The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-11-13
HOW THURMAN WAS DEFEATED,

In addition to the large fund raised by
assessments on office holdels and con.
tributed by pet banks, favored contract
ors and other bene6Ciaries of the Treas
ury, to run the campaign in Ohio, the
Republican managers were materially
aided by money furnished on behalf of
the Pacific railroads by Jay Gould and
Huntington to prevent the election of a
Democratic Legislature and thus to de-
feat the return of Mr.. Thurman to the
Senate.
These great corporations naturally sid
ed with the Republicans, from whom
they have always derived the greatest
protection and the most partial legisla-
ton. An examination of the returns of
the legislative districts in Ohio shows
that the utmost care was directed to
those that were considered close or
doubtful. 1t is quite evident from the
results that these points were all cover.
ed with skill, with intimate knowledge
of their character, and with abundant
means to carry them against all comers.
That part Of the campaign was organ
lied on business principles, and was
managed like the letting out of section
of railroad to be built within certain
time and at a given price. No display
was made. So many districts were nee.
essary to secure certain and clear ma.
jority in the Legislature. Agents were
sent out to the counties where the con
test was sure to be sharp and few votes
would determine their political com.
plexion. They were all carried by the
free use of money.
Except as auxiliary to their main OBJ
ject, the corporations cared little for
Foster. They fought for Legislature to
throw Thurman out of the Senate, be-
cause Thurman had cost them several
millions a year, and because his pres
,ence in that body would be an insuper
able barrier to their future operations.
The capital invested in that election
was laid out after deliberate survey of
the whole field and with the expecta-
tion of most profitable return. Besides
the desire for revenge for the passage of
the Thurman act, Gould and Hunting
ton looked forward to the adoption of
legislation hereafter which is to take
the life out of that law.
They can do nothing to remedy their
case effectively by litigation, after the
recent decision of the Supreme Court.
But they are rich and powerful, and they
think that they can afford to wait for
the incoming Republican House of Rep
resentatives in the next Congress, when
a scheme will be brought forward to re.
lieve these roads of the obligations i'm.
posed by the Thurman act.
Heretofore the practice of the corpo.
rations has been to buy up the Govern.
ment agents, from the commissioners
appointed to inspect the roads and certi.
fy to the fulfllment of the conditions of
the law regulating the issue of bonds,
down to the clerks in the departments
who had to examine their reports. They
bought Judges and legislation like com
mon merchandise. They had full swing
at Washington for years, with retained
agents and attorneys in both Houses of
Congress. The Thurman act was the
first great blow at these monopolies and
at the system of organized corporate
power, which, after Conquering State
Legislatu es and courts, had been able to
command Congressional msjorities and
to dictate the policy of the White
House,
The absorbing question Of the near fu.
ture is to be whether the great corpora
tions shall or shall not dominate this
Government and convert its mighty ma.
ch!nery into an instrument of their sell
fishness.-M Y. Sun.