Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1896-10-28

Republican Distress In Ohio.

Republican Distress In Ohio.
The Ohio correspondent of the Wash
ington Post (gold paper, sends from
Columbus, Oct. Goth, an interesting &C
count OF the Republican troubles there.
He prefaces his statement by saying
that none of them are due to the dem
ocratic State Committee, which has
been very inefficient, and goes on to
say:
THE FARMERS.
The Republicans have not been able
to handle the farmers so easily this
year as heretofore. In fact, they are
recalcitrant to wonderful degree, and
will listen to no arguments favoring
the gold standard. They are appealed
to to aid Mckinley as matter of State
pride, but even that rallying cry has
been fruitless one. They simply say:
1.-THE times have been hard; we are
getting poorer every year; it can be no
worse under free silver, and we'll
chance it," There isn't much use to
argue against such proposition, and
the republicans are making no head
way converting farmers who entertain
such views.
THE TARIFF.
A great effort has been made to
switch the issue to the tariff, but so
far with mediocre success. The fact is,
q great mass of the farming element
that have heretofore been loyal sup.
porters of the republican party have
concluded to try something else this
campaign, and in spite at all that has
yet been done there is but little pros
pect of winning them back in any con-
siderable number. 1t is the positive
slump among this class of voters that
has proved to be a source of undisput-
ed worry at republican headquarters.
THE LABOR ELEMENT.
And the labor element. That is also
sore spot. If the campaign was wag-
ed on tariff platform they would be
largely favorable to Mckinley, but the
financial issue has caused thousands to
waver. The zeal of employers fer Nc
Kinley has also been g source of weak
ness, for in many quarters means have
been resorted to to get the workingmen
in line for sound money that smack
very much of coercion. The average
employee likes to do his own thinking
on political matters. and all efforts to
bulldOze him into voting against his
convictions generally proves sorry
failure. In many places polls of the
voters have been taken by order of the
employers, so that they may know just
where every man stands; and this fea-
ture has added to the unrest. Besides,
all the officials of the Ohio la Dor unions
are Bryan men. and every artifice
known in political wirepulling has
been employed TO keep the men IN line
for free silver. And the effort has been
a success, too. for the polls furnished
the republican State Committee show
a large depreciation of the normal vote
in every manufacturing district.
HANNA'S GREAT MISTAKE.
The labor vote may, therefore, be
get down as distinctly favorable to
Bryan. That is the situation today.
Whether it can be held there for two
weeks more remains to be seen. At
State headquarters no effort is made to
hide the opinion that Mark Hrnna
made an egregious error when he asked
the manufacturers in Ohio to make
poll of their men. 1t has been resent
ed as rejecting upon their indepen-
dence and right to vote as they pleas
ed. without any dictation of any sort.
This was the one great mistake Mr..
Hanna made in the management of
the Ohio campaign.
The free silver Republicans, outside
OF the classes known as farmers and
laboring men. are also a menace to the
success of Gov. Mckinley. They have
not been squelched. Ten days ago it
was hoped that they had been driven
back into the ranks, but, for some rea-
son, not now apparent, they have be-
come more belligerent than ever. They
utterly refuse to affiliate with their old
companions, and are the loudest shout
ers for Bryan to be found in the State.
In some instances, for business and
personal reasons, they are inclined to
keep their opinions to themselves, but
in cities like Cleveland, Columbus,
Cincinnati, the State Committee is in
possession of evidence showing that
Mckinley is certain to lose considera-
BILE strength from this source. A des
perate effort has been made to reach
this class of voters, but they are indie
pendent, and, SO far, but little impress
sion has been made on their ranks.
They claim to still be republicans, and
maintain that the party has left them
on the financial question, instead OF
they deserving the party. A close es
innate places the number of this class
OF neutrality-suspicious. atsnot less than
10, 900 votes.
ARCHBISHOP IREnAND'S LETTER.
The letter of Archbishop Ireland
favOring the election of Mckinley was
a most unfortunate thing for the Ohio
republicans. This State is honey
combed with A. P. AS, aud this move
on the part of q distinguished prelate
of the Catholic church has been an
other source of anxiety for the mana
gers. To merely hint that the Catholic
church as body favored Mckinley is
sufficient to drive thousands of votes
away from the republican candidate.
Besides, it will be recalled that in the
canvass preliminary to the St. Louis
convention the officers of the A. 2. A.
were opposed to McKinley's nomina-
ton to man, and an effort was made,
although unsuccessful, to defeat him.
The Richmond Evening Star ceased