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OCTOBER 20, 1905
The Commoner.
.- . me commoner. 9
OHIO'S GREAT FIQHT FOR DECENT GOVERNflENT
Columbus, Ohio, ctober 16. (Special Cor
respondence.) A few weeks ago Chairman Dick
uttered the sneering boast that the democrats had
the faculty of winning every election in Septem
ber and October, yet the republicans came along
m November and got the certificates of election.
This boast was a sneer, but even Chairman Dick
did not realize when he uttered it how much
of truth there was in it. Democrats win elections
rarly because they deserve to win. And this is
particularly true in the present campaign.
In 180G, Ohio was carried for Bryan in Octo
ber. It was not thought at that stage that even
a hocus-pocus count could rob him of its electoral
vote. But those votes were not placed to his
credit. Yet every intelligent man knows that he
fairly won them. There are no sour grapes in
this. No Ohio democrat is complaining. All are
willing to let the past bury its own dead. Chair
man Dick accuses us of winning in sentiment,
winning in hope!, winning in aspiration, winning in
fact, but admonishes us that only the tally sheet
counts in the long run. And what is more im
portant, he intimates that he and Boss Cox have
charge of the tally sheet.
The democracy of Ohio is a loyal, patriotic
band, which like all similar organizations looks
for recompense only in the triumph of right.
This organization may be sufficiently timid that
even this year it is now looking about for that
proverbial re-action which denies it victory; but
it looks in vain. There is no re-action and will
be none. Republicans tagged by the boss, have
told us every ' day that things were bad from
their standpoint, but would grow better as soon
as the re-actibn set in. If democrats hunt for
this re-action, they will compel themselves to be
lieve that they have found it; but if they will
only take tile cue from our honest republican
brethren who are open in their manifestation of
patriotism and support of Mr. Eattison, they will
he militant until at the last victory, personified
in the rooster, will perch upon the banner borne
on the highways, of every village, hamlet and
school district in the buckeye state on the even
ing of November 7.
There is no revulsion of sentiment. Word is
given out q,t democratic state headquarters every
day that things are growing better, and it is not
given out perfunctorily. Democratic campaign
managers don't talk this year like they have
talked in years agone. They talk in a spirit of
confidence. They will compel any man to be
lieve that they know whereof they affirm, and
tell us that each day brings new converts to Mr.
Pattison's cause. They can tell you .precisely
the condition that exists in every precinct in
Ohio. They are in closer touch with their organ
ization than democrats were ever known to be
bf menUnn nT lho slato' No na an
bo mentioned that is new to those in charge of
Hon 1r.vCo?vUC ,Ca"!im,gn- Th taw o fitua
n 1 ny Scho,01 (ll8trIct In 0hi0 1 thoy do
to rnS5Lih?, re8Ullt" , Th0 ou,y thing that seems
IS1 Ulcm ? their ability to so arouse the
democrats as to bo able to securo a full poll.
IL LQ?,m0Cr?1 io thero Is" no Question about
the result. I know this because I have come
in personal contact with thoso in charge of af
fairs and I feel lliat The Commoner is safe In
leaking the pledge that if the democratic vote
of Ohio is polled John M. Pattison will be the
next governor of the Buckeye state.
Governor Herrick is making frantic efforts
to defend himself. He may not have lost his
head, but his defense is really incoherent, hyste
ricial, if not vicious. Governor Herrick, in his
public addresses has posed as the advocate of
temperance legislation. According to him he has
been the guardian of the public morals of the
state. But last night, in his address at Athens,
the home of General Charles H. Grosvenor, Mr.
Pattison propounded this inquiry: "If Governor
Herrick is the sponsor for all temperance legis
lation and the advocate of all moral propositions,
why is it that every saloon, every brewer, every
distiller in Ohio is supporting him?" Mr. Patti
son stated clearly that this fight was a fight be
tween right and wrong, and so far as he was
concerned he believed that there were more peo
ple in Ohio who believed in right than there are
who are champions of the cause of wrong. A
letter has been published in fac simile in every
democratic, independent and anti-Herrick repub
lican paper in the state of Ohio, from the Fleisch
man Distillery company, imploring the saloon
keepers, the brewers, the distillers of the state
to support Mr. Herrick. The president of this
company is the mayor, by virtue of Cox, of Cin
cinnati. The connection is complete. It has gone
so far that even those to whom the letter was
addressed have not denied its authenticity. Every
man in the state who looks to Cox for favor,
or looks to the interests which have made him
a power for consideration is beseeched to vote
for Herrick. Why? The democratic committee
echoes the inquiry throughout the state. Why?
If these men are true to their principles, which
it is granted they are, why are not other men
who believe in justice and truth and a high
moral standard not likewise interested in the
outcome of this campaign. And between right
and wrong; law and anarchy, justice and injus
tice, truth and falsehood, isn't it natural for the
democratic campaign managers to conclude that
there are more people on the side of right than
there are on the side of license?
In his explanation of the inheritance tax law
that the last legislature enacted at his behest,
Governor Herrick pointed to the fact that other
states, notably Illinois and New York, had passed
a similar law. but ho gave no facts aim no .
tails, lho truth is that In IIIinolH Jnharltenooa
exceeding $20,000 per heir aro taxed 0110 per cent.
While In Ohio inheritance exceeding R000 per
heir are taxed two per cent. It is tho small os
tatc that have paid taxe during tho life of him
or her that made them aro taxed. And this tux
is not paid into the local funds of each county or
particular division, but is paid info tho slate
treasury to the end, as has been proved by figures
that new ofilces may bo created and fat salaries
bo paid. Governor Herrick's administration hn
winked at every effort made by his loglslaturo
to raise additional funds by taxation for the pur
pose of paying salaries to newly created officials,
who are tho creatures of local republican
bosse. It is not claimed by any one that these
extra ofilces havo been created for any other
purpose than to provide for henchmen, and the
widow is robbed, the orphan Is robbed, tho vory
coffin is sacked that the salaries of those fnon
may bo paid.
People outsido of Ohio, and I regret to say
that many inside or Ohio, do not appreciate the,
single issue that is involved in this campaign.
That issuo is graft, and graft is the fruit of
bossism; and therefore we go back to the origi
nal .cause of all this disturbance and we placo
the responsibility upon one George B. Cox. His
absolute domination of Cincinnati has made him
ambitious to absolutely dominate Ohio as a state.
He has improved upon the Philadelphia machine
to such an extent that Durham and Penrose, and
Quay, if he were living, would blush at their own
mediocrity. Cincinnati under his control, with
out question or protest, ho now seeks to make
the Buckeye state equally subservient. In every
county he lias a representative, and that .repre
sentative is the head of the local organization.
These organization propose to make him a United
States senator for value received. If tho state
organization of which he is head, of which Her
rick is sponsor, and of which Chairman' Dick
is merely a nominal director can count on a vic
tory this fall, Ohio electors will be In such thral
dom as would have warmed the cockles of the
herd of a Simon Cameron, or have been the pride
of an Oliver Cromwell, who believed in discipline
publicly proclaimed.
The question resolves itself into this: Will
democracy avail Itself of the privilege? Will
democrats vote? If so, there is no question what
ever about the result. John M. Pattison will be
elected governor of Ohio. There is no doubt,
whatever in the minds of the committee as to
the result. And yet it is claiming no partisan
credit. If Pattison wins, it will be a victory for
truth. Republicans of other years are democrats
this year simply because democracy is truth. If
the Bryan vote can be polled Mr. Pattison's ma
jority will exceed that of any other candidate
whose name was ever printed on a ballot in Ohio.
PENNSYLVANIA AND OHIO
Between Pennsylvania and Ohio the Roose
elt administration is having difficulty in keep
ing its morals "on straight." In Philadelphia the
republican party is in control of what is known
as "the Durham gang." The popular uprising
against that gang is apparent, and conspicuous
representative of the administration havje made
it a point to emphasize the fact that the adminis
tration's sympathies are with the decent element
which, under the leadership of Mayor Weaver,
has been waging war with the Durhams, other
wise known as the republican party of Phil
adelphia. A republican paper says: "Secretary Root
has made it plain in the case of Philadelphia
that a national political party should not be held
under obligation to uphold a corrupt local ma
chine, simply because that machine happens to
masquerade under the party name."
When Senator Foraker of Ohio accepted an
invitation to go to Philadelphia and speak in
behalf of the republican ticket, he was severely
"J'McIsod by members of his own party. Friends
i Mr. Roosevelt are conspicuous among those
Jho thus criticised the Ohio senator. Why does
T"c administration reject boss ridden Pennsyl
iii t inly to embrace uss ridden Ohio? We
wm ;Jd that several members of the cabinet
,;," V1 the stump in Ohio in behalf of the Her
Ph 1 iii1 whIcll just as tlle Durham ticket .in
hi? ?i 7 V1 ia' is known as th republican" ticket
"r uhich is in fact the Boss Cox ticket.
If members of the President's cabinet can go
to Ohio in behalf of the Boe3 Cox ticket on the
theory that that ticket represents the republican
party, why may not Senator Foraker go to Penn
sylvania in defense of the Boss Durham ticket,
on the theory that the Durham ticket represents
the republican party? And if Mr. Roosevelt's
administration makes bold to array itself against
the republican organization in Philadelphia be
cause that organization has surrendered itself
to a disreputable boss, why can not that admin
istration summon sufficient courage to at least
withhold its approval from the boss ridden repub
lican machine in Ohio?
Mr. Rosevelt would do well to refuse to send
his cabinet officials to Ohio. It is plain that
thousands of republicans in that state have
grown weary of government by Boss Cox. If Boss
Cox should win the victory with the help of tho
administration Jt would be no credit to Mr.
Ro.osevelt or the members of his official family.
If, in spite of the administration's help Boss Cox
should be defeated, Mr. Roosevelt's popularity
would hardly be strengthened, and his reputa
tion as a reformer would hardly be improved.
JJJ
IS MACHINERY ANTIQUATED?
Recently President Roosevelt declared that
"the machinery of the department of justice has
been strained to the utmost" in an effort to pun
ish the beef trust. The Kansas City Journal, a
staunchly republican organ remarks in this con
nection 'that if the president's statement is cor
rect "it is clearly apparent that tho machinery
of justice is entirely too antiquated and clumsy
to protect society."
The Journal's point may or may not be well
taken. There is an old adage to the effect that
"a poor workman blames his tools," and there is
a general belief on the part of the people that the
machinery is adequate but that the engineers
and operators lack either training or the disposi
tion to use the machinery as intended by those
who constructed it. The machinery of the de
partment of justice works smoothly enough when
a little criminal is to be ground between the
wheels, and it would seem equally easy to grind
a big criminal through by merely adjusting the
running gear.
It would seem that the trouble lies in the
fact that lawyers who are retained to defend
criminals take more interest in the work than the
lawyers Who are retained by the public to pro
tect society. If the machinery of justice is in
disrepute, if the people are losing confidence in
the courts, lawyers owe it to themselves and to
their profession to so conduct themselves as to
bring about a better condition of affairs and give
the people visible proof that the courts deal out
equal and exact justice regardless of the wealth
or social position of the prisoners at the bar.
It is hardly possible that the machinery of
justice is antiquated. It is more than possible
Ihat some of its engineers are more interested
in holding sinecures than they are in getting
good work out of the machine.
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