Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-07-11
DEMOCRATS NAY WIN in OHIO
Col. Kilbourne Will be Nomi-
mated for Governor.
HE IS STRONG WITH THE PEOPLE
is Supported by the Mclean
Following.
But Is Not I'm Any Combination to Advance
McLean's Senatorial Aspirations = viii
Prove a Most Available Candidate, and
May be Elected.
baltimore sun Special.

Baltimore sun Special
Columbus, o., July 4.-The nomina.
tion, rs now eeems certain, of Col, James
.Kilbourne, of this city, as the Demo.
cratic candidate for the governorship
will mark the beginning Of o new era
10 politics in Ohio.
OF the T3S delegates already selected
1928 are instructed to vote for Col. Kill
bourne on each ballot OF the remain.
ing 40 very few are instructed for any
particular candidate, and Kilbourne's
enemies concede that he will have at
least loo of their vote. Only 476 votes
are necessary to a choice in the con-
vention which meets in this city Tues
day and Wednesday of next week, and
1t is even said Col. Kilbourne's nomi.
nation On the first ballot is probable.
The Columbus candidate has spent
no money In his campaign and all lis
workers are volunteers. Col. Kilbourne
is in no sense a politician. When asked
several months ago IL he would be a
candidate for the nomination he replied
that he would like very much to be
governor of Ohio, but he did not care
TO enter into a wild scramble for the
chance to make the race. He aid he
would make no effort to secure it, bug
IL the nomination came to him he
would accept 1t.
Col. Kilbourne' success is due to a
rather strange combination circum-
stances. Some months ago, when his
name was being mentioned In counec-
.tion with the nomination, John r. Nc
Lean, realizing the extent of Kill
ibourne's popularity with all elements
of the party, tried in vain to form an
alliance with him. Mclean will be the
leading candidate for the office of
United States Senator iu case Of the
election of a Democratic Legislature
this fall, and he offered Kilbourne his
support for the governorship, provided
kilbourne would promise to aid his
candidacy. The Columbus man fatty
refused to form any alliance or to make
any ante election promises whatsoever
and Mclean left him to his fate.
Mclean then made overtures to Tom
L. johnson, mayer of Cleveland, and
was rewarded by 1ohnson's bitter at
tack upon him and his methods. After
this Mclean, knowing that he could
not control the convention against the
forces of johnson and Kilbourne, de-
cided that, in order to beat johnson,
he must support Kilbournes candidacy.
Thus ktlbourne stands in the UNIQUE
position OF a man with McLean's full
support and yet without the handicau
OF any alliance with the powerful leader.
Mclean and Kilbourne will be able
to dictate the platform, and it will be
conservative, for Kilbourne is a Demo-
crat OF the old fashioned sort, although
he has been regular" during the past
few years, and Mclean knows that a
Populietic platform will never be ac
cepted BY the majority Of the voters Of
Ohio. Some slight concessions may be
made TO johnson, who is the leader of
the radical wing of the party, but In
the main the platform will confine
itself to the fundamental tenets of the
Democratic party. Not y great deal Of
space will be devoted to national issue.
for there is wide field for recommen.
dations at home.
As to the electiou, 1t Is believed by
men well Informed on Ohio politics
that Kilbourne has more than a fiebt.
ing chance and that he may carry with
him enough of the legislative ticket to
insure a majority for the Democrats in
that body. He is manufacturer, who,
through the 30 years of his business
life, has never had the slightest trouble
with any of the thousands of man in
his employ.
Gov. Nash, who will make his second
campaign this fall. is not personally so
popular, but he has the advantage of
running for office in State normally
Republican. He was elected two years
ago by plurality Of $4,000 over john
II. Mclean. In forecasting the result
of this years battle 1t must be taken
into account that at the time of the last
campaign there was an independent
candidate in the field; that he polled
101, 900 votes, and that it is estimated
that at least three fourths of these came
from democrats. Moreover, Mclean
was probably the weakest candidate the
Democrats could have selected, while
kiIbourne is probably the strongest.
The Republican party will make IT'S
fight on national issues, and questions
at home will receive little attention,
The party In power recognizes the fact
that Il has hard fight on its hands
and the campaign will begin early.