Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-15
run QUO CAMPAIGN.

| opened Saturday by meetings at three
| different points I'm the State. The prln-
cipaI meeting was at Burton, ana 'ne
| principal speakers at that meeting were
| House. fire Foraker and Mark A. Hanna.
| The people of Ohio will elect TINS ia'i
state ticket and Legislature, ana the
| Legislature will elect a United states
| senator for the full term to succeeu
| Hanna, who is senator, by appointment
| of Governor Bushnell. to fill Sherman
| unexpired term. In view OF this ana
the fact that the next Legislature VIII
have power TO redIstrict the State as 10
congressional districts, the unusual I'M
| portance of the election to both political
| parties will be readily appreciated
| Despite the confident tone OF the Re-
| publican papers in Ohio and elsewhere
as to the result, Foraker showed IN MS
Burton speech that he was by no means
confident. Aside from declaring that IL
the Legislature should be Democratic
next winter, the State would be redis-
tricted for congressional purposes an
such a way as TO make the Ohio delega-
ton Democratic as strongly as 1t was
now Republican" and calling attention TO
the danger" of Democrats being elect
ed senator in place OF Hanna, FORAKER
by negation admitted that there was
going on In Ohio a Republican reaction
against Mckinley. He made special
plea for "Ohic's favorite son." and az
frmed that there was not a single rea-
son why anybody who voted for McKin-
ley last year should vote against the
national administration this year. In
deed. all that seems to have relieved
Foraker's speech from absolute funera!-
ism was a bit Of irony in one place ana
a little exhibition of Munchausenlsm In
another The irony consisted in his pay
ing a tribute to Hanna, whom he cordially
hates. and of whom he is intensely jeal-
Gus. and the Munchaussnism was In
yolved in his assertion that In SIX
months "the Republican administration
had restored prosperity to the country.
Hanna's speech was a distinct disap-
pointment TO his admirers, but why IL
should have been we cannot understand.
II is true that 1t did not, as an Independ-
ent Republican contemporary says RISE
taken by and through, above the level OF
a school-boys effort. Yet, what else was
to have been expected? Hanna is not
a political speaker He is, as we nave
said before, political promoter. ANY
one who supposes that Hanna will rely
upon his eloquence TO check in Ohio the
rising tide against the administration
and promote his own interest, doesn't
understand Hannas system of check
ing" Any one so ignorant OF Hannas
strong points needs to be informed as 10
his honest election methods" as prac-
ticed in the last presidential campaign
At the same time, 1t is injustice to
Hanna not to recognize that his speech
was also frightened by little exaggera-
ton and irony. Among other things,
Hanna said that he was not prompted
by selfish motives to leave his extensive
business and go into politics, and In ad-
dressing the farmers, delivered himself as |
follows: "our country is the greatest |
wealth producing country of the earth' |
and you tillers- of the soil are charged !
with the duty of protecting it," When we |
remember how many business interests |
of Hanna's are being helped by the rob-
Der tariff he engineered through. and the |
burden that tariff places upon the tslers
Of the soil, the liberty he took with his !
conscience, If he has any. and his irony, |
will be very apparent.
We are free to admit that the Ohio |
Democrats have a desperate fight be"
fore them. Republican defeat would be
a terrible blow to the administration and
wreck Hanna's highest ambition. There
fore, the latter will strain every nerve
and employ every resource he can COM
mand in order to win, and in the strug-
gle will be backed by all the power and
influence of Mckinley and McKinleyism.
None the less, judging the situation by J
the lines on which the Republicans are
conducting their campaign, the recogni-
ton of their leaders that the admins
tration is on the defensive in the State,
the spirit that animates the regular
Democracy, and the enfeebled condition
Of the gold Democratic contingent, not
withstanding they have nominated a
ticket, there is reason for the Democracy
to be hopeful-every reason why the party
should make an aggressive fight to the
finish. Stranger things have happened
in Ohio politics than would be the defeat
of the Republican party Of that State in
the next election.