Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 June 1891 — OHIO STATE CONVENTION. [ARTICLE]

OHIO STATE CONVENTION.

Two Thousand Buckeyes Jubilate at the State Capital. itlcKinlcy Unanimously and Enthusiastically Nominated for Governor— The Platform. The most critical campaign in the history of Ohio politics opened on the 16th when the gavel fell on one of the largest and most enthusiastic Republican conventions the Buckeye Commonwealth has ever known. The importance of the result of this campaign, not only to the State but to the Nation, is fully realized by the typical Ohio man to-day, and all the artifices and devices known to modern politics will doubtless be exerted by both parties to win a favorable verdict from the people in November next. With the election of Governor Campbell to the gubernatorial chair, two years ago, the Democrats won a most decisive victory in the Buekeye State, and the struggle which the Republicans have now begun to redeem Ohio will only be equaled by the herculean efforts which the Democracy of the State, and Nation will exert to retain the vantage already won. It is felt, though no one explains why, that as Ohio goes this year so it will go in the presidential election of 1892, and it is this feeling which, with many, amounts almost to conviction, that makes this convention an event, as its temporary chairman said, which will make history in this greatcommonvealth. The nomination of William McKinley, cx-Congressman and author of the tariff law, for the high office of Governor, has been a foregone conclusion for some time, and made the convention, which opened with so much enthusiasm and good feel, ing, rather a love-feast than one of those contentious political gatherings which engender strife and ill will so fatal to parity success. The renominution by the Democrats of Gov. James E. Campbell for another term is also a prediction safely warranted by the signs in the political sky, and the contest for the next four months will be between McKinley and Campbell, the candidates for the other State offices being almost lost from sight in the great interest which centers in the leaders. To the casual observer the opening scenes of the convention presented more the appearance of a Blaine-Foraker ratification meeting than an ordinary State convention. It Is how no secret that exGovernor Foraker aspires to succeed the Hon. John Sherman in the United States Senate, and the young men who are his followers dominated the convention. In a like degree the young Republicans appeared to be devoted to James G. Blaine, yet the ovation which greeted the mention of the services of the distinguished Secretary of State was by no means confined to the younger element, old men, men grizzled and gray, and evidently retiring when met in the busy world, forgot their age and dignity as they joined in the, wild acclaim provoked by the name of Blaine, and waved their hats joyously while shouting over and over again the name of the popular leader. But President Harrison and Senator Sherman aje still dear to the hearts of the average Ohio man, as the uproarious applause which greeted the mention of their names amply testified. Particularly was this true of Senator Sherman,.: who, however much Biair.a might have led H; rr son in popular approval, shared almost equally with Foraker the plaudits of the Ohio Republicans. The second day’* proceedings of the Ohio convention were opened with prayer. Gen. Asa Bushnell was made permanent chairman. Hon. ffm. McKinley was nominated for Governor by ex-Governor Foraker amidst howling enthusiasm, the ex-Govcrnor himself being received with great applause. His nominating speech was of some length, and was seconded by Robcrt Hart, colored. With one wild, hilarious cheer of affirmation. the convention then declared Major McKinley nominated for Governor by acclamation, and a committee was appointed to apprise him of bis nomination, and escort him to the hall. His appearance was thesignal for another outburst of enthusiasm. The hero of the day received his honors modestly, Simply bowing his acknowledgments he spoke as follows: M’KINLEt’S SPEECH. I accept the nomination you have tendered me. sensible both of the honor and responsibility it implies. The election this year is of unusual importance, not only because it determines the political character of the administration of the State, but because it involves the choice of a Legislature whose duty it will be to elect a United States Senator who will continue for six years from March 4, 1893. and whoso furtherduiy it will be to re-district the State for Representatives in Congress under the new census, and wipe from the statute books the crime against Republican suffrage perpetrated by the present Democratic Legislature. Happily we present a party in Ohio without a division in its ranks, without a break in its lines. * * * The platform indorses a protective tariff. We have protected American products and Amorican labor. So long as foreign products can be found to tax, which compete with our own, in our market, we propose to tax .them rather than tax our own. The Democratic party proposes to tax the domestic product rather than the imported. Their tariff legislation would benefit every country but our own. We follow in our tariff policy the teachings of Washington, and Hamilton, and Clay, and Webster, and Lincoln, and Garfield. They pursue the. fallacies of Cobdon, and Bright, , and Calhoun and the statesmen of the late Southern confederacy. They are pledged bow to impede, if they can, the prosperity of the country until after the next presidential election. That is their mission this year. Business disasters and reverses are the ladder of their hopes. Prosperity and contentment among the people bring them sure political defeat. Idle furnaces, dismantled factories, silent mines, unemployed workingmen, general distress are the sure harbingers of Democratic victory. They are discouraging industrial activity through their press and orators everywhere and every day, and it breaks their hearts to see a manifestation of industrial advancement in the United States. They sneer at every attempt to establish new factories, and would gladly frown them down. It is the sneer and frown which have been exhibited toward our industrial enterprise* since 1861. But in spite of them we now lead the world in manufactures, agriculture and mining, and we will prosper, under the new law In spite of their raise omens and discouraging prophesies. They insist that we can not make tin-plates—so they said about steel rails, so they said about plate glass and cutlery and pottery, and when you take them to the factory, and show them that we are making tin-plates, they assert with intense pleasure that we are only “making a little.” That, Is true that We are making any is the surprise, tor the protective duty on tin has not yet gone into effect and will not until the Ist of July. Reflect for a moment. There is no section

of country. North or South, which is not seeking by every manner of inducement tc get manufactories established in theii midst. They are giving - donation, they are offering bounties, in some communities they are taxing themselves and burdening their property for the sake of securing industries which will employ labor and enlarge their neighborhood markets. In the South, the great center of free trade,they are offering freedom from taxation for ten and twenty years to those who will bring their capital and invest in productive enterprises, and this by authority of State law, And while all thin is going on the leaders of the Democratic party are proposing to tear down the protective tariff and inundate this country with foreign competing products, to replace those which these very manufactories propose to make, and which the people are taxing themselves to establish. The people will come to see and understand this, if they do not already, and their votes will go where their material interests lie. They will not spend their money to build up and give their votes to pull down. Referring to the complaints Among free traders about increased duties under the new law, Major McKinley said: Thirty-three and a third per cent of them are for the better protection of the American farmer; twenty-eight are upon wine and spirits, which will hardly burden the farmers. Five are upon tobacco, an agricultural product. No like recognition of the agricultural industry can be found in any -previous tariff legislation, while securing to the farmer the home market bv increased protection. The reciprocity clause Is intended to extend his foreign market and upon terms more favorabli than those accorded to competing agricultural countries. It is a significant fact that the articles which the farmer most frequently buys bear a less tariff than under the law of 1883, and the products which he sells bear a higher duty than ever before. Senator Sherman followed in a speech of some length. The platform was then adopted and is asfollows: THE PI.ATFORM. 1. The Republicans of Ohio, in convention assembled, reaffirm their adhesion tc the principles which have guided them heretofore in promoting the prosperity and happiness of the American people. And we reaffirm our devotion to the patriotic doctrine of protection, and recognize the McKinley bill as the ablest expression of that principle, enacted in fulfillment ol Republican promises, and we pledge ourselves to its support always having in view its improvement, as changed conditions or experience may require. 2. We favor such legislation by Congress and in this State as will in every practicable mode encourage, protect and promote the interests of agriculture in all Its departments. Protection of labor and the* rights of laborers, such as will grant to toil Its full and just rewards, are among the first obligations of government. 3. We demand protection for the wool industry equal to that accorded to tha most favored manufacturer of wool,so that In due time American wool growers will supply all the wool of every kind required for consumption in the United States. 4. Thoroughly believing that gold and silver should form the basis of all circulating medium, we indorse the amended coinage act of the last Republican Congress. by which the entire production ol the silver mines of the United States is added to the currency of the people. 5. Wo demand, and will continue to demand until finally and absolutely secured, the free exercise by every citizen of the supreme and sovereign rignt to cast one ballot at lawful elections and to have it honestly counted. 6. While inviting to our shores tht worthy poor and oppressed of all nations we demand the enactment of laws thai will protect our couutryand our people against the influx of tho vicious and criminal classesof foreign nations,and tho importation of laborers under contract tc compete with our-own citizens, and earm estly approve the rigid enforcement of existin« Jaws by the present national administration. 7. We favor economy in the administration of national and State affairs, prompi and effective restraint of combinations ol capitalists for purposes unlawful or at variance with sound public policy; amph educational facilities for the whole people the reservation of the public lands of tin United States for homesteads for American citizens, and the restoration to thi public domain of ail unearned railroad grants, and we contemplate with pride tin grogressof Republican legislation administration in all these directions. 8. The Republican party, ever mindful of the services of the heroic men who saved the Union, favor liberal pensions to thi sailors and soldiers of the Republic and t generous care of their widows and orphans. r • 9. The patriotism, wisdom and ability of the administrationpf President Harrison command our cordial approbation and support, and we especially commend thi policy of reciprocity, by which our' tradi may be vastly increased by commercial treaties with other nations, and we also commend the vigorous foreign policy an the administration, which has commanded the respect of foreign nations for the flag of our country. 10. We commend the patriotic services of our distinguished fellow-citizen, Senator Sherman, and his Kopublicau colleagues in tho Fifty-first Congress. 11. Wc congratulate President Harrison and the country upon the selection ol Hon. Charles Foster as the Secretary of the Treasury, assuring, as it does, an able and efficient administration of that great department of the Government. 12. We denounce the late so-called “Kipper” Legislature of Ohio as most corrupt and incompetent,and the administration ofJamesE. Campbell as the most partisan in the history of our .State. Wo denounce the present Governor of Ohio for having converted the benevolent institutions into political machinery, making political merchandise of the sufferings and calamities of. the helpless wards of the State, and we point with pride to the more patriotic ana wise management of State affairs under the administration of Gov. J. B. Foraker. Wc denounce Governor Campbell and the Sixty-ninth General Assembly for violating their party pledges and rights of local self-govern-ment by legislative reorganization of numerous towns and cities for solely partisan Eurposes. We denounce the late “Ripper” egislature for having sanctioned and encouraged the Increase of local taxation, and for Increasing the expenditures of the State more than a half a million of dollars in excess of the appropriations of any preceding two years, thus bringing the State to the verge of bankruptcy in spite of the generous appropriation made by a Republican Congress In the act refunding the direct tax. We denounce the late “Ripper” Senate of Ohio for unseating the legally elected Lieutenant Governor, thus robbing the people of their right, under the constitution, to select an important ? public officer, and-we appeal to all intelligent and patriotic people of Ohio to unite with us in the recovery of the State from the handsof the party that for two years past has disgraced it. ; THE OTHER NOMINATIONS. The convention made the following additional nominations: Lieutenant Governor —Andrew L. Harris, of Preble county. Auditor of State—E. W. Poe, the pres ent Incumbent., Treasurer of State—W. T. Cope, o 'Cleveland. Attorney-General—J. K. Richards, o Lawrence county. Supreme Coart Judge Marshall J Williams, Of Fayette county.