The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-04-08
STATE CAPITAL GOSSIP.
The Democratic Victory 10 Columbus VIII
Have a SaIutsry Eject.
Governor Foraker Shows His PArtiSAnahIp
and Makes q Fatal Error In
His Police Appoint
ments,
speclAI % the DALI DnnoonIr.

COLUMBUS. April 8-The Republicans
are still dazed over the result of Mon.
days election In this city, and are try.
Ing to account for II In all sorts OF ways.
The complete returns show that the
Democrats elected their entire city tick
OF, with the exception of one Constable,
by majOTitles running from 200 TO 700,
or by an average majority Of 400.
THE CAUSE on IT.
The Democratic ticket was superior
enc In oil respects, and there was not
man on II who had the remotest connec.
tion with the late Doodle gang, with its
headquarters In Cincinnati, and which
lost US the county and the Legislature
and State ticket last fall.
The State Journal, In Its wild rawlings
this morning, tries to make II appear
ehat 10 was gang Influences that brought
Aoout the result. But II knows better.
There were few representatives of the
gang In the convention, but they were
not able 10 dictate single nomination.
BY combining their strength they were
able 10 defeat Mr.. Dresbach's nomlna.
ti0n for Constable. and although the
man nominated In his place was good
man, the mere fact that the gangsters
supported him In convention brought
about his defeat.
R0RAKRR's FATAL RRRoR.
A very small thing sometimes wrecks
q ship, aud o small thing sometimes
wrecks O politician, In my opinion
Governor Foraker found his fatal reef
In the non.partlsan Police Board Of Gin.
oinnatl. His action In demanding the
resignation Commissioner Topp will
In the end prove disastrous 10 him and
TO his party. The Republican party, as
q party, cannot defend II, and TO take
issue with him 10 10 create o party
division.
The story Of Governor Foraker's politi.
cal wreck may be easily told. The Leg.
islature, Ignoring party lines 10 a very
great extent, passed q bill creating q
Police Commission, TO be appointed by
the Governor, consisting OF four mem.
bers, equally divided between the two
parties, who we're to control the appoint.
ment OF the police force OF the city and
confirm the Mayors nominations. Ample
powers were given the Mayor TO control
and supervise the force no appointed,
aud sufficient powers were given the
Board TO prevent partisan selections and
The appointment Of inefficient men.
The Dill might have been considerably |
improved, no doubt. but II was such an
advance upon the existing condition OF |
things that II met with no serious oppo.
eltion. II carried out In its true spirit,
neither party could have an undue ad- |
vantage, aud In time the police force |
was bound TO become an instrument Of |
public protection, and not n mere DO
litical machine TO be used for party pur.
p0Be9 by nnscrnpnl0us politicians.
When Governor Foraker'a appointments
were announced they gave very general
satisfaction. and the opinion was or.
pressed that the result would be bene-
hcial.
AN UNEXPECTED HITCH.
But an unexpected hitch has occur.
red. Mayor Smith, who Ia an Intense
Republican, nominated Col Moore, for
Chief OF Police. The Police Board re
fused to confirm tho nomination. He
might have been good man for thu
place aud no might not. That was a
matter OF Judgment, resting solely with
the Police Board which was created for
the express purpose OF posing upon
that and eimilar questions.
or course, Col. Moore o Repub lean
OF the moot pronounced type. The May.
or being a Republican, would naturally
select an adheront TO his own party M
the Chief OF tho Police force. II was
rot expected that Mayor Smith would
DO 80 non partlean that he would up.
point d mocrat 10 the place.
Had the Republican members OF tho
Board voted 10 confirm Col. Moore, and
tho Democrats 10 rej OF bin, there
would have boon grounds for the belief
that the opposition was purely partisan.
But the Board did not divide on party
lines on tho question OF confirming tho
appointment. Dodde, Democrat, and
Morgan, Republican, voted for, and
Minor, Democrat, and Topp, Republican,
against tho confirmation. Thlg would
Indicate that there was on honest di fer
enco OF opinion, outside OF and above
party bias, 40 10 the fitness Of Col.
Moore. No man had tho right 10 Ques.
tlon tho motives OF tho Democrat and
who voted for, nor the Re.
publican and Democrat who voted
against tho confirmation.
roRAKEns oRgAT MIsTAKR.
II was here that Governor Foraker
made Ills great mistake, and II mattore
not what tho outcome may be, his mia.
take Will bo found 10 bo irretrieyablo.
and destroy public confidence IN tho
non-partisan idea OF conducting certain
iepar rtmonts OF tho government, M con.
or nj leaet as pretended 10 bo
In tho bill.
dovernor Foraker assumes that Mr..
Topp, Republican, was not In harmony"
with Mayor Smith, md inferentialiy,
that 10 constituted his whole oiIloial
iuty 10 be In harmony" on the queetion
1f making Col, Moore Chief, his roelqna.
lion would not only DO acceptable bit
was emlnently desirable. With this
riew OF tho case, whore Ia tho neoeaeity
n the Police Board NJ pll2 Why ap.
point four men 10 eimply ratIfy tho ncls
md decrees OF n flftb. with no right 70
exercise thoir own judgmentp
DISPLAYED HIS pAnTIsANsHrp.
In singling out Mr., Topp, tho Repub.
loan, Gov. Foraker displays his parti- ,
anehip. Why not call upon DR.. Minor
9 "harmonizo" also. Tho refusal OF
ainor 70 confirm the appointment was
y innarmonfoue" no wap tho refusal
y Topp. IL 10 fair to assume that both 4
[entlemen hnd tho same objections 10 I
)o!; Moore, and that their Judgment was .
ntltled 70 hs much weight as tho judg.
2entof Meeers. Morgan and Doddp. II
~ ssIe were good reasons for asking Topp
lv.Ais resignation, there were equally 9
ev.cr,pasong for making tho came do. \
~ f.,tNepon MlnorI aud II either or both ?