Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-10
FIRST IN THE FIELD
Ohio and New York's State Conventions
Next Month.
Mckinley and Morton BOoms-There
Are No Pivotal states
Now.

The Ohio republicans and the New York
republicans are to be first i'm the field in the
matter of state conventions. The former
will meet at Columbus. March 10, and the
latter In New York city, March n. The
one body Will boom Mr.. Mckinley for Presi-
dent, and the other Gov. Morton, and both
will declare themselves in terms of UNI
qualified support and pledging lasting 10y
atty.
Action Considered Necessary.
This action is considered necessary in the
case OF those two states by reason OF in
ternal dissensions and the prevalence of a
feeling of deep distrust of one another
among the local leaders. Maine and Iowa
are more fortunate. No sort of doubt at
taches to the sincerity with which the one
is urging Mr.. Reed and the other Mr. h!H-
son tor the republican presidential nomna-
ton. But in Ohio there s the Foraker
spook, and in New York the Plat spook
and these must be laid at as early Jay
as possible for the comfort of the more
nervous and solicitous of the Mckinley and
the Morton people respectively. There
seems to be the idea that after formal ac-
ton has been taken by these two conyer-
strength and staying power of the home
support of the Ohio and the New York can
didateS.
Some Doubt on This Point.
There is doubt in some quarters on this
point. 1t is suggested that this very haste
may have the effect OF still further adycr-
Using the troubles in ques ton. And then
as the Reed and the Allison people believe,
there IS something almost comic in the fire.
quency with which the Ohio and the New
\ ork republicans are put on record. Al
their state convention last year the Buck
eyes Endorsed Mr.. Mckinley Tor President,
at the state committee yesterday a similar
resolution was adopted, and next months
convention will of course indorse him.
The New Workers also record twice
in Mr.. Mortons behalf-at last years state
convention, and AZ the recent harmony din
ner-and are going again next month.
What is the matter? the outsiders are ask
ing. Are Mr.. Mckinley and Gov. Mortoa
SO. very weak candidates at home? OF
does it require repeated pledsings to make
sure of the Buckeyes and the New Workers
for anybody?
Too Much Stress ON Local Favor.
But, after all, is this laying of stress On
local favor SO very wise in the crcunr-
| stances? Does so much depend Oh it in
| the cases of Mr.. Mckinley and GOV. Nor
| ton? Local favor is effective only when
success in a national contest hinges OH
| pivotal states. Mr.. Hayes was taken in
| 1876 because Ohio was in doubt that year
and must be carried. New York ANA IT,
diana were the pivotal states in 1850, and
1
| didate that year less because OF the luke
| warm support given him by his homo dele
CATION than because of the widely recog-
| nZed fact that with Mr. Conkling and Gen.
| Arthur both against him he could not carry
New York. Those two states remained the
pivotal states through 1881 and 1883, and
! the ticket of Cleveland and Hendricks in
| the one year and that of Harrison and
| Morton i'm the other were actual necessities
| of the situation. Otherwise Mr. Cleveland.
ut least, would never have come i'm for
presidential considerations at all. He was
| q total stranger to the country at large,
and was taken only because of the refusal
| of Mr.. Tilden to run and the assurance of
Daniel Manning that the Buffalo man was
| the only one capable of carrying the state
that year.
Not Thinking of Pivotal States.
| But the republicans this year are not
| thinking of pivotal states at all. No pent-
! up state or section contracts their powers,
| but, they believe, anybody they may
| choose to nominate will win Ohio is GER
| tain, New York is certain, Indiana is GER
| tain. 1t would hopelessly discredit any
| candidate for his state to- present him as
| the only one for whom her SURFACES coulI
| he guaranteed. Why all this pother then
| it is good naturally asked, about just how
strong Mr.. Mckinley and Gov. Morton may
be in their respective states? The ST. Louis
convention will assume, without argument
| that they are strong enough 10 carry them
And that will dispose of the mere local
question.