The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-06-01
State Records Compared.

stare NeCOIuS SOllPdTcu.
From the Cadillac News and Express.
Several of our democratic exchanges have
already taken up the doleful lines of the
song which they evidently intend to sing
during the coming campaign-their hypo-
critical pretense of mourning over the sim
fulness of republican state officials. mas
much as it is verv probable that the entire
campaign of the democrat party in Michigan
will be formed on such basis it may be
well to fully review the situation in that
respect i'm a cool, calm way, before partisan
heat and excitement shall intervene to min
imize or eXaggerate any or all OF the facts
necessarily connected with such campaign.
In the first place it should be fully and
fairly understood that the republican party
of Michigan will not in the least attempt to
frame or form any excuse or defense for
those of its trusted servants who may have
failed in the full performance OF their duties,
or against whom may be proven any offense
against the state through passive permission
or guilty cooperation. The demands of the
republican party for honest and faithful
performance of all official duties are firm
and exacting, and ii can well afford to point
to the action of its chief executive in Mich
igan with reference to its offenders as indie
alive of the spirit and purpose of the party
toward such Offenses.
With reference 10 the democrat claim of
superior honesty because of such republican
offenders, the republicans of Michigan can
also very well afford to review and compare
party records. During the thirty years
preceding 1891 the entire administration of
state affairs in Michigan had been absolutely
and entirely in the hands of the republican
party. During these years Michigan had
attained a name and fame second to none
other in the Union in reference to wise,
economical and splendid management. The
very name Of Michigan was synonym of
broad, high position on all matters in which
the welfare of its people were concerned,
and its educational, charitable, reformatory
and penal institutions stand as models in
our own country and to the world.
During all these years of republican man
agement Michigan has been noted among
the states of the Union for freedom from
loss through its administrative officers.
Not word of suspicion with reference to
extravaganza or dishonesty in the erection
of its many public buildings has ever been
heard, and our magnificent state capitol at
Lansing stands as monument to this
splendid record. Every dollar OF its cost to
cent fully and faithfully returned in mate
rial and labor.
We defy the democrat press of this state
to name single important city in this
country of which their party has had full
control of affairs for ten years In which there
has not been more loss through public
plundering and jobbery than in the admin
istration of the affairs of the entire state of
Michigan during the thirty years 1t was I'M
der control of the republican party.
On the first Of January, 1890, after an |
absence from power of thirty years, the |
democrat party took possession of all depart |
ments of our state government. The record |
of those two years of democrat rule, from |
Jan. 1, 1891, TO Jan. /, 1898, contains more |
that is discredltable to our state than is con- |
tanned in all the years of republican rule in
Michigan. A single offense is charged |
against the disposed republican state officials |
that they permitted the changing of the |
verdict of the voters relative to the salaries |
and this Offense was directly |
the result of a similar offense committed
during the single term of democrat admins
tratiOn.
The first Offense of the kind in the history
Of Michigan was committed by democrats in
during the first administration i'm
thirty years. This crime of changing the
vote of the people by forgery and fraud was
originated by democrats, and q democrat adj
not only failed to discover the
rhine and punish the criminals, but the
party of Michigan blindly renomi-
mated the state and county officers who COM
nitted the fraud and reappointed the SUBJ
)rdinates concerned in its commission.
And il Is this democrat party which IL now
.sking that 1t be returned to control of af-
airs in Michigan because of its record.
The secretary Of state of this same party
vas compelled to resign his Office, not be-
,ause of a single omission but by reason of
many commissions. The full story of his
against the state was prevented
rem being made public through the
quick acceptance of his resignation, but
,nough of it is known to prevent the party
" which he was a representative to assume
my superior claims on behalf of its state Of
icials.
Another instance of the. peculiar weakness
Il the democrat party of Michigan in its as
umption Of superiority for Its representatives
vas shown I'm its last choice of candidate
or state treasurer. At the time of his cam
lldacy the democrat candidate was a de-
aulter, and what Is more significant. he had
expended many thousands of dollars belong
ny to others In desperate effort to gain
ontrol of the state funds at Lansing.
Is this the record which the democrat
arty Of Michigan will ask the voters Of the
tate to review, with the expectation that IL
yill be regarded with satisfaction and favor?
If there were no other issues to be pre-
nfod I'm the comip0 camnai0u oxoor,f tho |