. He is now in the field
| for the gubernatorial nomination for
the fifth time and yet, while so far the
| only pronounced candidate, he is al
ready confronted with what would ap-
pear to most people to be an overwhelm-
ing opposition. His own district sends
q contested delegation the one In his
favor being declared to be "rump" and
not a district has instructed for
him, Yet he has so much of a neg
ative following in the form of scatter
ing supporters in nearly all of the diff
| ferent district delegations that his gen.
eral strength is conceded in the declar-
alton that it is Neal against the field.
| All the efforts of his opponents are be-
| ing directed towards finding candidate
| upon whom all elements may crystalize
and thus ensure his defeat beyond per-
| adventure.
| A line or word form President Cleve-
land would be as from Gilead to many
of the delegates. They are inclined to
| complain that the administration Ia
making no sign in Ohio Democratic
/ politics this year, although it should be
| to its interest to aid in the defeat Of
| Mckinley and the special doctrine.
| All possible aid, it is contended, should
be given by the administration to the
| party in the coming struggle, and to
that end the candidate should be man
/ in sympathy with-and known to be
favorably regarded by that administra-
ton. Neal, however, is pronouncedly
against the administration, and it is in
stanced as indicating how much he is
out of joint at Washington, that not
only have his recommendations for the
most minor offices in the district been
| ignored, but that the indications are
that the most lucrative will fall to the
share of the anti-Neal faction. His
criticism of the selection of General
| Gresham as a cabinet officer is also be-
ing cited by those who contend that his
| nomination would be neither palatable
or acceptable to the powers that be at
the national capital.
Ex-Governor Campbell will not be
here to take personal hand in the fray,
although it is we'll known that the
lukewarm support given him by Neal
in the last campaign still rankles in his
bosom. The governors friends have
been insisting that he would be on hand
before the opening of the convention,
but in dispatch received by exist ate
Chairman Norton he stated positively
that he could not leave the east. If ne
has declared his preferences for any Of
the dozen or more of those mentioned
as available nominees his friends are
holding the information in reserve to be
sprung at an appropriate moment.
Next to the head Of the ticket inter-
est centers chiefly upon the platform to
be adopted by the convention, and in
this silver is likely to create
considerable trouble. That portion Of
President Cleveland's message recon-
mending the repeal of the Sherman
act, while failing to suggest any legisla-
/
men, fell like a bombshell among the
delegates on the ground and candidates
were forgotten while they gathered in
groups and discussed the document.
The last Democratic platform declared
for free silver and many Of the district
delegations to the coming gathering,
| notably those from Lawrence, Vinton,
Darke, Hooking and Wyandot, all strong
Democratic centers, except the first,
have come here specifically instructed
to vote for free coinage at the ratio Of
10 to /; as it existed prior to 1878. The
result is that they find themselves In
the position of being compelled, either
to ignore their own views and their in
structions, or to make a declaration
upon silver counter to the recommends
tions of the president.
Wiser counsels may prevail when the
remainder of the delegations reach
here, but most of those that discussed
the subject were emphatically in favor
of the conventions reaffirming the free
silver doctrine in language that could
not be mistaken, and Senator w. q.
Gear of Wyandot, one of the ablest
fighters and takers in the party, gave
it out fiat-footed that if the committee
on resolutions ignored the question or
temporized with it he would himself
submit free silver plank from tha
floor of the convention and push 1t to O
4 vote. So far as the presidents utter
ances on the tariff are concerned 1T Ia
probable that the resolutions, while de-
claring strongly for early and radical
revision in the interest of revenue only.
will indorse the idea of the executive,
.that the question, in view of the present
: financial condition, can safely be post
poned to a more convenient season,
Although the official call summons
the delegates to meet upon two days.
the work of the convention will be
commenced and ended tomorrow, even
If it takes a continuous session of Va
hours.
The latest proposition of the Neal OPP
position is to submit exc Governor Camp
bells name TO the convention and en-
deavor to rush it through. He has al
, ready stated absolutely that he is not q
candidate and would under no circum-
stances make the race, but the anti
Nealites argue that If nominated, and
no declination coming before the ad-
journment of the convention, he would
. be forced to remain at the head Of ths
ticket.