Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-10-10
The Explosion ofa Bomb.

Hon. James E. Campbell exploded bomb
among the Republican leaders at Cincinnati
Wednesday night and the result is confusion
and dismay. There has been no such sensa-
tional incident in Ohio political campaigns
for many years, if ever.
The board of public affairs, which has
charge of all the public works in Cincinnati,
controls an army of employees and has an
equal voice with the council in all municipal
legislation, is composed of five Republicans
appointed by Gov. Foraker. 1t is this body
which has been repeatedly lauded by the
of Cincinnati honest and incorruptible gov
ernment in exchange for the self government
of which they have been deprived.
One of the FIVE, and the most active and in
fuential member of the board, is George R..
Topp. He was at first q member of the po-
lice board and when holding that position re-
belled against Foraker's dictation. His Yesig-
nation was demanded by the Governor but
refused and compromise effected. Topp
retained his position and Foraker's demands
in the matter of patronage were obeyed.-
Topp's submission was complete, for he was
promoted from the police board to the board
of publicaffairs and became the special rep
res entative of Foraker's political interest in
that board.
Besides being Foraker's man on the board
of public affairs and perhaps largely because
of that fact he holds the chairmanship of the
Republican county executive committee and
is in charge of Foraker's campaign interests
in Hamilton county. The connection of the
two positions is significant. 1t exposes the
humbug about the ''nonpartisan" character
of the Foraker boards for which the people
of Ohio municipalities are robbed of home
| rule. Itillustrates the manner, in which an
can carry out his schemes by organizing ar
army of personal adherents, paid by the tai
\ payers on whom they have been fastened by
arbitrary power.
Mr.. Topp is the 'honest" chairman of The
Republican executive committee. He is al
''honest"c member of the "honest" boart
through which Gov. Foraker rules the mu
nicipal affairs of Cincinnati and prevents thu
presumably dishonest" citizens misgover
ing themselves. Is it any wonder that al
immense sensation was created in tho crowd
ed audience at Pixies Opera House OF
Wednesday night when Hon. James E. Camp
. bell in the course of his speech read this let
ter? .
! DETROIT, M1oH., June 8, 1889.
Mr.. George Campbell, Cincinnati, ON.
Dear Sir: Please make out your bills TO
gravel that you have delivered up to Satur
day, June 8, 1889. Make the bills 81 a yart
and you pay me q drawback of % cents
yard in cash. I bought your gravel yer,
cheap and it is fairly worth to the city 81
Get your bills in such a shape that none vii
exceed $500. Send them to me at Putin
Bay and will O. X. them. -.ta.5G .ss
t..~ GEORGE r. ToPP.
George Campbell, to whom the letter wa
written by Gov. Foraker's man Topp, Isl
we'll known contractor of Cincinnati. H
was present on the stage with Hon. James f
Campbell and rose before the amazed and ex
cited audience as Candidate Campbell hande
him back The letter which he had just read :
There was no room for doubt. There wa
the letter, there the man, and the chain 0
evidence was. complete. .,m..,.-,
Mr. George Campbell subsequently CAV
further particulars to Q reporter, explainin
how the letter came to be written and dleavin
no possibility of explanation on Mr.. Topp'
part He said: vi 2ETqr} rrC3T 7
Along in last May was engaged in dig
ging large cellar for Fred Mentell. 1t wa
where the big new building has been erecte