Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-06
CREDIT TO FARMERS
They Kept Ohio From Going for
Silver.
VIEWS OF FEDERAL OFFICIALS
Messrs. Bingham and Heath Tell
What They Saw in the West.
SEC'Y WILSON'S SPEECHES

Mr.. Brigham. assistant secretary of the
Department of Agriculture. has returned
| from Ohio. where he was actively engaged
| for three weeks i'm campaign work.
Mr. Brigham is of the opinion that Mr.
Hanna will have trouble in retaining
his seat in the Senate. He admits that the
| contest in his state was an exceedingly
close one.
The credit of keeping the state i'm the
| republican ranks. he says, is due to the
farmers. who voted to upheld the admin
| istration.
1T was declared in Ohio" the assistant
secretary continued. that to Secretary
Wilson was due the honor of carrying more
votes for the republican ticket than any
other one man who was doing campaign
work.
II heard this stated not once, but many
tines and reasons were given to show why
this was the case.
1T was the farmers vote that did the
business beyond doubt Everywhere the
Secretary spoke during his weeks sojourn
| In The buckeye state he was received with
the greatest enthusiasm by the agIicul-
| t1rists They hung upon his words and
pcnctuated his address with loud and fire.
quent applause. He does not claim TO he
an orator. but he spoke TO them in a plain
straightforward manner which had its eff
feet, as was evidenced when the ballots
were counted. He INDUCED i'm no yitupera-
uon, put simply put forward the pledges
OIL the administration, and declared that
they had been and would be further ful-
hlled. He told the farmers of the work
which has beer so far done by the deoart-
ment of which he Is the head and assured
MS hearers still further that the admins.
ration would do all in its power 10 extend
the markets, the crops more diversified and
the business more profitable
Inc Secretary spoke in a number of the
eounues In which it was feared there might
pe deIection from the republican ranks.
IN an OF the counties where he addressed
the farmers republican majorities were
given, and some of them had previously
given democratic ones.
The Secretarys visit to the state fair in
Columbus in September and his speech
there, L am convinced. had much to do with
the state going republican. More than
Joooo persons We're present. and his words
seemed to have great weight with his
hearers.
His presence i'm Ohio on both occas ions.
L am certain. had the greatest possible
good effect for the republicans"
Mr.. Brigham's opinion was echoed by
number Of others, who were conversan,
with the Ohio situation and IL was learned
that Secretary Wilson had received num-
her OF letters of a congratulatory nature
since the election, stating that his efforts
had resulted in the republican victory
The Secretary's speech was published and
over 100000 copies distributed all over the
state by the republican committee. Equal
good Is thought to have resulted from this
ihove.
Silver Beaten by the Farmers
Mr. Heath. first assistant postmaster gen.
eral, also ascribes to the farmers the credit
of defeating the silver issue in Ohio.
I'm speaking of the result of the cleo
ton in Ohio" said Mr.. Heath to a Star
reporter today. the fac: that it was only
In the country that the free silver issue
got to the front should not be overlooked
Very little hea of that iSSn M
policies of the administration in the large
cities. In the country towns and country
districts generally where there little
excitement and no local scandals, Presi-
dent Mckinley. his administration and the
money question we're carefully and dis
passionately considered and voters were
largely guided by these issues at the polls.
There is no question that the adminstra-
ton is popular in Ohio and free silver is
less popular than last year. This is clearly
shown by the very largely increased ma
jority in the country districts Had it rot
been for the Increase of republican votes
in the small cities and in the country,
among the farmers especially we would
certainly have lost the legislature.
There is very much in this election in
Ohio from which President Mckinley can
take courage. Wherever he or his admin
istration was discussed the republican ma
jority was increased.
rs there any doubt about Mr.. Hanna's
election to the Senator Mr.. Heath was
asked.
senator Hanna's Prospects.
Il do not believe" he replied. that by
any sort of machination the defeat of Sen
ator Hanna can be accomplished. When
ballots are counted in Ohio they are i'm
mediately destroyed. 1 presume that all of
the ballots In this contest. whether they
We're cast in democratic or republican pre-
cIncts. have already been destroyed, and
therefore the returns made by the election
officers must stand. There is no opportun-
change or alter the returns. These returns
Tow give Senator Hanna a clear majority
on joint ballot of five. | do not believe the
official returns will materially change those
received unotficially.
This talk about opposition to Senator
Hanna among republican members of the
legislature is the talk of free silver demo-
Gratis. who are trying to create a disturbance
in the republican party. and il has no real
foundation. OF course. friends of Mr.. Nc
Lean will do everything they possibly can,
even though they see no prospect OF his
election, to make trouble among republi-
cans. and they will stop at no assertion TO
put the worst possible phase upon the stu
alton. Not only was every republican
nominated for the legislature known 10 be
a tried and true republican, but 1 am thor.
oughly satisfied that Senator Foraker will
exert every influence he can to see that
his personal friends. who are members of
the legislature, stand firm for Mr.. Hanna
and pay him the highest compliment in
fhair