The Portland daily press., 1899-09-16
Possible Effects on Pres
ent Administration.
Coming Election of Great Ma
tional Significance.
Especial Despatch to the New York
Tribuna.l

Columbus, Ohio, Sept. 1S.--If through
some Unforeseen combination of cirouIn.
sianc,s John X. Mclean should be
elected Governor of Ohio by the Demo
Gratis this fall, his success would Instant
ly make doubtful two events which are
now considered as certain as anything
in the future can be. viz:
tirst-The denominations on free sill
yer, anti-imperia listic platform, of
William Jennings Bryan by the Democ-
racy next year for President.
Second-Tho denomination and ineyi-
table reelection by the Republicans of
President Mckinley.
notwithstanding the superBc ial ard
noisy enthusiasm for the stacy Bryan in
the Democratic ranks, especially in the
West and South, there are powerful politi
cal. personal and moral influences at
work against him which may defeat his
aspirations. A straw might turn the
scale. Expedenoy may finally deter
mine the Democratic nomination next
year; and II 1t does, bryan will fail.
Many of the ablest Democratic leaders,
aud among them some of Bryan's warm
est friends, view with deep concern the
very obvious universal wish of the Re-
publicans for Bryan's denomination, with
| tho oid issues up. 1t is unfortunate that
already considerable body of Repnbli-
cans begin to pin their soils faith In Re.
publican success next year up1n bad
nomination by the common enemy, but
so 1t Is. 1t is common remark of
thoughtlees Republicans that Mckinley
can beat Bryan; it would be walkover,' =
etc. This is sort Of danger signal to
those earnest Democrats who admire
Bryan, and yet place the interests of their
party before the man. This strong
Democratic element il cropping, tentative
lly fayoring bryan; yet ray OF light
might suddenly unite them upon some
new candidate.
Mclean 3 elsction at this juncture TO
the GovernoIship of President McHinley's
own State would be that ray Of light. IL
would not only at once make the result
Of the next Presidential election some
what doubtful but 1t would point to the
man, ana perhaps the only one, who could
defeat Brysn in the National Democratic
Convention next year. That the element
opposed to Bryan will rally around Mr.
Lean as an available candidate against
Mckinley the moment the Ohio guberna-
torial vote is counted Is already accepted
as q certainty by shrsHd politicians OF
both parties. Ohio is in the saddle again.
The Ohio Idea is Ia the air. There are
great possibilities in the outcome this
fall. That Is the meaning of McLaan's
resolute and costly canvass for the Zane--
Vile nomination. 1t requires no greater
grasp thhn that CT a mere tyIo to eompra
bend the Tremendous potentiality Of Nc
Lean In Democratic politics II he twins
out" in the important race in which he
| now entered. No matter what his prs-
tests; no matter what his disclaimer
he will disclslm evsry thing and protest
everything before the eEent--McLeAnss
election msnaces Bfyan's suprein acy,
means organs defeat 1t will haze that
effect no matter what Mclean himself
may think or mean now.
MC'LEAN's CHANCES IN OHIO.
| Can Mclean be elected Governor OF
Ohios This is the all Important ques ton
which Republicans In public life are now
propounding to themselves and their as
sociates There is no attempt whatever
to conceal from themselves the effect OF
such an event upon Republican prospects;
the only question Is. Can he be eiecteds
Ohio Is normally "a Republican State. In
the light Of its recent elections and the
favoring circumstances of general pros-
! perity, amt remembering that Que OF her
| fay orits sons now occupies the Presiden-
| tial chair essey consideration. wonll
prompt the cne universal answer Of "Non
| to this query. Nevertheless 5, 1t is easy to
gather here that many shrewd and well
infof4s ID politicians from all quarters
of the country have many miegivings
upon this subject and that they DO not
| consider McLean's election as entirely
Improbable. Their reasons are not far
to find.
While 1t Is true that Ohio, like New
York, is naturally Republican Stats on
the tariff and general Republican issues,
it Ia yet as subject to sudden and unex-
pacted political storms and regulations as
the West India Islands are 20 toFnadoss,
Wildcat money Issues have always had q
strong pull in the buckeye State and in
OF years, under far more favorable cir
cumstances than the present, the Damo-
Gratis have often defeated Republican tick
cts on this and other misleading aues-
tions. 1t ia true the Republican canai-
dates for the Presidency have always had
the electoral votes of Ohio, yet for many
years Immediately following the Civil
War it was close and debatable State
in the October elections. With but u
short interval the Democrats OF Ohio
have maintained Senator In Congress
J from the days of the Civil War until the
close of the late MIR. Brice's term. 1t Is
: not an unusual thing To see u majority
OF the Congressional delegation from
Ohio elected by the Democrats. The
Iparty has secured the Governorship and
State administration several times in the
last thirty years.
On tina fas.s. issue. OF which an Ohio
man was the very embodiment, the Res
, Ipublieans finally swept everything before
them and took Ohio out OF the doubtful
column of states. Yet no further back
, than 1889 Campbell defeated Foraker fci
Governor. anu In 1922 Harrison hRgely
saved the State from Cleveland By a beg
carly thousand or SO Of plurality Il Ii
only since the rise of William Mckinley
that Ohio has been considered safels