Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-19

plished smoothly While the national ad-
ministration was certain to prevail a large
number of local leaders thought their own
personal influence was, the cause of the
revolution instead OF the inherent power
of post office patronage. Instead of fol-
lowing Major McKinley's invariable plan
lated Senator Hannas idea of crushing it.
Their intolerance was shown in the legis-
lative nominations. The result will be the
loss OF some country members.
Cities win Control.
The complexion of the legislature how
ever, will not be determined by the coun-
try districts. If the republicans carry
through their legislative tickets in Clevc-
land, Cincinnati and Toledo. they will be
sure of majority. II they have slump
in the cities they will hardly be able to
secure majority, no matter how well the
country districts may do. The Cleveland
district has twelve members, Toledo, ten
and Cincinnati. fourteen. In Cleveland
concessions of rather humiliating kind
have been made by Senator Hanna's friends
to the faction controlled by. Mayor McKis-
son. The expectation is that a solid re-
publican delegation will be elected from
that district, because nobody can afford 20
throw" a portion of the. ticket. Never
theless the Cleveland democrats, or Bryan
ties as they call themselves. in spite of
their own discussions are confident that
The delegation will be divided They viii
trace everything to secure the election of
three or four deT cCratic members.
The Toledo district Is admittedly the
worst one with which the republicans have
TO deal. They are not very harmonious
among themselves. The federal patronage
Is causing heartburnings. Two years ago
when the members of the legislature were
elected. the republican plurality in the
district was 1000. Last year in the presi-
Genital election it was only 400. The DEM
ocratic vote increased in nearly twice the
proportion
the conditions which obtain this year the
democrats have more than a fighting
chance. There is an even prospect of their
carrying the Toledo district and securing a
majority of the members from it, where
now they have only two out of the ten
Situation In Cincinnati.
Hamilton county last year gave McKin-
ley plurality of 10000. It is difficult to
imagine condition of affairs in Cincin-
natl which would upset this big ma jority
and elect democratic legislative ticket.
Nevertheless, in Cincinnati. as in all cities
political changes are swift If John r.
Mclean is to have any standing as a DEM
ocratic candidate for senator he must
make showing in his own town and con-
tribute proportionate share to the cleo
ton of democratic legislature The plan
for doing this is union legislative
ticket which has on it some Independent
or reform republicans. Reform republicans
have not much in common with the regu-
lar democracy of Cincinnati, and the name
may be misnomer. but the existence of
such a combination cannot be overlooked.
Further time will be needed to determine
how much of factor this union of dis
cordant elements is going to be.
The republicans in Cincinnati are not in
the hest condition, but the tangle is not
bad enough to justify their losing the
Hamilton. county delegation to the legisla-
ture The opponents of Geo. B. Cox, the
local boss. had hoped the incoming of the
Mckinley national administration would
take Cox out of politics. He was shrewd
enough to come out for Mark Hanna's ap-
polntment as senator by Bushnell, when
the governor was trying to dodge that re-
sponsibflity.r, This did not save him in the
municipal election when his candidates
We're beaten. Since then Boss Cox has
rallied his supporters. He was strong
enough to force recognition for himself and
friends in the nomination of the legislative
ticket, What was more important to hirA
was the breaking of a reform slate for the
county offices and the acceptance of his
slate. This has unqueStioEably Disguised a
large element of republicans, who hoped
TO see CoX's power broken. They do not
make allowance for the fact that even
Mark Hanna cannot have his own way in
everything. Mark has been under the ne
cessity of treating with Cox on the equal
terms of an ally. Whether the active sup
port which Boss Cox and his machine will
now give the ticket will offset the indiffer-
ence of the disguised republicans is a prob
lem that offers no easy solution. III,
CHAS. NJ. PEPPER. o.