The evening times., 1899-09-16
DEMOCRATS IN OHIO.
The Party Encouraged and Strength
ened by the Hay Letter.

| COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 16.-The pos
sibility that the next governor of Ohio will
be John R. Mclean has become strong /
probability through the political develop
ments of the past week. The Democratic
State committee has settled promptly
down to business and has begun to organ
| ize and equip the party more effectively
than in any other campaign since the civil
war. Evidences OF activity, aggressive
ness, and skill in the direction and man
agement of the canvass may be seen in
every township. The dynamic personality
of the Democratic nominee is felt emphat-
cally by both the leaders and the rank and
| file of the party.
| 1t is no exaggeration to say that the
popular impulse throughout Ohio is nov
responding afirmatively in support of Nc
Lean. The temper and tone of the Demo-
cratic press is not only confident but de-
| termined; the claims of Democratic man
ayers are pregnant with certainty; and the
large majority of the voters are evidently
animated with a spirit of hopefulness and
buoyancy unusual even in the Democrats
| party. The feeling that Ohio may this
year go Democratic is no longer only in
the air. 1t is imbedded firmly in the
1 heart and intellect of a surprisingly large
proportion of the voting population.
If anything had been needed to demon
| strate that the Democratic position is more
secure in Ohio at this moment than that
of the Republicans, the letter of Secretary
Hay would surely have furnished it, II is
well nigh impossible TO magnify the sig
nificance of Mr.. Hays unprecedented COM
mUnication His appearance at this time
in the role Of political pamphleteer de-
tending the Mckinley Administration and
arraigning the Democratic party is admit
| ted by everyone here to be the frankest
possible confession that the President and
the Presidents advisers are seriously
alarmed by the political outlook. Among
Democrats the feeling is unanimous that
the Republicans are frightened, or, as it is
more vuigariy explained, are already on
the rum The effect of that inference has
been threefold: To unity and soiidify the
Democratic voters by terminating and en-
| couraging them for the fight ahead; to
| drive into the Democratic ranks a large
number of undecided, or floating" yot-
ers, who in every campaign wish to be on
| the winning side; to discourage and dis
comfort, if not to ALLEVIATE, the indepen-
| dent Republicans throughout the State.
1 Mr.. Hays letter has done more than other
| influence TO impel all Democrats to bury
whatever differences of opinion may have
| existed and TO line up in support of the
| Democratic ticket. Whether reasonably or
not Democrats regard the Hay letter as
| evidence of timidity on the part OF the Ad-
ministration-as a manifestation OF the
white feather" in politics. The Republic
| ans deserve to be beaten. is now the
unanimous sentiment even of these Demo-
Gratis who were once not in love with the
ticket nominated at Gainesville. If recent
expressions reflect accurately public opinion
| it is reasonably certain that the most dis
gruntled Democrat will vote for John r.
| Mclean rather than for the candidate of
| those now termed "the lily-liyered' Repub-
licans The ''foaters'' have shown dispo-
sition, since Mr.. Hays letter was publish
ed Ito pile into the Mclean band wagon
and ''get on the winning side The rush
has been spontaneous and general in many
sections, and especially in the larger cities.
In Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Toledo de-
fection from the Republican party has been
so marked as TO excite the fears of the
most sanguine Hannaites.
| Supplementing, as it does, the admitted
hostility TO the dominant leaders of the
| Republican party, the Hay letter incident
has made emphaticaliy worse a situation
which was already bad indeed for the
| Hanna Mckinley Dick regime. Instead of
relieving, ii has influenced against Hanna
ism the smoldering resentment of the For
| aker Kurtz McKisson, and Bushnell fac
|
| what friend of his here yesterday called
the 'backboneless, cowardly admissions of
| the Administration. Old line Republic
| ans shake their heads regretfully when the
| new leadership of the Hanna Dick-Gros-
| venor stripe" is mentioned. They talk
| significantly of the time when high-toned
men like Sherman, Garfield and Foraker
shaped the policies of Ohio Republicans.
The attitude OF the Germans has not been
4 Al H.. Il. II .1I
| il has been in favor OF the Democrats The
Germans are perhaps as conservative and
level-headed any other people in Ohio.
They reflect studiously, reach conclusions
calmly, and execute their decisions with
immovabe determination. 1t is believed
that they have now already made up their
minds to support the Democratic platform
ard Democratic candidate.
The attitude of another influential ele
ment in Ohio politics may be inferred from
the recent statement of John P. Ferrin, of
Toledo, who was for many years publisher
| of the Catholic Standard" Mr.. Ferrin
| said: Il am convinced that the great ma
iority of the people of Ohio demand the
| election of a Democratic governor this
year. l believe that Mclean will be sup
ported by the labor vote practically as a
unit. The people are for him all over the
State and Republicans may attack him all
| they want TO, but it is a fact that he has
been and is today more keenly, more in
telligently, more substantially in sympathy
with the plain people, the working man,
of Ohio than any other citizen. He de-
serves their support and he will get it.
| believe he will get so per cent of the Irish
| American vote in the State. We are all
for him."
The attempt of certain Republicans to
represent Mclean as hostile to Bryan has
failed signally. Mclean is now as he was
| in 1896 one of Bryan's warmest personal
and political friends. The fortunes of both
men demand Democratic victory this year
| in Ohio and Bryan will come to Ohio in
! October and make speeches in McLean's
behalf. The ingenious stories started by
I>certain Republican politicians are without
| any foundation in fact. In attempting to
stir up animosity between Bryan and Nc
Lean they are reckoning without their host
and are only exposing themselves to ridi-
cule among intelligent political observers
here.
rACu AJn nE DDvhNJ