Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1891-09-24


in his place a man aptly described as ar
amiable nonentity, CIV. V. Marquis) who
ever since he has occupied a usurper''
chair has seemed conscience-smitten ovel
the political wrong of which he received
the usufruct. A Congressional gerry
mander was made on such devilish plan
that even though Ohio went Republican
by 10000, it would return at least fifteen
Democratic Congressman out of the
twenty-one Home rule' pledges were
trampled upon, and, like political pirates
the Democracy passed laws seizing the
Offices in nearly all the large cities as party
prey. Contrary to all precedent, Republi.
can State officers, notably the Railroad
Commissioner and the Labor Statistician,
were reorganized out or bounced" un-
tremendously, In order to make room for
henchmen of Governor Campbell.
An Astonishing Indictment
At the close of this first session OF
the Sixty-ninth General Assembly,
which was Democratic in both branches,
Hon. Morton L. Hawkins, then the
Democratic Adjutant General of this
State, felt called upon to give its record
to the public in a letter to the Cincin-
natl Post, which was then, as now, a
friend of Governor Campbelfs extra
ordinary administration. Here is what
he said about it:
1t will go down in history as the most
unsatisfactory official body that ever met
in the State House. The majority of its
acts are either Indifferent or very bad. 1t
has insisted doing things that will
damn 1t for all time to come. 1t will be
distinguished as having spent thousands
of dollars on useless expenditures, for hav-
ing cowardly forsaken its German allies,
for dealing in a weak and uncertain way
with the canals. And for accepting from
boodlers a goodly sum of money; for hav-
ing among its members some of the
smallest and cheapest rascals that ever
got into politics-men who saw no good
in any measure unless they could discover
a s5 greenback wrapped up in it.
As Ex-Governor Foraker read this
startling indictment to the Republican
State convention at Cleveland on July
10Th, 1890, General Hawkins, who sat
among the newspaper correspondents,
said to those near him: "You bet l am
not taking a word of it backr'
Its Sole Defender.
Governor Campbell felt called upon,
however, to rush into print in defense of
the Legislature, and here is what the
Springfield News, Democratic paper,
of May 1S, 1890, had to say regarding
his views:
The News is indebted to Governor James
Enquirer Campbell for a four-page letter
circular, reprinting an Enquirer interview
with the Governor, in which Jimmie is
made to extol the work of the late
lamented Democratic Legislature. He
should rest satisfied with the Enquirer s
publication of his dictated defense of the
rump, rotten, incapable. non attendant,
purchasable Democratic Legislature, for
which every decent, clean, reputable, and
intelligent Democrat will long continue to
blush.
Plentiful Signs of Bribery and Corruption.
The same refrain was taken up by
many other Democratic papers, and the
Adjutant General generally commended
for his stand. The work of the Legis-
lature at this session was also reviewed
by Rev. Dr. Washington GLADDEN., of
III lll6 1O1lOWlllS,
from non-partisian standpoint:
Did any man ever hear of a more
wanton, brainless, brutal exercise of politi-
cal power than that which has, during the
past week, torn two of our great charitable
institutions all to pieces, simply to make
room for a horde of heelers, to enable a
gang of small politicians to pay with
places the mercenaries who have helped
them to get into office?
The low aims, the sordid purposes, the
lack of principle, the treachery to pledges,
the plentiful signs of bribery and corrup-
tion seen in these political places, do more,
l verify believe, to debauch public senti-
ment, to lower the standard of young
men, and to weaken ali the safeguards of
integrity and honor in the State than are
done by all the saloons and brothels in
these cities. This is not hasty judg-
ment; it is tie GelibeIAge opinion of one
who has taken some pains to find out the
truth.
Hypocritical and Imbecile.
No one has ever accused Hon. Daniel
J. Ryan, Secretary of State, of Ohio,
with either being an intense or unfair
partisan, for his expressions are always
characterized with the desire to do JUS
tice to his political opponents. Yet. in
his acceptance speech at Cleveland on
July 16, 1890, Mr.. Ryan described the
course of the Campbell administration,
and the Democratic majority at the
regular session, as follows:
The question to be decided this fall is
much higher and more far-reaching than
the election of State officers. 1t invovles
the supremacy of the Republican party in
this State and the disapproval of the pres
ent Democratic administration in Ohio.
am not disposed to be harsh in my Ian,
guage or criticism, but say advisedly that
a more hypocritical, or more imbecile ad-
minstration never controlled affairs in
this State. 1t came into power on plat
form which denounced Governor Foraker's
administration as the most partisan and ex-
travagant in our history. Yet this Demo
cratic administration reorganized the pub,
lie institutions of this State within sixty
days after Governor Campbell's inauRura
ton in the sole interest of the Democratic
party, and passed an appropriation bill
that exceeded by more than s3CO,Oo0 the
highest Republican appropriation bill il
the history or THIS state anu Uney Ialk ol
partisanship and extravaganza Theil
hypocrisy did not stop here. In its plat
form the Democracy protested against the
enactment of laws vesting the appointing
power in the Governor, because it was sait
it enabled him to control the local board:
of leading cities while depriving them o
self-government.
Yet, in the face of this platform, on tn
strength of which the Democracy secured
votes and assistance, the last Democratic
Legislature passed more laws of the char
acter denounced by their platform thai
was passed by any other Legislature dur
ing the history of the State. q was b.
such shamefaced and hypocritical preten
siOns as these that the Democracy cam
into power last year. They have failed t.
respond in single instance to the demand
of q sentiment which they themselve
helped to create In the whole history o
politics State and National-1 do no
know of a more treacherous proceeding
than the response of the Ohio Democracy
through its administration, to those VIII
put them in power last fall. 1want to sa.
few words on another subject that jus
now Is receiving great deal of attention
refer to the question of taxation.
1t gives me pleasure in this connection
1