Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-29
UP IN OHIO
Republicans Decide Things
Aren't So Bad, After All.
HARMON HAS HIS TROUBLES
Accused of Sacrificing Friends to
Presidential Ambition.
TAFT GROWS IN STRENGTH
A Few Speeches by the President
Would Help in Pending
Campaign.
TAFT GROWS IN STRENGTH

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
COLUMBUS. Ohio. April 29.-Ohio will
swing into public view again this year
the most bitterly contested and salient
political battle-ground in the country. 1t
is the Presidents own state and the dem
ocratic candidate for governor, Judge
Harmon, is everywhere recognized as an
avowed aspirant for the next democratic
presidential nomination. So the Ohio
contest this year takes on the important
aspect of preliminary presidential cam
paign.
For the first time - twenty-five years
the Ohio republicans are going into the
fight without bitter factional dissension
within the party. The death of Mark
Hanna, followed a few years later by
the defeat and retirement OF Senator
Foraker marks the passing of the his
toric feud that separated Ohio republicans
into two noisily hostile camps for upward
of a quarter of century. The republican
party this year will be harmonious, so
Tar as freedom from pronounced factional
disturbance is concerned, and to that eX-
tent 1t will have an advantage over the
democratic party.
Opposition to Harmon.
Judge Harmon, who has made an eff
fcient governor. is opposed by the old or
sanization democrats and the feeling
against him is pronounced and bitter. If
YOU hear any one talking harshly of Gov.
Harmon In Ohio you may be sure that
the speaker is a democrat. The governor
is charged with ingratitude, and Of taxi
ing to himself all the credit for his cleo
tion and failing TO give due credit and
consideration since the election to his
democratic brethren. There are many
democrats who do not care to see Gov.
Harmon reelected, and, moreover, 1t is
stated freely that he is losing the con-
fldence of the liberal element-the people
who are opposed to prohibition laws.
The indications are very strong that
Gov. Harmon's troubles have commenced
and that they promise to be numerous
and real. He has enjoyed great popu-
larity. particularly among the conserva-
tive business men. and those persons who
literally disposed on the liquor ques-
tion. Business men have been pleased
with him and have expressed their salts
faction. These pleasant opinions have
been industriously spread by some of
Judge Harmon's friends and by a press
bureau of great activity. The Harmon
boomers have sought subtly to convey the
impression that the governor is more
popular in Ohio even than the President,
and that all the people fairly worship
him
This work has been overdone and it
does not take an intelligent and ex-
perienced observer of political events and
sentiment very long to become aware OF
it. Francis Z. LOOMS. formerly assistant
secretary OF state, was here few days
ago after having made a tour of the
principal cities of the state. Said he: ut
Is Il grave error to suppose that satisfac-
ton with some things Gov. Harmon has
done in Ohio means dissatisfaction with
the national administration.
Taft Grows in Esteem.
The governors popularity has reached
its highest point, while the good will for
President Taft and his administration is
growing daily and will continue to grow
and strengthen as the work and purposes
OF his administration become better
understood and more apparent to the
public. The Taft administration Is not q
beater of drums. 1t says nothing until 1t
reaches results and then ii makes very
modest announcement of its important
achievements. The people of Ohio are
beginning to understand this and to give
the administration credit where credit is
due.
Certain tinlid republicans in the state"
continued MIR. Loomis. have been led to
believe that something is fundamentally
wrong with their party In Ohio and that
Gov. Harmon's election Is practically as
suTed. The republicans have been with
out adequate leadership on the ground for
Six or eight months and they became in
many instances indifferent for the time
lieved they could afford to lie on their
oars and let the democrats. led by Har-
mon, have undisputed sway in public af-
fairs. This brought about a certain de-
moralisation within the republican party,
and it was to correct that condition of
danger that Wade Fl. Ellis was sagacious-
~ sent to Ohio to organize his party in a
preliminary way for the campaign of next
autumn.
The advent of Ellis was fortunate and
definite results and advantages have al
ready followed his coming. 1t Is noticed
that the republicans in the legislature
work with greater purpose and harmony
and that interest in the party is reviving
all over the state. The county and ward
workers are now wide awake and a glow
Of enthusiasm pervades the organization
The feeling OF Indifference and the stag
nation which has been an attribute of
the republican party in Ohio for several
months is being succeeded by a feeling
/ of hopefulness and confidence I'm the
ability of the republicans. IL they make a
determined effort. to carry the state
against Harmon by big plurality
2 Attacks on Harmon's Record.
There is a growing feeling in Ohio that
the way 10 the White House does not lie
through the ONCE Of a successful corpo-
ration lawyer and employe of corpora.
lions in Cincinnati. Judge Harmon has
been conspicuously corporation lawyer
and an employee OF j. p. Morgan's rail-
roads. He Is supposed to stand for the
= interests OF Wall street. This was over
looked when he ran before because IL
was obscured by the overma stering local
issue of hostility to the prohibition laws
On the part OF liberal republicans. This