Evening star., 1900-10-01
SITUATION IN OHIO
Result of Solicitor General Richards
Observations.
IMPERIALISM CRY HAS NO EFFECT
People Are Not Concerned About
the Trusts.
WILL INDORSE Mr.. M'KINLEY

Solicitor General Richards, who was at
torney general of Ohio at one time. re-
turned this morning from Ohio. where he
has been for the last week. When asked
respecting the political situation there. he
said:
THE situation in Ohio is excellent. The
campaign is not yet fully opened, but every
Indication points to a majority like that of
1894, when the republicans carried the
state by about $4,000 The republican meet
ings thus far held have been exceptionally
large and enthusiastic, while the demo-
Cratic gatherings have been 'frosts. While
there is demand the part of the
county organizations for numerous meet
ings yet the meetings held have been
what the boys call 'corkers In short, 1t
all indicates that the people have made up
their minds how to vote and are going to
vote; they don't need to be argued with or
convinced, but they perfectly willing
to come out and by rousing meetings show
where they stand
Issue of Imperialism.
What effect is the so-called issue of
imperialism having in Ohio?'
None at ALL so far as | could observe.
The plain people take stock in it. It's
a bugaboo that frightens no one. There
are too many old soldiers living in Ohio
who heard the same howl about Lincoln
and the republican party from 1861 to 1865.
No one is afraid that William Mckinley
will declare himself emperor or the repub-
lican party deal liberty blow either in our
island possessions or at home. The repub-
lican party was founded to preserve ana
extend liberty, and has done so, and VIII
liam Mckinley, as soldier and statesman
and President, has done his share IN that
great work. AS fast as the inhabitants OF
sin ra
shall have liberty. They are getting more
and more of it every day. We have gone
there to give them liberty and they are
getting it in liberal doses.
Not Worried About Trusts.
Are the people of Ohio concerned about
trusts?'
Il saw nothing to indicate they are. The
question of how TO deal with the so-cailed
trust is hardly a partisan or political one
1t is a mixed question of law and business,
or of law as applied to business. Hurtful
combinations that arbitrarily fix prices by
suppressing competition have been de-
nounced by both parties and been prose-
cuted by both when in power. Repubilcan
as well as democratic states nave legls-
lated and are legislating against them. The
laws of Ohio are stringent as those of
Texas and are vigorously enforced. The
federal trust legislation was passed by re-
publicans, and prosecutions have been in
republican administrations. The great diff
Guilty in dealing with the so-caled trusts
arises from division of power between the
state and federal governments. Wherever
trust Illegal combination could be reached
under the federal law the government has
gone after it. The matter virtually rests
with the states. If a state wants to keep
out a great corporation organized in New
Jersey some other state 1t can do
II has full control of corporations and COM
bnations far as they transact business
within its borders. The states don't keep
the great corporations out because they
prefer to let them in. after complying with
such conditions they have seen fit to
impose
IndOrse Mckinley's Adm in is tratiOn.
IF the people of Ohio are not interested
in Imperialism in trusts, what are they
interested IMP
They are interested in indorsing William
Mckinley's administration in continuing
the prosperity it brought and in preserving
the honor of the flag which it has carried
To distant lands That is the question after
all, as the people view it, whether they
shall stand by the President and the flag
and hold on to the good times which they
believe his policies have brought about"