The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-04-23

HON, s. W. REED.
| formed the senatorial district. From
| 1851 to 1871 Wood and Ottawa were
Joined together. Since they have each
been entitled to q representative.
William Park was the last joint rep
resentative from Ottawa, after it be-
came entitled to separate representa-
| ton. John Norris was the first from
| Wood under a separate representation.
Hon. S. w. Reed of Elmore, farmer
and manufacturer, is the present repre-
sentative, and as the accompanying
sketch Of him would indicate, is level
minded man, and well equipped to dis
charge his duties to his constituents and
| to the state at large
The most distinguished representative
bat Ottawa county ever had in the
legislature was Hon. Emory d. Potter,
| who Jointly represented Lucas, Wood,
| Ottawa and Hancock.
Judge Potter afterward served in
congress. Ee died recently, and was
the son of q distinguished revolution.
ary soldier. His friend and intimate
companion for more than half CEN
tury, Judge Patton of Hicksville, De-
fiance county, is probably the only sur
viving son Of revolutionary soldier
In the northwest.
The great distance over which mems
political lives often extend is seen in the
case of Judge Patton.
In 1888 President Andrew jackson
made him United States district attor-
ney. In 1889, SO years later, the voters
of Defiance and Paulding counties elect
ed him to the house of representatives
of the SIxty-fourth general assembly,
and his fight against the school book
rings attracted national attention and
eventually led to the partial breaking
up OF those vast and conscienceless con-
spiracies against the people.
Ipicked up a copy of the New York
World the other day which contained.
one Of the modern contrivances for per-
petrating contemporaneous wickedness.
1t was a combination of pistol, dagger
and "knucks," and could be used as
either one separately, or all of them in
combination. You could knock man
kown, shoot him and stab him all at the
same time.
If the Seventieth, Seventy-first and
Seventy second general assemblies are
to be honored with coat of arms this
is just the thing to emblaZon on their
Dieu." These three legislatures were
willing that the people should have
hope and God as their share of the heri-
tage, but they were out for everything
else in the state of Ohio. And they have
managed to get it very nearly.
There was an action on the part of the
Democratic state central committee
which will meet with universal approy-
al by all the members of the party, out
side of a few small cliques here and
there. This was the adoption Of q reso-
luton that no delegates appointed by a
county committee would be recognized
In the state convention.
The county central committees are re-.
quired under the call to meet and des-
ignate when and in what manner the
delegates to the state convention shall
be chosen, and give notice to the elect.
tors. Three methods Of selecting are
allowable:
!. By primary election.
.. By delegate convention.
8. By mass convention.
All three of the methods are Demo-
cratic, and a state convention with del
gates so chosen is pretty apt to repre-
sent the real sentiment of the people on
all public questions. The most of the
wrangling at the state conventions for
years, and much Of the party apathy,
have grown out of the usurpations Of
county committees, which, to serve
some selfish end, have been in the habit
of selecting delegates who represented
no one but themselves, and were dia-
metrically opposed TO the masses Of the
voters ON vital issues.
That the committee took decisive &C
ton, and that, too, by a unanimous
vote, ON this question, is extremely
gratifying, and iu the face of the great
Democratic revival which manifested
itself in every part of the state at the
April election augurs well for next falls
contest in the Buckley state.
The return of the political wave was
family visible last fall. 1t was con-
spicuously visible two weeks ago, and
at time when party lines were hut
lightly drawn.
A careful analysis OF the election re-
suits this spring, fairly differentiated
and applied 10 a state election, would
give Ohio to the Republicans bY about
81, 900 plurality. There is a wide differ.
ence between that and I87, 900 in 1894.
-Four years ago the campaign opened
in Ohio with normal Republican plu-
rality Of 10000. 1t ended in stand-off
between the two parties Then the
people understood the hollowness Of
Republican pretensions. The Repub-
lican panic which followed the expul-
non of the leaders Of that party from
power in 1898 was misapprehended by
The masses, and they undertook 20 pun
ish the innocent.
Once more Republican false pretense
Is becoming potent, and we see the re-
suit IA the unmistakablo symptoms Of
political change.
This Legislature has its record yet 10
complete. II the dominant party inn
agine that as far as il has gone it has
either met public expectation or given
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