Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 September 1887 — OHIO. [ARTICLE]

OHIO.

The Democratic Campaign Is Opened by a Large Meeting at Hamilton. Foraker and His Methods Criticised by Hon. Thomas E. Powell. Candidate for Governor. ’[Hamilton (Ohio) telegram to Chicago Times.] Few campaigns in any State or for any party opened under more favorable circumstances than the Buckeye Democratic campaign in this city. An impression had gone abroad that the meeting was to be held during the afternoon, and as a result crowds began to arrive early. There was a disposition on all sides to make the day a success, and decorations and closed factories emphasized this feeling. Gen. Powell. the gubernatorial candidate, arrived at 8 o’clock. With him came D. C. Coolman, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, and most of the other candidates on the State ticket. With the arrival of the Duckworth Club, of Cincinnati, three hundred strong, the work of the hour fairly opened. The Jackson Club, of Columbus, came next, followed by organizations from a score of nearer places. There was a notable procession, after which, with the booming of cannon, the campaign was inaugurated. At the east end of the square, in the presence of fully fifteen thousand people, Hon. S. E. Campbell, Congressman from this district and Powell’s strongest rival for the nomination, presided, and his remarks, introducing the orator of the occasion, were on the keynote order. Of course the speech of the gubeinatorial, candidate, Mr. Powell, ■was the great feature, and it was an exhaustive, able, and eloquent presentation of Democratic policy, a scathing review of Republican management, and a manful defense of the administration. It has been years since the Democrats of Ohio have opened their fight under so auspicious circumstances. It was one of the largest political meetings ever held in the State, and called together more of lhe leaders of the party than any previous gathering. Almost the entire State ticket was present, and scores of county officers and nominees from adjoining counties sat upon the platform or mingled with the crowd of thousands which cheered itself hoarse. The illuminations were unusually brilliant, and a squad of artillerymen were firing cannon all night. It was long after midnight before the great love-feast ceased and the applause of tens of thousands died away. Congressman Campbell held a reception which attracted the multitudes, and Mr. Powell greeted thousands who crowded to shake his hand. To the Times reporter he said: “It is the finest meeting I ever saw, and presages a great Democratic victory in November.”

Resume of Mr. Powell’s Remarks. Mr. Powell devoted nearly one-third of his time to Gov. Foraker and his administration. Speaking of what was demanded of a Governor of Ohio, the third State in the Union, he said Foraker’s attack upon President Cleveland, in his speech of acceptance, was unworthy of one aspiring to such a high office, and for it he had received condemnation at the hands of private citizens and from the public press throughout the country. He claimed also that Gov. Foraker had publicly insulted the 400,000 Democratic voters of Ohio by referring to them in his speech as the “rebel brigade” and as “Confederates” and “dirty Democrats.” He classed this method as of the same character as the Governor's charge on a former occasion that the Democratic management of the penitentiary had been making canes from human skins —negroes and Irishmen. This charge, he said, was based solely on the statement of some inmates of the insane ward of the penitentiary. Speaking of the matter of the rebel flags, he said the Governor, by his conduct at soldiers’ reunions, and especially at Wheeling, had disgusted the best men in his own party, and they had called a halt on him. This had gone to such an extent that the executive committee had issued a second edition of his speeches, and, unlike the tariff, they had been both revised and reformed. Going back to his first topic, he said the people wanted a Governor who would give less attention to the war that ended twenty years ago and more to the peaceful problems of the present and future. The administration of Foraker was compared with the Democratic administrations of the State, and figures were presented to prove that the present administration had not only been more expensive than any of the Democratic administrations, but the most recklessly extravagant administration that the State had ever had. The question of tariff reform was discussed at some length, and occupied about one-third of the address. He favored a thorough revision and an honest reformation of the present system, and said that the tariff should be so reduced that no more revenue should be raised than the Government needed. He advocated keeping the taxes upon whisky, tobacco, and articles of luxury, and making food, clothing, and articles of necessity and general consumption cheaper. He gave some attention to Foraker’s claims of the blessings of prohibition as given in his article in the Forum, and made considerable ridicule of several statements in that article. He next gave a summary of what had been done by the administration, such as recovering” the lands which had been granted to railroad corporations by the Republican party, and stated that the Democratic party had not granted a single acre of the public domain to railroad corporations, and had not extended or revived a single grant. He also gave the facts upon which he based his claim that Cleveland’s administration had done more for the soldiers and their dependent relatives than any Republican administration. He closed his speech with a tribute to President Cleveland and his work, and claimed that the party which had done so well with national affairs was the party to be trusted with the administration of State affairs. “Indemnity Lands.” The reclamation of 258,000 acres of “indemnity lands” in the northern peninsula of Michigan, and the opening of these lands for settlement, is evidence that the Government does not intend to let the late decision of Secretary Lamar concerning lands of that character become a mere lifeless form of words. In the case in question about two thousand farms are opened

for actual settlement The quantity of land is small, it is trae, in Comparison with the huge areas heretofore given to railroads, but the Government domain left for homesteads has been so reduced by the monstrous land-grant system that every square mile now saved is important. The policy of the administration in this matter will receive, as it deserves, cordial support and commendation from the people of the Western States and Terrietories, s nee it will facilitate the settlement of their vacant lands, so much of which has long been held beyond reach under railroad claims, and directly tend to increase their population and advance their property. This policy is diametrically oppo-ed to that which has prevailed nearly ail the time in the last twenty-five years. Its advent is a trifle late, since only some small fragments of the once magnificent patrimony of the people can be rescued by it; but that is not the fault of the present administration, or of those who placed it in power. All that is left after nearly a generation of reckless waste and conscienceless extravagance will, if possible, be reclaimed and held for the public. In the attainment of that end the Interior Department seems determined to exert its utmost authority.— Chicago Times.