The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-08-24
Cleveland Plain DcnIes,

day defining the meaning of For
akcrism. He says: From an articl,
written in the governors office
but published in the Ohio Stat,
Journal of the 18th inst. as al
editorial, | clip the following de
finition Of Forakerism:
"Under the administration the
state debt has been reduced III
three years from $4,22O,OOO to $2,.
100000, the annual interest charge
from $2l3,0Q0 TO $4,000. These
were Forakerisms."
The definition given is, ! think
correct. Forakerism means pre-.
tense, sham, fpstian, trickery, fraud
humbug, clap-trap, falsehood, and
the aboye quotation fills the bill
completely.
If the author of the statement
quoted ever read article 8 of the
constitution of Ohio he must know,
# he has ordinary intelligence, that
the governor has no more to do
with the reduction of the state
debt than the bronze figure of DR..
Smith at the corner of Broad and
High. The auditor, secretary of
state and attorney general are by
the constitution made commissions
ers of the sinking fund, and it is
their duty ito apply said fund, to-
gether with all moneys that may
be by the general assembly APP
propriate to that object, to the pay
ment of the state debt"
The three members of the sink
ing fund commission are elected by
the people and are wholly in
dependent of the governor. The
latter has nothing to do with the
state debt in any way, shape or
manner. How absurd, therefore to
give him credit for what he only
did not do but could not do under
the constitution of the state.
And yet this is Forakerism. ItI
claims everything for Foraker and
what is more, these false claims
from his own Office, are
distributed to the newspapers of
Ohio by his own agents and are
quite frequently paid for at so
much a lire with his own money,
Or that of the state committee.
Again l clip the following from
the same article:
"Called to the chief executive
'ffice of the state, his first act was
% secure a reform of the election
avs under which Ohio citizens can
'ote as they choose without being
or dictated to, and can
md do have their votes honestly
counted, honestly recorded and
honestly returned. This is For
True enough; the claim is a false |
Dne and hence Forakerism. The
general assembly of Ohio is an in
dependent body elected by the
people in conformity to certain
provisions of the constitution of the
state, and is not, therefore, simply
an instrument of Foraker's crea-
ton, whose good works must nec-
essarily rebound to his honor and
glory. He can neither make nor
unmake law, but this fact does
not deter him from claiming all the
credits for the good acts of the leg
islature, Modesty is not an at
tribute of Forakerism.
Again:
"In 1886, when Charleston was
rocked into ruins by terrible
earthquake, which destroyed build
ngs and rendered homeless hun
1red of men, women and children,
iov. Foraker sent tents for the
This was Forakerism."
So it was, 1t is Forakerism to
use the property of the people and
then boast of il as an act of personal
generosity.
Whose tents did he send? The
states. How much did it cost him
TO send them? Not a farthing, Is
here man in this state or any
,ther, with 900 tents in his keep
ng, who would not have thought Of
hem on such an OCCASION, and
ised them in precisely the same
yay9 No. Why, then, this boast
ng about an act which anybody
would have done, and which For
lker could not have done If he
hadn't been governor OF Ohio?
Again :=-"In answer to q protest
rom Ohio Grand Army veterans
gainst the rebel flags in Ohio's
apitoI being returned, he tele-
'raphed: no rebel flags will be
urrepdered while am governor
his was Fcrakerism."
SO II Was; fpr it is in part lie.
irand Army veterans did not pro-