Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-20
OHIO IS APATHET|C
Big Falling Off in Registration
This Year.
IS DUE TO LACK OF FUNDS
Bryan Will Devote Three Days to
Campaigning.
STATE COMMITTEES LISTLESS
Some Think a Republican Slump is
Coming That Will Garry Several
Democrats Into the House.
STATE COMMITTEES LIsTLEss
Special Dispatch to The Star.

even fall below that figure. In fact, the
figures from the registration in the large
cities indicate now vote of little more
than 80 per cent. 1t is possible, however,
that the last two registration days, Fri
day and Saturday of this week. may see
the bulk of the registered vote listed. In
former years the first two days of registra-
ton have seen the majority of the voters
placed on the registration lists. But that
was because of the activity of the cam
paign committees.
This year, because of the lack of funds
to do the work. the committees did little
nothing to get out the vote on the first
days, reserving their funds and effort for
the last two days, permitting all the voters
who would do SO voluntarily to register
without expense. For the reason that the
committees will have no funds for even all
the legitimate expenses of the campaign,
the considerable element of the voters who
have always refused to register without
being paid for it will be for the most part
eliminated from the campaign this time.
This element is made up for the most part
of colored citizens but not altogether.
Many whites have taken money for per-
forming this duty under the guise Of pay
ment for their time. 1t is but subterfuge.
for the reason that part of the hours of
registration on each day come in the day
time and part at night, so that all can be
accommodated who are at home.
Welcomed by Reformers.
The abolition of the fee system of pay
ment to county officers and the establish
ment Of fixed salaries which was a work
of the last legislature, is in this way
working a reform in the elections that was
not used as an argument in favor of the
change. Politicians used as an argument
against limiting the salaries to a maximum
of $1,000 q year in the largest counties, the
claim that it would cost the candidates that
much to secure election. The sufficient an
swer to that was that 1t would not cost
them that If their compensation was not
so large as to make them willing to part
with so much money for the chance Of Sc
curing office. So little loose money Is now
floating in the campaign on either side that
1t looks as though the professional poll
ticians. who have been accustomed to get
paign to tide them over to the next. would
actually have to get to work for living.
All this is recognized as a healthy sign
by the reformers and hailed with delight,
but it does not tend to enliven the cam
paign. There is an absence Of red fire.
rockets and brass band music in the cam
paign, and high-priced campaign orators
are still waiting for engagements. Distin-
guished members Of the parties in other
states who would come over and help in
the campaign If only their expenses were
paid, are not coming because even that Is
withheld. Secretary Shaw and Vice Presi-
dent Fairbanks have made a few speeches
in the state and Senator Beverage made
one address in Cincinnati. Local talent
for the rest has been relied upon. William
]. Bryan will devote three days to the
democratic campaign in the state at the
close of this month, but the democratic
state committee, apparently afraid to risk
him in the large cities, has mapped out
route for him touching only the rural dis
tricts No other democrat from outside the
state will take part in the state campaign.
Ward Meetings Small.
The two state committees are doing al
most nothing. A few speaking engage
ments for their respective heads of tick
ets-Col. Thompson for the republicans and
Samuel A. Hoskins for the democrats-have
been announced. but for the most part
they have been allowed to make their own
places where they could be assured of fair
crowds. Even speakers of national reputa-
tion fail to draw large crowds. When Sec
rotary Shaw spoke here though great eff
fort was made to secure a large audience
for him. not to exceed $500 heard him.
though the hall In which he spoke would
easily seat 5000.
Here in Columbus the ward meetings held
by the two parties are miserably small
The workers come out. and a few stray
glers but the rank and file remain away.
But little expression is secured from the
voters in any way, but the impression pre-
walls that the people have made their
minds up and the election might as we'll
be held tomorrow so far as any change of
sentiment due to either individual or or
ganized effort is concerned.
There seems to be nothing in either the
platform Of the democratic party, or in it's
list of state candidates, to cause disaffec
ton among the members of that party. and
it is probable that in the rural districts
the disaffection is not so pronounced as in
the cities where registration reveals it.
IJara IN Columbus lowest of rpQiS-
tration is in 1.-THE democratic wards. 1t is
there that the German democratic vote is.
and the most probable explanation of 1T is
that the German democrats are displeased
with the declaration of Mr.. Hoskins in
favor of the enactment of a county local
option law. The proposition to indorse
county local option was made in the demo-
cratic state convention, but voted down by
Mr. Hoskins for county local option, never
theless has undoubtedly acted as a wet
blanket on the rising ardor of the German
democrats Their disaffection. however,
Farmers stahd Pat.
The Ohio farmers are apt to be stand
patters this year. They are now harvest
ing and selling at fair prices one of the
best all-around crops in the history of the
state. They are in condition to be sat
isfied with conditions and to vote their
regular tickets. Rural Ohio. however. is
democratic. The Western Reserve, to which
the republicans have looked year after
year for long time for large share of
their state pluralities, is in the doubtful
list this year. 1t is there that the opposi-
ton to the state machine, represented by
Senator Dick. is strongest, though the SEN
ator himself is from that section of the
state To neither Cleveland nor Toledo
can the republicans look with confidence
for large pluralities. Cuyahoga county is
almost sure to go democratic, and there is
no sure thing about the republicanism of
Lucas county. Until just now there was
promise of an old-time republican plurality
in Hamilton county, but the supreme court
of the state has stirred up trouble there
by handing down decision holding that
senate committee appointed to investigate
Cincinnati and Hamilton county is invalid,
and it can proceed no further. The COM
mittee got in just eleven days of work OF
inquiry into the methods of Boss George B.
Cox there before it was held up by injunc-
ton, but in that time 1t discovered graft
in the grossest form and compelled the re-
turn to the public treasury of $214,0O0.
Naturally. the public does not like the de-