Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-08
Real Purpose Of the Ohio Der
mocracy.
CANNOT CARRY STATE
HOWEVER, TO CONTROL
THE LEGISLATURES.
Activity Of the Opposition Brings
Junior Senator Back From
His Vacation.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

tivfty Is shown among the democrats OF
the state as the state convention ap-
proaches, but 1t grows more and more ap-
parent that the chief object in the cam
paign as they see 1t Is not the governor
ship or In fact any of the state Offices,
but the United States senatorship, now
held by Senator Hanna. and for which he
Is again candidate, having been nomi-
mated for it by the republican state con-
vention The call for the democratic
state convention does not state that a
candidate for the senatorship Is to be
nominated, but that will be done. All the
leaders seem to be agreed on that.
Though the democrats have not yet put
their state ticket in the field. members of
the legislature have been named in many
Johnson Of Cleveland, who is taking great
interest in these nominations, with the
avowed object of defeating Senator
Hanna If possible, is really already cam
paigning in the state, so far as the cleo
ton of a United States senator is con-
cerned. His work has had the erect at
least of calling Senator Hanna back from
his summer resting place on the Atlantic
coast to confer with State Chairman Dck
in regard to the situation, and the result
seems to be that he will remain In the
state and. keep close watch on Mayor
Johnson.
Legislature IN OOuOI.
While there does not seem to be the
slightest doubt about the ability of Chair
man Dick to carry the state so far as the
state ticket Is concerned, the situation is
not so assuring as to the legislature, upon
which so much now depends. Six years
ago the legislature was so close that the
secession of eight republicans on the
senatorial question left. the legislature SO
close on joint ballot that Senator Hanna
was elected by majority OF single vote;
Cuyahoga county was then In the controi
of the republicans Under Mayor john
sons management both the city and tne
county have come to be quite renapiy
democratic. The loss OF that county "
the republicans would be a severe DO"
to them in the senatorial election. II IS
true that since Mr.. Hanna's election SIX
years ago the legislative districts nave
been rearranged by the repuonean s,o D of
republican make and 1t was not possible
to make the situation much more 1a'or-
able to that party.
1t is now evident that while Mayor Jones
of Toledo Is not to be the candidate of the
democrats for the senatorship, he Is work
ing in this matter in close connection with
Mayor Johnson. He is at the head OF
movement in Toledo to elect an lndepen-
dent democratic delegation to the legisla-
ture from Lucas county. he Is having
some difficulty with 1t, but 1t Is by no means
certain yet that it will fail. Mayor Jones
strong
party of his own city and county, and the
plan may win. The loss Of Lucas county,
added to that of CuyahOga would De ols-
astrous to the republicans.
In this connection, the announcement
from one of Charles L. Kurtz's close friends
that he is out of politics for good Is spe-
cially interesting. The reasons given are Ill
health and the pressure of private business.
Mr. Kurtz has been in Arizona Tor MS
health since last winter and is not expected
to return Soon although he Will retain nus
residence here. 1t was he who managed the
combinatio of democrats and ant-Hanna
republicans In the legislature SIX years ago
that came within a single vote of electing
Mayor r. E. MckfssOn of Cleveland, the an
ti-Hanna candidate. to the Senate instead of
Mr.. Hanna. He is an able and tlreiess
political organizer and 1t Is gratifying 10
Senator's Hanna's friends to be thus as
sured that they win not have him to reckon
with in the coming senatorial campaign
Mclean Not in the Campaign.
John R. Mclean will take no part in the
democratic state campaign. He is still in
Europe and will probably not return until
the campaign is we'll over. His chief polit-
teal lieutenant, L. G. Bernard of Cincinnati,
has announced that he will not be a can
didate for the craftsmanship in Hamilton
county indicat ting that the Mclean faction
intends to give Mayor Johnson free hano
in the management of the state campaign.
nard had held this Craftsmanship, through
democratic successes and defeats. Last
year Mayor Johnson went into the county
and defeated him, electing in his place
Herbert BigeloW, a Congregational
preacher.
The anti-Johnson democrats are support
ing John L. Zimmerman of Springfield, as
their candidate for governor. 1t is believed
that the Johnson democrats Will support
Mr. Johnson himself for this nomination.
though he has persistently stated that he
does not want it. 1t is noted that he is not
so positive in this statement though, as
he is in his announcement that he will not
be the candidate of the convention for
United States senator. 1t Is believed that
he will try to have John j. Lentz nomi-
mated for the senatorship, though from his
friends comes the statement that Mr..
johnson favorS John W. Bookwalter of
Springfield. The anti-Johnson democrats
will support for the senatorship Allen w.
Thurman of this city.
Mr.. Thurman has created some comment
upon the presidential nomination question
here by announcing himself as in favor Of
Senator A. P. German. On the whole, the
Ohio democrats seem to take kindly to the
suggestion, but prefer to wait while be-
fore making definite choice. Speaking
Of his declaration for German, Mr.. Thur
man said the other day that his first ac-
quaintance with German began when a
boy he was living with his father, then a
senator, in Washington. Mr.. German and
himself played base ball in the same team
Years afterward, when Thurman became a
national base ball league president Mr. Cor
man, who seems to have retained his inter
est in the game, both professional and
amateur, used to give him pointers in the
business.
Interest in Bryan Waning.
Though William J. Bryan seems to have
been received with open arms by the demo-
cratic state leaders and local democrats at
Urbana this week, that should not be taken
as indicative of the prevailing feeling Of
the democrats of the state toward the Ne
braska leader. Enthusiastically the feeling
among Ohio democrats is much less kindly
now toward him than 1t was last year or at
any time since he became prominent in the
party Up to this time 1t was dangerous
thing for any democratic newspaper in this
state to say anything even mildly critical
of him. Now 1t is quite common for them
to say very severe things about him. Evil
IDENTIFY he is no longer regarded by the rank
and file of the party as infallible and above
party criticism.
Gen. ]. Warren Keifer, who was Speaker
of the national House of Representatives
from 1881 to 1888, may return to Congress.
He is a candidate for the republican nomf-
nation to succeed T.. b. Kyle In the Spring.