Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-21
ONTO wan Set the pace.

J Next week Republican State convcn-
ton viii be held In GAINESVILLE. o., 70
nominate candidates for the various
State Offices 70 be filed next November,
and TO lay down n platform upon whict
the Ohio Republicans shall go into the
next Republican National Convention.
| We might say that the GAINESVILLE con-
vention viii be Mckinley conven-
tIon, and that It's beginning. Its proceed
ings, and It's ending will all have refer
cnce to that fact Mr.. Mckinley Is.
FIRST OF all, ohios favorlie. and. secondly
he Is In a peculiar sense the representa-
tive OF the pro;ectlonist element oil
the Republican party. and on that ques-
ton the GAINESVILLE convention may
make It's declarations very plain, though
there are many Republicans In Ohio
as elsewhere, who do not wish TO Of
fend the busIness-interests OF the
country by inauguratiHg new agitation
on the tariff question.
The silver question, in one OF another
OF its phases, is likely TO give the zanes-
Vile convention trouble. Governor Nc
Kinley was recently reported as having
said that he would not accept the nominal
ton OF the Republican National Conven-
ton on a free-silyer platform. Whether
he ever said so or not we 90 not KNOW
but whether he did or not Is not an I'M
portant question, seeing that the hepup-
licans will almost certainly go into the
next presidential compaign as the cham-
pions Of honest money" We think
that the Cincinnati Times-Star forecasts
the situation OF next year when II says
what here follows;
"a wise declaration Of principles Is OF SUI
preme Importance this year O65o) III seems
essential 10 the welfare of the party LOT
the convention to put to the front pro-
lection and reciprocity. and frame
monev-resolutjon which cannot be con-
strued into an approval Of any expert
ment with silver that may involve
reduction Of the measure Of value. Inc
National Republican Convention in le5b
will undoubtedly adopt sound-money
platform. by which Is meant an endorse
ment Of the present standard or values
with a safe use OF silver on that OASIS
III this year the party In Ohio seeks 10
conciliate the fat money element directly
or 1nQIIffllNs u may NN''AN@
McKinley's chances for the presidential
nomination"
why does an Ohio paper say put pro-
lection and reciprocity and a money-reso-
luton to the front? Because on each Of
these questions there is a flaw in the
record Of the Republican party. PRO
lection" will be put to the front, II at
all 10 explain away McKineyism and
substitute Blaineism or reciprocity. and
a money-resolution win be put to the
front. If at all. 10 explain away Mckin-
ley's recent utterances on the silver ques-
ton. 1t is because McKinley's record
must be cleared up now or never, that
our Cincinnati contemporary declares
wise declaration Of principles this year
to be "A matter Of supreme importance.
Tom Reed, ex-President harrison,
and all the rest Of the aspirants 70 the
nomination OF the next Republican Ma
tional Convention will next week look
with intense interest to GAINESVILLE, where
the fate Of all such asprants may be set
tied. Indeed every patriot might well
be excused for keeping a watch upon the
GAINESVILLE convention. II is not too soon,
under the circumstances, for the Ohio Re-
publioans TO undertake to "set the pace
for the rest of the Republicans. Indeed
the Ohio Republicans must either frame
a sort of national platform in their
State convention or else lose all influence
in their party, The elections Of next
November must be made to mean some
thing in Ohio. or else the Ohio Repub-
leans, led by Governor Mckinley, viii
sink into oblivion. The silver question
must be tackled; and we cannot con-
ceive that the Republicans will have
either the will or the ability to de-
clare for aught else than a gold-standard
OF values, though they may add some UNI
meaning words to such declaration. The
Ohio Republicans, in word, will be hon
est on the silver question because
thew cannot be otherwise.