The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-11-04
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INTELLIGENCER.
wHEELINe, NOVEMBER 4, 1907.


neither of which shows a reversal OF SEN
timent among the people regarding the
issues on which the state was carried
for the Republican party, and has been
carried for that party In every presiden-
tial election In the past t~hirty-flve years.
In spite of the fact that Ohio has nearly
always gone Democratic IN the first off
year following a presidential election.
and that until recently she has kept a
divided delegation In the United States
senate, It has never been demonstrated
that the state wac not loyal to Republic
can principles when the national Issues
that didvide the parties were paramount
and the presidency was at stake. The
nearest she ever came to failing in this
loyalty was in 1892, the year OF a free
trade landslide. which gave Mr.. Cleve-
land one elector,
But aside from this habit of ohlo's in
dumping the year following a preslden-
tial election, the result this year was due
TO two reasons, as stated. The first
was the unfortunate factional troubles
OF a purely local character in the two
chief cities OF the state. In Cincinnati 1t
was a contest within the party, not over
national questions, but growing out OF
a revolt against the regular organization
on the part of those who desired to throw
It from power In the control Of city af-
fairs.
With such a split there could be but
,ne result in a county that would other
wise have elected a full delegation OF
fourteen members to the general as
Iembly. who would have voted for Mr..
Hanna for senator Not satisfied with
aefeating the faction in control of the
slty, for local reasons, the men who re-
volted carried their war to the legisla-
tive ticket, nominated by the regular or
~ganization, and involved the possible
defeat OF the party's candidate for the
Ienate,
The result in Hamilton county,
therefore, does not indicate that the Re-
publlcans of the county have changed
their views on national Questions, and
the Popocrat who comforts himself with
the thought that II means a reversal uf
sentiment in favor OF Organism is either
ignorant of the situation or blinded by
, his fanatical devotion to the cause OF the
fifty cent dollar. The slight losses in
Cuyahoga county are also due to a local
factlonal disafrection. and not to any re-
versal of sentiment regarding silver and
the tariff.
Another feature OF the election was the
indifference due to overconfidence on the
part Of Republicans in the rural dis
tricts. This was evident all over the
state for some weeks before the election.
The farmers Of Ohio were satisfied that
the chief free silver argument Of last
year was a delusion. The advance In the
price OF their agricultural products, and
the rapid rise in the price Of wool had
opened their eyes, and they beheld every
promise that the Republican party had
made to them fulfilled.
The Popocrats, seeing that their old
arguments for silver would be useless
IN the face OF returning prosperity,
adopted the tactics Of making only an
Indifferent campaign among the farm
ers; there was an affected apathy which
seemed to indicate that they had little
confidence in their ability to win, and
they centcred their campaign efforts In
the cities and towns. All this was cal
culated TO create an over-confdence
among the Republican farmers OF Ohio,
and they could not be mat to believe
that che state was not safe for an old
time Republican majority. The Demo-
Gratis, they thought, were doing little,
and they rested contented. 1--WE are too
busy this year" they declared, ito
bother about politics; It's different from
last year"
When the votes from the rural dis
tricts are In and analysed these rdcts can
be easily demonstrated, and In tho re-
turns there will be found nothing indl-
eating that there has been a reversal OF
public sentiment. This is shown to a
degree by the returns from several coun-
ties that the Democrats had counted up
On TO show heavy Democratic gains
but which really showed big Republican
galns. Undoubtedly the closenesB OF the
vote In Ohio IL a disappointment to the
Republicans Of the whole country, who
expected her to render a better account
of herself, but there is not ono element In
the entire situation that shows that q re-
action In favor Of the Popocratlc here
slcs, much hs the Popocrntlo brethren
may hail II IN such,