The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-09-16
MADE A PRECEDENT.
COLONEL CONGER GIVES SOME
UNwRITTEN HISTORY.
He Is In Vigorous Mental Condition
and Remem bers Many Things That
Hanna Republicans wouid
Like TO Have Him Forget.

Cincinnati, Sept. 1.-(Speoial.) "A
special dispatch to the Enquirer from
Kirksville say:
The Enquirer correspondent called
upon Coonel A. l.. Conger today and
found him quite ready to chat upon the
Ohio political situation. The Colonel Is
feeling first rate. He Is improving In
health every day. The reporter met
him at his desk in the editorial rooms Of
the journal of Osteopathy, working over
some proof sheets for that publication.
Five minutes conversation with Colone
Conger is sufficient to show the utter
falsity of the Hanna bureaus cruel re-
ference to bis recsnt Illness and there Is
no more forcible way of refuting the
charge of i'm becility sent out by the Han
ma heelers than by giving to the preple of
Ohio the following interview, in which the
well known manufacturer and politician
talks out in meetin'."
Colonel Conger is the Arnold winkel-
ried in American politics today and the
spea:s pointed at his breast are those
of the Republican press under control Of
the Hanna bureau, but the Colonel Is an
irreproaohable Republican who has riSen
through all grades of the party work to
the highest. He has served three times as
chairman of the State Republican COM
mittee in Ohio. From 1884 to 1S92-eight
years-he served upon the executive com
mittee of the National Republican COM
mittee. For 30 years he has obeyed the
mandates of the Republican party and
successfully honored every draft upon
him in its interest. He has q record for
party contribu tions and party servics
unsurpassed by any Republican in
Ohio, and by few, If any, in the nation,
and he now claims as right the privi-
lege of speaking in the interest Of the
party
IN HIS STATE.
Colonel Conger was a close friend Of
President Garfield, and an intimate and
true friend of J. G. Blaine. He also &C.
cupi3d close relations with Roscoe Cork
lin, John A. Logan and other great Re-
public an leaders. He conducted all his
work while upon it's committees in such
an honorabls manner as to leave no
scandals. His committee even COM
manded the respect of the opposition
itself AS a prominent manufactures
Colonel Conger is favorably known
throughout the orld. When the panic
of 1898 struck the country Colorel Con-
ger was connected with and the presi-
dent of manufactures giving employ
ment to $4,000 laboring men and he
never had strike nor gave cause for one
in any of his factories. While the panic
Of the last four years has caused him, like
other business men, losses, he has re-
tained his standing among the manufsc-
turers OF the hation. He was popular
department commander Of the G. A. r.
Of Ohio in 1885. 1t will be Iemem bered
that Ohio carried eff the laurel under
Congsr's leadership at the national er.
campment in San Francisco that year.
Such in brief is the personality of TIE
ism in American politics and with the
Hanna bureau, tor be it remembered that
Colonel Conger has no personal contro
versy with Mr.. Hanna. The two are or
friendly terms with each other. The
CCloEel cooperated with and aided Mr.
Hanna ell through the late campaign
Nor does Colonel Conger make an at
tack upon President Mckinley or his ad
ministration beyond his disapproval o.
Hannaism.
NOT AN IMBECILE.
Eyes have been pronounced an im
becile by the Hanna bureau" said th'
Colonel, "but / think / have sens
enough left to give the Enquirer som'
interesting Information. l dislike t
he pl ced in the position of fighting al
legged Republicans but in this matter
believe I am rendering a much needed
service to the party 10 helping my Obi
Republican friends to throw off the yok
of HannRism.
"This is not the list time you hav
crossed swords with Hanna, is itP'
asked tie correspondent.
"That is true n one sense, said tn
Colonel. "Yet at the present time
have no personal controversy with Mar
Hanna. We have always enjoyed friendl
relations with each other and do today
Our difference is in methods and l be
lieve my cause is the cause Of the Repuh
lican party, and that the steps I hay,
taken are all for the purity of the AmerI
can ballot box, and for the right Of Re
publeans to petition against wrong
even if the wrongs bs within their owl
party organizations, and to have thei
retitions respectfully considered, al
, and always have been opposed 10 th
r levying of high duties based and createl
, upon the idea of raising an ernormou
; corruption fund with which to corrul
{ and buy up votes and political oragnizl
! tions; the employment Of wicked mt
to carry out this corruption and the othe
attending evils. This Hannaism mean
not only Ill to the future of the Rspublica
party, but would lead to anarchy an
the final disruption of the governmen
The issue is one in which every Republica
r in the United States is interested, an
this years struggle in Ohio will
watched from all over the couI ty hay