Evening star., 1896-08-07
SILv Err IN OHIO
The Rural Districts A1e Hsneyoombed With
the Sentiment
Farmers Refuse to listen to Arnu-
Walkover In the Stnte.

that they will have no walkover In the
stGte election this fall, and that the state
ID by no means safe now for Mckinley
and Hobart. The rural districts are honey
combed with the free silver sentiment. A
elsewhere, the farmers are largely IN debt
and they think they see the cause Of IT In
the present basis Of money values, and the
remedy for It In the free silver movement
In which they are asked to join. With the
farmers Of Ohio 1t seems now that the
main question will be that Of coinage.
With the 1abofing men Of the large cities
the tariff will play a more important part,
and there Mckinley will easily lead. The
Star correspondent recently made a careful
| investigation OF the sentiment Of the
leading officers of all the labor unions
of this city. asking each one how he
voted four years ago. and how he
proposed to vote this year on the ma
tfonal ticket. With but one exception, they
Will all vote just as they did four years
ago. AS most of these men are republi-
cans. 1t shows that Mckinley Is still pop,,-
lar with this class of voters in this state
The single change referred to was in the
case OF q man who voted for the populist
candidate for the presidency four years ago
and will vote for Bryan this year. This is.
of course. in the general trend of people
of that way of thinking
Farmers Won't Listen to Armament.
Many of the republican leaders admit
that the free silver movement has gathered
great strength in Ohio, but claim that it
has now reached Its highest point and is al
ready receding. This. before they have
opened their campaign, sor sent a single
speaker into the field. is taken by them
TO indicate that under the influence of
strong argument from sound money speak
ers on the stump the free silver cloud will
soon De dissipated. The strength of the free
silver party in Ohio can only be felt by
going into the country. There Is its center
and strength. The most discouragfnx sign
to the sound money advocates in this state
Is the temper of the farmers. They are in
no mood TO listen to argument. 1t makes
them mad to receive sound money ntera-
ture. They call it all wall street bosh.''
10 one who was in this state during the
campaign Of 1882 the situation now recalls
.he .h attltude OF the people in general toward
the then administration. They would not
listen to argument. Even Senator Sher-
man. who has always been held in high re-
spect by Ohio people generally, could not
near him speak. The voters were dissatis-
ned with the condition of affairs In the
government and voted it must be admit
ted rather blfndly. against the administra-
ticn. Ihere is danger that they will choose
TO vote again without listening to cam
paign arguments.
Nevertheless. they will have abundant op-
portunity to hear the issues thoroughly dis
icans is making arrangements for a cam
raign Of education such as the state has
never before seen. The free silver move
ment has affected the republicans of the
northwestern part of the state more especi-
ally. and there a school house campaign will
be made. Every country school district will
De honored by speech from an orator of
reputation and ability. Senator Sherman
Is TO take the stump as soon as the extreme
heat of the summer Is passed, and Senator
elect Foraker will devote all his time to tie
campaign work The party is well Off in
local ability in this line and the whole force
OIL Onio republican speakers will be put to
work at once. From outside the state
Chairman Hanna may be depended upon to
send in able men. his state pride leading
him to leave no stone unturned to carry his
state Tor Mckinley by safe majority.
Beginning the Campaign.
The republicans will open their state cam
paisn here on the 18th of the present month
"a month and half earlier than any ma
tional campaign was ever before opened in
this state. The state headquarters Of the
party have been open for nearly a month,
the time being spent in effecting county or
ganizations and sending out literature The
latter work has been going on for the last
Two weeks at an enormous rate. The COM
mittee will flood the rural districts with
this matter.
The democrats are slow about making
their campaign organization. 1t Is now
Eearfy month sinc,, their state cOnven-
tion was held and the state executive COM
mittee has not yet been selected The state
central committee will meet here on the
11th to do this In organization and money
to carry On the campaign tho democrats
will probably be at a great DISADVANTAGE
The wing Of the party that 81 in control Is
impractical and inexperienced in managing
political affairs. Many of The most astute
managers Of the party in former years. as
we'll as the most liberal contributors to the
CamDaign fund. the Other side NJ he
political fence this time, and while still re-
garding themselves democrats, are for
sound money and will vote and work for
Mckinley.
One reason why the democrats are slow
about perfecting their state organization
is that the leaders are proceeding eau
with the popuiists. The Dana law for
bidding the printing of the name of any
candidate for any Office on the Australian
ballot more than once will. II 1t stands
make 1t exceedingly difficult to make an
effective fusion. 1t will probably be test
ed In the courts. but no decision can be
secured from the supreme court in time to
prevent the operation Of the law in the
coming election, even though the court
should ultimately set 1t aside uncon-
stituttcnaL
Basis OF Fusion.
AS a basis for fusion on the electoral
ticket the leaders Of the democratic and
populist parties desire to fuse on the state
| ticket. The democrats have already nom
mated their state ticket, but 1t Is not yet
certified to the secretary Of state for in
sert'on on the Australian ballot. One
of the democratic candidates has died, and
another wishes to withdraw. There are
only four state officers to be elected this
year. The opportunity is offered for an
equal division Of the state offices between
the democrats and pcpulists. and fusion
like this would make a good basis for
fusion on the electoral ticket, so far as It
can be made under the Dana law
Whatever Is the result Of this attempt
Of the democrats and populists to fuse
Bryan will get the bulk Of the populst
vote In this state. It was about 10000
last year. There will be about that many
gold democrats in the state, however, who
will vote for Mckinley or refuse to vote
at ALL The determination of the result
rests largely with the republican farmers
II they go for free silver In as large num-
bers as seems likely now, the balance will
be turned in favor of Bryan.
1t Is wan-knowa fact that Charles L.
kurtz. the chairman Of the republican
state executive committee, Is tn favor of
free silver coinage. but keeps his personal
views on the question In the background
because OF the stand his party has taken
Another member of the executive COM
mittce. c. d. Firestone OF this city. is an
ardent advocate Of free silver and has
1