Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-10-03
Foraker and the Gar of Russia
Agree That tho
People Should Not Be trusted t
EaE2Ss Their Own AfairS.
TLo Foraker Rule Has 'Takon tho
Hoart Out Of Liberty"

in all. In addition to that we have ap.
pointed two non-partisan police boards,
one for Cincinnati and one for Dayton
and we have appointed a non-partisan
board of public affairs for the city OF
Hamilton, and the home Of the Demo
cratic candidate. And in addition tc
that we have appointed one Republican
board, the board of public affairs Of Gin
cinnati-all told, twenty-one boards;
twenty out of the twenty-one are
one-half Democratic, and seventeen out
of those twenty non-partisan boards
are election boards. What has been the
result? Never before in the history OF
the State have we approached to any
thing like the decency, or the satisfac-
tion or the honesty in our elections that
we have reached under these boards.
Applause.
Every honest man in the city OF Gin
cinnati, I do not care whether he be
Democrat or Republican, will testify
that our elections have been honest,
have been decent, have been satisfac-
tory. [Applause.l No piece of legisla-
tion in the history of the State has given
such universal satisfaction. With the
police board it is the same. You re-
member the kind of police force they
had in Cincinnati before this legislation.
With few honorable exceptions they
were but an organized band of roughs
and toughs.
"You could scarcely name crime in
the whole calendar of crime that some
man on that force had not committed.
What is the result as to the working OF
these boards? In the city of Cincinnati
now, instead of the character of police
boards they had then, they have one OF
the best police forces that can be found
in any city in this or any other country
"A genuine pride to every citizen of
Cincinnati. Foraker at Xenia.
Is there safer repository of political
power than the hands of the people?
Can the majority of the electors of a
State, county or municipality be trusted
with the management of their own
affairs?
These questions are not new to the
world. They have been discussed in all
countries and probably in all ages. The
verdict in nine cases out Of ten and
probably in ninety-nine cases out Of a
hundred has been against the people.
On one pretext and another they have
been stripped of power; now, because
they were too ignorant to exercise it
we'll, then because they were too vi
cious, and again, because they were toe
unstable, turbulent and Indifferent. If
the Czar of Russia were to make an ar
gument on this question he would fol-
low the precise line of thought suggest
ed by Governor Foraker in his Xenia
speech. He would Eot only urge plaus-
ible arguments in favor of making po-
lice boards and boards of public affairs
appointive instead of elective, but pro-
ceeding a step farther in the same gen.
eral direction he would find, in such
cases as the recent defaleation of the
treasurer of Warren County, an excuse
for depriving the people of the privilege
of selecting their own county officers,
and in the incompetency and possible
corruption of certain judges, reasons for
making the judiciary dependent upon
his sovereign will. In brief, he would
surround himself with an army of priv
ileged adherents who would lock to him
as the sole dispenser of Offices and hon
ors, and in justification of this fragrant
invasion of popular rights he would
probably-in language somewhat SINH
lar to that of Governor Foraker, say:
"You remember the kind of police
force they had in St. Petersburg, with
but few honorable exceptions they
were but an organized band of roughs
and toughs. You could scarcely name
a crime that some man on that force had
not committed. Now, instead of the
character of police boards they had then
they have one of the best police forces
that can be found in any city in this or
any other country-a genuine pride to
every citizen of ST. Petersburg"
do not propose to discuss the merits
or demerits of the police boards, election
boards and boards of public affairs ap-
pointed by Governor Foraker. They
may be composed of wise and honest
men; my objectiou to them is that the
method of their selection is not only a
positive affirmation that the people are
incapable of governing themselves, but
an absolute and unqualified admission
that the fundamental principles of our
government is wrong and hence no prin-
ciple at all. The citizens of Cincinnati,
Dayton, Hamilton and Toledo are Amer
leans of average honesty, intelligence
and patriotism. Schools and churches
are as abundant and excellent with them
as elsewhere. If they are incapa'
BILE of selecting proper police boards,
election boards and boards of pub.
lie affairs, no town, city or county
in the country is competent to dc
so, and if any, then all should be dis
franchised, not simply in part as in pres
ent, but in whole. No man Of common
sense will undertake to affirm that citi
| zen who In too vicious to vote for police
commissi sAsrs is good enough to vote fol
| judges OF the police and common pleas
courts. Nor will he venture to asser
that one too ignorant to vote for street
commissioner, is qualified to cast bal
lot for mayor, representative or govern
or. If the majority can not be trusted
| in the one case it must be distrusted II