The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-09-15
MCLEAN AND REFORM.
why the Democratic Candidate and Plat
form Deserve Support.
H. w. SMITH.
(Henry t. Niles in Toledo Bee.)

| am for reform-not Jingle of words
to catch voters, but reform that will
relieve the laborers and producers of the
country and enable any man able and
willing to work to live in comfort and
decency among his associates, as he
could 20 years ago. am for the Demo
cratic party because it is the only in
strumentality by which radical reform
can be achieved in any reasonable time
with any reasonable certainty.
To me, after these many years of ef-
fort, it is a source of profound satisfac-
tion to see the largest Democratic con-
vention ever held in Ohio with unanimi-
| ty and great enthusiasm, adopt the most
thorough reform platform ever adopted
by a convention, state or national, of
any party.
When three months agoI presented to
the Jackson League my ideal of what
ought to be the state platform had no
expectation or even hope that it would
be adopted by the state convention with
the same unity and enthusiasm which
characterized the Jackson League.
was opposed to Mclean, not from any
personal objection. AS Mayor Jones
says, he is doubtless a man Of great lib
crafty 10 Jne poor anu KIM anu just III
all his relations with labor
Trains of coal delivered to the shiver-
ing citizens of Cincinnati, when in the
grasp of a coal ring, at cost, or free to
those not able to pay, and hundreds of
tons of fee given to the poor and other
such acts of large benevolence should
not and will not be passed by as the
acts Of far-sighted demagogue, as
some are disposed to treat the disposi-
tion of shoes by Mayor Jones to women
and children who had none decent and
fit to wear, and other like acts.
opposed Mr. Mclean because I fear
ed he would not stand by the great re-
forms the country must speedily have
or revolution, and by our matchless
leader, Mr.. Bryan.
The two men who from their great
ability andposition were capable of
giving the Democracy trouble in 1900
were Richard Croker and John r.
Mclean. They are now both harness.
ed as wheel horses to the great cause
of Bryan and reform and must pull
true.
1t is idle to suggest or suppose that Mr..
Mclean did not know Of and approve
the magnificent platform of the Zanes-
vile convention.
If he believes in such a platform who
wants or where can we find better or
stronger champion of reform, Bryan
always excepted.
In November a vote for the Demo-
cratic ticket is a vote for Bryan and
reform. A vote for Jones is a shot in
the air.
The GAINESVILLE platform is, from evey
point, of view better reform platform
than that from which Mayor Jones
ask reformers to scatter their fire. The
central idea with Jones is the iniative
and referendum. That is conspicuous
in the GAINESVILLE platform. Jones
breaches and sings divide up the day.
An eight hour day is part of the Zanes-
vile platform. Jones appeals to labor.
Labor's demands as formulated by
themselves, are part of the GAINESVILLE
platform. Nothing in the Jones plat
form about the cruel, un-American
schemes Of conquest and colonial ex-
pansion. Is that because, as he recently
said to me, he "can find no words to
express his adherence Of the whole
thing"
Nothing about what he calls the "sel-
fish and un- Christian doctrine of protec-
tion." Is this because the Dingley tariff
is the bullwark Of the trusts, which
are robbing the people,, Of which he is
disposed to speak kindly, because, while
he says the government has no power to
regulate them he expects it will take
possession of them some day and some
where in the dreamland to which he is
seeking passage with the zeal of an
artic explorer? The election of the
Democratic ticket in November means
the election of Bryan and the final
triumph Of reform in 1900.
Reformers, you now have such a
chance as never before to deal death
blow to the abuses which are crushing
common people in the dust and to the
scheme to change this great republic
into a mongrel system, half republic,
half colonial empire, with its oriental
fringe of polygamy and slavery soon,
If they succeed, like Greece, Carthage
and Rome, which tried the same ex-
pertinent, to fall in ruin, blood and
tears.
Will you join In the one great irresis-
tible army and march shoulder to
shoulder to final victory, or will you
divide and fire on your friends or waste
your ammunition In the air?