The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-11-23
COLUMBUS CORRESPONDENCE
Interesting Information
About Democratic Or
ganiZatiOn.
Bryan's Trip Through Ohio aud the
Good il Did.

of Saint "I" Hanna, been tabulated
and given to ths public. The
Democrats of Ohie can never cease
to be grateful for being permitted
to look at the "fggers" after Han,
mas creatures had fixed them.
a brief statement of some of the
work performed by those who con-
Quoted the Democratic' campaign
and the results accomplished may
be interesting t" the people OF Ohio.
On July Is, under the direction
of Governor Chapman, james Ross,
George J. Karb, II. M. Dittey, r. F.
'Hough and Allen o. Myers begun
the work of party organization.
Headquarters were located in
the Great Southern hotel, in rooms
over the site of the home of Allen
O. Thurman. The south end 0i CO.
lumbus always rolls up II Demo-
crate ijOrity, and the surround
ihgs for Democratic headquarters
were found more congenial and up-
prOpriate in this locality.
The first difficulty that confront
ed those In charge was the utter
absence of all books, papers or re-
clrd+, or a single document show
ing that there had even been a
Democratic party in Ohio, or il
there had been, that it had ever
had any organization. Whatever
records existed at the end of the
campaign Of 1896 had been buXed
up and sent to some mysterious
place and there whereabouts could
no more be- located, and all attempts
to recover hem were bafllrd.
In violation of all precedent and
before the candidates were nom.
mated, Mr.. McConville had himself
chosen chairman of. the executive
committee, with power to select
the rest of the committee. This
move YVES demoralizing in itself,
and it was charged at the time that
it was done at the request of John
r. Mclean. Developments soon
proved that the Cincinnati man
was as much surprised as anybody.
Had Mr.. McCoaville possessed any
executive ability this action In
having himself chosen sole eXecut-
or Of the Democratic party by false
prrtenSes would not have been SO
bad. But delay, evasion. negli-
gence and incapacity marked the
three weeks following the Demo-
cratic convention. Gum shoes,
mystery, hesitation and delay were
the bright and shining jewels that
formed Mr.. McConville's crown OF
glory, and proved to those having
most at stake that If anything was
to be accomplished, hard aud in
teliigent work and business meth.
obs by capable men would have to
be the system inaugurated.
This was begun at once and a
foundation laid for thorough and
permanent organization of the
party. Governor Chapman called
to the aid Of the active workers tn
ablest men and best councillors in
the party, such Ms General A. J.
Warner, II. il. Dunbar OF Cincin-
natl, John l.. Vance Of Gallipolis,
l.rn Ebert Of IrOntpn, George ID.
Kinder of Putnam, John Poland Of
Ross AMI many others. An at-
tempt was made to perfect Il county
organization by school districts.
This Was "A gigantic task, involving
weeks If patient and PERSISTENT
labor. This WAS accomplished in GO
out of the S8 counties, in the face
Of countless difficulties and CON
tllct Of II dtm0ralizing character In
such counties as Cuyahoga, Stark
and Miami, which were torn by
party dissensions. There was no,
law, rule or precedent vcsting any
authority anywhere to settle such
IN tiers. The rmOeratlc party,
n any Of its committees, have
any laws or rules d. tining their
p lwer@, or enablirg it to enforce
discipline, exp ! 1iScordant ele.
nients ani restore harmony. One
of the good results will be II plan OF |
organic ,lion AMI n code of laws
" hirh viii he submitted to the
slate centr,l committee for adopt
ion for the future government OF
the pHrty organizations.
Md artd almost perfect Orgnn.
IL It on1 were completed In such
Z, ou ties NJ Van Weft, PauIding,
NJ 'rion, Morgan, Clermont, Butler,
IIocklng, MHhoniny, Franklin,
Summit and few Others.