Evening star., 1897-05-17
SITUATION IN OHIO
Bushnell and Hanna Are Now in Per-
feet Accord.
PARTY WILL GRANT CLAIMS OF BOTH
But When It Comes to. Election
All May Go Wrong.
PROSPECTS OF DEMOCRATS
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondents Of The Evening Star
COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 16, 1897
All danger of a break in the relations be-
tween Governor Bushnell and Senator Han
ma are past-at least until after the state
convention, probably for good. The gov
ernor will be nominated for a second term,
and Senator Hanna will be indorsed by
that convention for election to the Senate
by the legislature. Neither can afford to
jeopardize the interests of the party by op-
posing the interests of the other, even If
he should be so inclined. There Is possi-
bility of clash Of interests when 1t comes
to the selection of the executive committee
to have charge Of the state campaign, and
week ago it looked as If Senator Hama
might force upon the governor an executive
chairman who would not be acceptable to
him: but this is not now probable.
Last year Governor Bushnell refused to
permit Charles Kinney, who as candidate
Of the party for the office of secretary of
state was the head of the ticket to select
the chairman of the state executive COM
mittee. Kinney claimed that as q right
Of the state ticket. There was a warm
contest on the point in the state central
committee, in which the sides ranged
themselves along the old factional lines,
and the Foraker members supporting the
governors view of 1t. Kinney was out
voted, and Governor Bushnell's close friend
Charles l.. Kurtz, was made executive
chalrnan Remembering this incident
which was very humiliating to Mr. Kinney,
II was expected by many that the tables
would be turned upon Governor Bushnell
this year by the other faction if they could
control the state central committee and
that they would compel him to accept Mai.
T. w. Dick or some other equally obiec-
tlonaoie sherman republican leader for ex-
ecutfve chairman, instead Of the man of
MS cholce-Charles L. Kurtz.
Revenge Will He Prohibited.
But while some of Mr.. Kinney's special
friends might wish to have this revenge,
the leaders Of the Sherman faction will
not permit 1t to be done. There is too
mcch at stake to engage in evening up old
scores In the impending state campaign.
indeed, close friend of Mr.. Kinney said
TO The Star correspondent a few days ago
when the possibility of such a returning
of the compliment to the governor was
suggested, that Mr.. Kinneys friends would
only stult1fy themselves by such proceed
ure. for they would be taking ground ex-
actly opposite to that upon which they
made their fight a year ago. Charles l..
kurtz will be the state executive chair
n an. That is settled. But Charles w.
Dick will be in Ohio all through the cam
paign, and will have special charge of the
legislative elections in the interest of Sem
ator Hanna. He is to have headquarters
in Cleveland.
A. c. Caine, clerk of the state senate.
has just published election statistics from
the vote of last fall, tabulated by sena-
torial districts and counties which shows
That If legislature had been voted for at
that election the republicans would have
secured twenty-six members of the SEN
ate and the democrats ten. The republi-
cans would have secured seventy-six men,
bers of the house and the democrats thirty
three. This gives a republican majority on
Joint ballot of fifty-nine-a very comfort
able position certainly for Senator Hanna.
But 1t is not at all certain that the vote in
Ohio will be so satisfactory to the repub-
hcans in this state this fall.
Result of Last Months Elections.
The result of the elections in the cities
last month indicates republican slump"
This Is being pushed along in Hamilton
county. one of the republican strongholds
of the state. by the discovery of a series
of defalcations in the city and county
offices-all attributable to the operations
of a republican machine, that has con-
tIolled the party politics there for a num-
Der of years. There is every indication
that the people have come to the conclu-
sion that the machine must be broken and
is the time to do it. A different cause
has produced an equally unfavorable con-
dition for the republicans in Cuyahoga
county-Cleveland.
Mayor McKisson charges Senator Hanna
with opposing his election as mayor this
spring, and Is taking no pains to conceal
his opposition to the senator. On re-
cent visit to this city the mayor gave 1t as
his opinion that If the state convention
should indorse Senator Hanna for the Sen
ate, Cuyahoga county would send a solid
democratic delegation to the legislature
this fall. Mayor McKisson attributes this
to the opposition of the ''laboring'' men
to the senator.
These two counties alone have twenty
six members in the legislature. In the
present legislature they are all republicans.
Should the democrats carry both counties,
as they are very likely to do this fall. this
change will make a difference of forty-six
votes on joint ballot in the legislature. 1t
will be seen that 1t will not require many
gains by the democrats in other parts of
the state to give them the legislature and
enable them to choose the successor of
Senator Hanna
Much Depends on POpulists.
Much will depend upon what the popu-
lists do. They have in part determined
upon their policy. A state populist ticket
will be put in the field, and also legislative
tickets. This they will do to guard their
interests. They have expressed their will
ingness, however, to withdraw these in
case the democrats present candidates and
state platform acceptable to the popu-
lists. All the democrats have to do, there
fore, to secure the cooperation of the pop
ulists in the campaign is to make a COM
plete surrender to populism. The outlook
now is that the democratic state convention
will indorse the full Chicago platform.
That will, of course, suit the populists. The
candidate for governor will, no doubt, be
a democrat who supported the platform
and candidates of last year without re-
serve. The rock upon which fusion will
split will be, however, the division of the
offices between the two parties. Already
the popullsts are demanding a large share
of the nominations for the legislature un-
der the proposed fusion agreement. Upon
this the two parties may not agree and
fusion fail
II fusion Is a success it seems to be quite
within the range of probability that the
democrats may elect the governor and
carry the legislature this fall. The chance
seems so alluring, to the democrats at
least, that no less than a dozen candidates
for the democratic nomination for governor
are announced.
Democratic Possibilities.
The following Is complete list up to
date: Allen w. Thurman, E. B. Finley.
Allen ". Smalley, John w. Winn, James
w. Newman, Gustav Tafel, John c. We'll
day, Col James Kilbourne, Paul ]. Sorg,
Thomas G. Fitzsimmons 8. N. Owen and
John J Lentz.
The general opinion seems to be that