The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-21
OHIO WILL BE DEMOCRATIC.


It might seem a rash prediction to
any one who looks at the figures of
recent election returns from the state
of Ohio to say that there is good
reason to suppose that within the
next two years it will be carried by
the Democratic party. Nevertheless,
such is the present outlook and proba-
bility.
Ohio Republicanism has been rent
almost ever since the close of the war
by bitterly contesting factions. Away
back in the old days John Sherman
dictatoriaI spirit would brook no rival.
From time to time as opposition devel-
oped he crushed it, and VIGOROUSLY
preferred a Democratic colleague in
the senate to a Republican. This bred
resentment in his party opponents, and
built up a strong minority pledged to
fight Sherman and all he represented.
This view and this spirit has been
handed down until this day. Foraker
is the regular legatee of the mutineers,
as Hanna was the legitimate successor
of the old state machine. The latter
was man Of such commanding per-
sonality and such genius in organiza-
ton that he brought it to a degree Of
perfection unknown before. But Han
ma was also a man Of breadth of mind
unknown to John Sherman. He per-
ceived that he could fortify- his power
and commend his personality to the
party in the state by a policy of judi
cial concession, giving to the element
opposed to him large representation in
public Offices and in the senate at the
price Of retaining unmolested his grip
upon the party organization in the
state.
With only occasional instructions,
the state of armed neutrality between
the Hanna people and the Foraker peo-
pie was maintained until the death of
the former. Each side always had
slept upon its arms. At any moment
that they could have done so with i'm
punity the Hanna machine would have
smashed the Foraker crowd, or the
Foraker people have demolished the
state machine. Each was strong
enough to maintain itself and wise
enough to respect the power of the
other, and they got along together
without rupture about as well as
France and Germany do. But the
death of the great Republican leader
and the removal of both his influence
and his sagacious counsel has broken
the treaty, and Ohio Republicans are
in a state of Instruction.
President Roosevelt has in a manner
recognized Senator Foraker as his
spokesman and representative for Ohio
It has been understood that that gen.
tleman would be the dispenser of state
patronage for the administration. AL
ready since the death of Hanna all ap-
pointments have been made upon For
aker's recommendation. Thereupor
Gov. Herrick and Senator Dick, the
successor of Hanna have served public
notice that they will demand equal
consideration and respect at Washing
ton; which means that they are to
have the lions share of the patronage
Failing in this they have warned the
president that if he sets up Mr.. Fora
ker as the Ohio Republican boss, Their
every friend of Foraker will be thrown
out of the state offices, he himself viii
not be allowed to go to the national
convention and the bulk of the vote
of Ohio in that body will be delivered
to Secretary Taft.
Now these gentlemen may not be
able to do all that they threaten, but
they are talking very loud. Senator
Foraker has never taken kindly to this
or he might himself have become boss
Dick and Herrick and the other state
crowd are exactly of his stamp They
made good lieutenants for Senator
Hanna, but emancipated from his con-
troll they are as wild and woolly as
Foraker himself There is war to the
knife between these two factions, and
each of them has some ability to make
its work good.
The factional division is so ancient
so bitter and SO deep-rooted in the
Ohio Republican breast that it car
hardly be composed without fight to
the finish. We believe that it is q
matter of mere logical political de-
velopment that Ohio Republicans will
be engaged in a death struggle with
one another before two years have
passed, and that the Democratic party
under these circumstances may easily
capture and hold the state The facts
that we have cited above, which are
nat coIored. but a matter OF contem-