Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-04
SILVER MogvEMENTFAILs
!. c,o, ccrresnondence of The Evening Star

at least swung back TO the normal
Probably no Ohio campaign in which only
state officers were to be chosen was ever
more vigorously fought than the present
one. For the last six weeks the political
issues have been discussed by hundreds Of
campaign orators on both sides of the great
dividing line and by not few popuEsts and
prohib:tionists. In spite of the hard fight
being made by the two old parties, both the
populists and the proh:b:t:onists are likely
to poll large votes. this year. In the county
districts the populist notions prevail more
extensively than they DID last year. The re-
vival of business has not been felt there
yet, and the low price of all farm produce
sets the farmer more firmly against the
present conditions, and the national admin
istration, which he sholds RESPONSIBLE for
them, than ever.
The democrats are charging that Coxey,
the commonwealth, who is the populis; can
d.date for governor. is working in concert
with the republican state committee, and Is
being supplied with money to carry on his
ca mpaign. They say the republicans are
thus willing to help him on with his work
because they know that the more populist
votes he can make the fewer democratic
votes there will be. There is good logic in
this. at least. for the populsts draw the
principal part of their strength from the
democrats. One fact that furnishes the
democrats with at least ground-wo for the
charge of collision between the populsts
and the republicans is that the populists
have no state committee here at work man.
aging their campaign. They seem to have
made no attempt to collect money to carry
on their campaign. and the democrats can
not understand how campaign can be car
ried on without money. The inference is
that the republicans must be furnishing
the money.
The new party. the socialist labor party,
| which for the first time in the history Of
Ohio politics will have ticket in the field
this year, will draw about 5000 votes from
| some source Most of them are likely to
come from the populist party and the rest
from the democrats. '-
The PEohibitionists.
The prohibitionists are making a rally this
year in order to SECURE strength In the gen.
| eral assembly to be elected this fall to
secure the passage of bill giving the coun-
ties the right of.iocal option. They have
called Sam. Small. the temperance orator.
| who has made about sixty speeches through
the state bill Of this nature was defeated
| In the last legislature by a small majority.
and the prohibitionists began at once cam
paign for the eleetien of Legislature that
would pass the measure. 1t is generally I'M
| derstood that they Nave sounded every can
didate for the legislature on this matter. and
| such as have not pledged themselves to sup
port 1t have teen marked for defeat. This
| kind of political warfare is likely to set
harder against the republicans than the
democrats. for the reason that the repub-
lican party has large element that, while it
| ty, sympathZes with it in this movement,
which applies to the rural districts especial
ly. Under such law whole counties would
| forbid the sale of liquor and that the brew
ers and distillers believe it would be en-
forced is shown by the fact that they are
fighting it with all their energy. The issue
| injects another uncertain factor in the pres
ent political problem in Ohio:
The Vote of the State.
The greatest vote ever cast in this state
tial election Of 1892. The largest vote ever
cast at an election at which only state Off
cess were to be elected was S35,6O4. That
was at the election of 1898, when Gov. Nc
Kinley was elected to his second term. Last
year the total vote cast was only 776.S19
The falling off in the vote was just about
equal to the loss of the democrats, which
indicates that the democrats lost so heavily
in that election rot by reason of the mem
bers of their party voting the republican
ticket, as has been asserted but by their re-
naming away from the polls on election day
1t bears out what the republican leaders ir
this state have always claimed, viz. tina
the Ohio democrat votes his party ticket
straight. if he votes at all.
The total vote in Ohio this year is likely tt
mount up toward the hgh-water mark Of
1892. Probably never before in a state cam
paign were the voters more thoroughly stir
red up than they now. The registration
where it has been necessary. shows that thu
voters have generally qualified themselves t.
exercise the franchise. In Cincinnati tn
democrats are claiming that the registration
indicates a great gain for them. The repub
3 liz ans can claim Indications of gain in thei
vote in this city ty the same token.
Collapse of the Silver Movement.
The free silver movement of a number o
democrats led by Allen w. Thurman seem
e to have gone to pieces Thurman himsel
has made a number of speeches In the las
two weeks, in which he gave full support t
: the whole ticket. but could not refrain iron
giving few blows to his old enemy, Sena
| tor Brice. He said the campaign was on
of the people against the bosses. No exec
utive committee of free silver democrat
has been established here to carry on
fight for free silver in the campaign,
= Thurman announced would he done at tn
: | outset of the campaign. The fact is tina
there was no money at hand to carry o
| such a movement, and none IN S1Sht. Las
| year, Thurman being the state executiv
chairman, had control of all the money tn
democrats had, and ne was able TO max
i quite fight for the white metal, II 1t wa
not winning one. BY his obstinate cours
young Thurman has made 1t 1mpossibl
that the party shall ever take him as
any sense a leader He will never succee
his father, the "Old Roman" in the estims
J. ton of the Ohio democrats.
A few days ago 1t was announced Una
the "Old Roman would make speech
the campaign from his door. his healt
not permitting him to leave his house. Bl
even this has teenn found to be too muc
for him to undertake. The expected speed
n will not be made. Few outside of his in
mediate friends and his family know no
frail Mr.. Thurman is. Until recently h
mind has been s s, but now even th'
Ex-Gov. GnmpbelFs Fight.
Governor Campbell has made very hal
fight in this campaign and seems to hay
l,;r q
r stump. He was fortunate in having tt
assistance of Senator Joe McMaken, wi
as a member of the present senate sat
his seat and took notes Of all the legisl
ton for which the republicans were layil
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