The Washington herald., 1914-05-01
TOD SENTIMENT
sweeping Ohio
People of State Are Turning
from Old Line Political
Spellbinder.
BUSINESS MAN WELCOME
Old Guard Republicans Fear that if
Willis Wins Out There Is Danger
He Might Not Stay Put"
BY r. n. G..

Columbus, Ohio, April 30.-Ohio Repub-
licans lament a little that they lack
the old inspiration. advice and even
imperative commands that once came
from Washington. They even forget
that in the good old days OF an Ohio
President doing business in the White
House there was occasisnal resentment
of the concealed hand In Washington
that kept a grip on the State organiza-
tion-a grip Of irtu made tighter by the
hand OF Hanna at the head OF the ma
tional committee and the velvet hand Of
Disk as secretary.
Those were good old days sure enough
and what wonder there is wish for their
return. Since Hannas death. woe has
been the portion OF the Republican party
in Ohio. Every State election has been
lost save that Of 1894. when the State
ticket was of minor Importance.
The Senatorship was retained in 1915
but Foraker. the longtime great leader.
was forced aside. Herri,k was defeated
for governor in 1906. Harris in 1905, Hard
ing in 1910 and Brown in 1912.
succession of Defeats.
No such distressing succession Of de-
feats has ever before happened to Ohio
Republicans since the party was or
ganized. Since 1859. when William
ernor chosen. the Democrats were
lucky to win a Governor once in ten
years. Gov. Tod. chosen in 1861. had
been a Democrat, but was nominated
and elected by Republicans in the first
year OF the civil war. A dozen years
later William Allen was the first Dem
ocratic Governor following the war.
and he had but a single term. Four
years later Bishop. a grocer of ami
able disposition, came in. thanks TO the
Republican nomination of West. a
blind man of rather advanced views.
Hoadley had a term and a defeat.
and then James f. Campbell a single
term a few years later. emocratic
domination began in earne, in 1905,
and has kept up ever since. In the
forty-siX years prior to the Herrick
defeat, Ohio Democrats had but eight
years OF the Governorship. Since 1905
they have had nine years. with year
coming to them. and what wonder Ohio
Republicans are becoming a bit rest
less?
Reorganization Is Demand.
They have had four Republican Presl-
dents-Hayes Garfield. Mckinley. and
Taft-not TO mention the Taft renomina-
ton. They have had high places in
Cabinets of Republican Presidents since
Lincoln's time. and high appointments to
diplomatic posts. Why. then. the slump
since 1906?
The question Is often asked. without
adequate answer. but II is evident just
now that the demand is for a reorgan-
ization with less regard for the profess
sional politician and seeker after office.
New candidates are demanded, new
managers in charge of the campaign,
and the general freshening up of things
that is inevitable in case new men come
into leadership without discarding the
old-fashioned doctrines and methods of
the true Republican faith.
There will be no apologies for nomi-
nations or campaign management of the
last nine years.
Tod Receives Approval.
The demand may be strong for some
thing new in the way of men, but no
deviation from the old faith OF the
fathers. Hence the quick approval of
David Tod, q business man rather than
a politician. for governor. The sp-
proval did not come so quickly from
the coterie of Republican managers aC
Columbus who have lost so many cleo
tons in succession but was from the
rank and file throughout the State who
did not know much about Tod, but well
coined the prospect Of some one new OF
whom they could learn more later on and
whose nomination would sweep aside
the old names. with which voters have
been painfully familiar.
The modest announcement OF Tod was
approved and preferred to the rather
prttentious proclamations by others who
have been long In politics and also long
In ONCE.
II counted much for Tod that he had
held no once save that OF State Senator
and had not projected himself into the
running with vehement dash and rock
less rhetoric. lie came forward q busi-
ness man. proud 60 a sufficient degree of
his ancestor VINO was noeernor a half
a century aso, but not OVERRIDING tina,
part % u.
u acrurtcd 20 Tod and ts those who
knew him hest up Mahonlnn Valley way. I.
that n vas . good time for q business
man N ths sovefnors once and d vas