Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-08-05
Surprising Gains In Ohio.
ATLANTA Constitution.)


Though a single-standard Democrat,
Judge r. NJ. Otter, of Hillsboro', o.,
comes boldly out and states that free
coinage has swept everything before 1t
in Ohio. Unless a most decided change
occurs between now and the lst of No
vember, the Buckeye State will go over
whelmingly Democratic
Judge Otter knows whereof he speaks.
Believing in the policy advocated by
John Sherman, he undertook to do mis-
sIonary work among the Democrats OF
Ohio The success which he encoun-
tered in this role was strikingly empha-
sized a few weeks later by the State
convention, which not only repudated
the financial views OF John Sherman, but
pronounced in favor OF free coinage by
a vote which was little short of unani-
nous.
With the experience which he thus
gained In missionary work, together
with the information which he has since
acquired as a passive, though deeply-in-
terested, spectator, Judge Otter Is GER
tainly qualified to speak Of the growth
of the free-coinage sentiment in Ohio.
While stopping In washington CITY
few days ago, Judge Otter was asked
about the Democratic situation in the
Buckeye State. Said he:
MANY waves of sentiment have swept
over Ohio, but ! have never seen any
thing like the present. In the country
districts the silver sentiment is intense,
Every man you see Is loaded with argu-
ments. and there is no use trying to talk
with him.
The silver men have been reading
everything they could get hold OF on their
side of the question, until they can out
talk Harvey. 1t has become a sort OF
religion with them. and they Will not
listen TO nor tolerate opposition. You
can't make any impression on them. any
more than you can argue a man out OF
his religious faith. The thing has spread
ca that | regard the result in the State
as doubtful, perhaps with The probability
| favorable to Bryan
At all events, II Is by no means certain
| that Mckinley can carry the State.
The normal Republican majority is about
| 25OOO That is the safe natural, Repub-
lican majority. There are about 5000
Populist votes and 10000 Prohibition votes.
Bryan will probably get 5000 Populist
votes and i5.Ooc Prohibition-that is. he
will get the silver vote OF these two par
| ties.
| In the cities there will be a considerable
gold Democratic vote Tor Mckinley: In
| the country districts there will be {
large silver Republican vote for Bryan.
These may pretty nearly Offset each
other, though II looks as IL Bryan would
get more Republican votes In the country
than he will lose Democrats in the cities
There is hardly anything but silver
talked throughout the State. Then men
around the neutrality-suspicious. at lunch
time. the groups around the country
stores. and about the village hotels
Repubiicans and Democrats, head to head
are talking about the money ques-
tion. Men who never before could tail
together on politics without punching
each others heads are talking the matter
over In a sympathetic spirit.
Such testimony as this shows that De
,nocracy has not only good fighting
/ chance In Ohio, but that success in thai
state is very probable. What Judge Dit
ter has had the courage to admit openly
others. with equal discernment. but les,
candor. have been obliged to recognize
Within the last few weeks the laborine
men Of the State have espoused the cause
az free silver with remarkable unan!mity
while hundreds OF Republican farmer
have come boldly Out In favor Of the Dem
ocrasic ticket.
Though Republican leaders affect IN he'