Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-21

has been in the Senate.
From present indications half of the con-
gresslonal districts in the state will have
contesting delegations asking TO be seated
In the republican national convention. The
Herrick-Dick organization will control the
coming state convention no doubt, and the
state ticket will be made I'D of members of
that faction.
Herrick-Dick Organization.
The Herrick-Dick organization has indors-
ed the candidacy of l.. c. Laylin the pres
ent secretary of state. for nomination for
q third term, and there is little doubt about
his nomina ton. The third term proposition
is not at all popular, and it will be made
still less so this time probably by the nomi-
nation of w. I. Spear for a fourth term on
the supreme bench.
The Foraker faction is opposed to both of
these men, and their presence on the ticket
will invite their opposition
The general assembly now in session is
also adding weight TO the party to carry in
the coming campaign 1t is republican by
twO-thirds majority in both branches. and
SO the party must shoulder the responsibility
for what it does.
Two weeks ago. in the face of strong pop
ular sentiment, bill was passed abolishins
spring municipal elections and combining
them with the regular November elections.
The proposition came from Cleveland and
Toledo. where the republicans can win in
the general elections, but invariably lose in
the city elections, resulting in the repeated
election of Tom L. Johnson and Golden
Rule Jones.
The republicans of those cities saw that if
they could combine the municipal with the
general elections the republican municipal
ticket would ride through the general
ticket. No other city in the state having
similar condition, of course, no other city
asked for 1t. In many of them 1t would
have a disastrous effect, viewed from a
party standpoint, and so vigorous opposition
came from many points in the state.
The advocates of municipal reform fought
1t hard and. while they did not prevent the
passage of the BILL they did force the adop-
ton of a resolution proposing an amend
ment to the state constitution by which
If the people at the election in the fall of
1905 approve it, the state and national cleo
lions will fall in the even years and the
municipal elections in the odd years But
unless that is done the two elections will
be held together, and until 1t is done they
will be held together.
Very Long Ticket.
As the result the Australian ballot In such
a city as this will contain this fall, includ-
ing the names of the presidential electors
and running down to members of the school
board between 600 and 100 names of can
didates.
OF course no voter could intelligently can
vass this list of names as he is supposed
to do in the five minutes that he is allowed
to remain in the election booth to mark his
ballot.
Gov. Herrick insisted upon making this
bill party measure, ordered caucus
1t and, though the majority of the eau
Gus Endorsed 1t and enough voted for 1t to
carry it, sixteen members of the house and
five members of the senate refused to obey
the order of the governor and the caucus
and voted against the bill.
Senator c. Chamberlin, republican, who
voted against the bill. said in his speech
against it that it was an Ubiquitous measure
and would cost the republicans of the state
II they passed 1t from $1,000 to $4,000 votes
Another bad measure Is pending. and no
doubt before the end of this week will have
passed the house. 1t Is a bill to grant to
the Miami and Erie Canal Transportation
Company the right to operate steam rail-
road on the banks of the canal between
Cincinnati and Dayton
The scheme to obtain this franchise was
begun six years ago, when contract was
secured from the state for the alleged
purpose OF hauling canal boats on that
part of the canal by electric power In
order to do II an electric railway track
was laid on the canal banks, but In the
contract the state stipulated explicitly that
this track should be used only for the cleo
trio motor.
successors come to the legislature, admit
the failure of the plan to draw boats by
electricity and ask. in order to recoup them
selves for the loss. to use the track already
popular sentiment in favor OF retaining
the canals of the state, and 1t is recognized
that this lease would mean the abandon
ment of that part OF the canal.
But Notwithstanding this fact and In the
face of strong protests, the committee to
which 1t was referred has reported the
bill back and recommended its passage.
George B. Cox. the Cincinnati republican
boss. is a large owner of the securities of
the company, and has been working with
the members for the passage of the bill.
1t Is fairly well established that he has
Joined hands with the powerful lobby of
county officers here to prevent the passage
of salary bill that would greatly reduce
their compensation-promis them to kill
the salary bill II they will support the
canal bill.
These matters are interesting to people
outside of the state only In their bearing
upon the political situation here. The pas
sage OF such bills as these can not fan to
incense the people against the party that
IS responsible for them.
Old-Line Democrats Aroused.
The fact that w. r. hearst picked up the
first pair of Ohio delegates to the demo-
cratic national convention and stands an
even chance of getting the second pair,
has aroused the old-line democrats of the
state to a sense of danger that he may
capture the whole state. and a movement
has been set on foot to head 1T or
II was realized that this would be m
hill business without an active candidate in
the field and so the candidacy of Colonel
James Killbourne of this city has been
sprung. He is a popular man. regular IN,
friend of William j. Bryan and still not OBJ
jectionable to the conservative democrats
He was nominated by the democrats for
governor four years ago and was defeated