The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-05-28
STATE POLITICS.
John c. Weity Tells Why the
Democrats Ought to
Win This Fail.

The Canton correspondent of the Gin |
cnnati Enquirer has interviewed John |
G. Welty on the political situation In !
the state. To his interviewer Mr.. Welty
said:
81 have been very busy this spring
with business matters and I think /
will be until late into the summer.
This might interfere with my probable
candidacy for governor. As Demo-
crat would suggest that the platform
should lie very brief II should take a
decided stand against Republican ex-
travagance in and mismaDagement Of
all state institutions. There is no
doubt that the present administration
has been not only incompetent in its
management of these institutions, but
extravagant. That should be the par
amount plank as to state affairs.
"On national affairs, think that we
should begin campaign Of education
on the trust question, in order that we
might educate the people and prepare
them for the national campaign in 1904.
In this matter of trusts / take this
stan6 Democrats do not decry legi-
innate combinations of capital. Capt.
tai has as much right to combine as has
labor. All trusts are combinations Of
capital, but all combinations of capital
are not trusts. This is the distinctions:
So long as a combination of capital Is
formed for the purpose of protecting its
own interests, and assisting itself 1t is
legitimate When it steps outside that
line it is time to call halt. The evils
are brought when these combinations
attempt to dictate to another business
man how he shall conduct his affairs,
or when, finding that they cannot. do
this they attempt to ruin him. This
is instanced by the Standard Oil conf
pany. II sells oil very cheaply to its
customers. but forces them to buy its
other products at prices higher than the
retailer can buy of other companies. II
the latter refuses to buy these products
then the Standard Oil company, so.
have been told. will either refuse to sell
oil to their retailer or else ruin him by
underselling him on aliits products.
I'VE ought to attempt to enforce the
laws already on the statute books, and
If these are not stringent enough frame
new ones to keep those trusts or COM
binations of capital which interfere
with the affairs of others from so doing.
These two things are of the most inn
portance in the coming campaign. We
should make them the principal planks
in the platform.
IF | should decide to be a candidate
and should be nominated should carry
on most vigorous campaign, believ-
ing, as l do, that Democratic chances
for success in this state were never bet
ter, because / find that the people are
, thoroughly alive to the fact of Republi-
can mismanagement in those things
have already indicated, and because
that Is what is popularity known as an
off year. | would visit every county
in the state would work as hard as
} know how to win. We should preseht
an runbroken front In order that we
: might win. No factional fight should
creep into this campaign. We must
: unite and fight. 1t is of paramount
Importance that we win this year. The
sight of the presidents own state going
Democratic would have a dampenins
; effect upon his party all over the coun,
: try. We must stir the people up. We
must show them what the present al
. ministration has done in the way d
. mismanaging state affairs, and W,
must properly educate them on thi.
trust question.
Il think we should hold the STATE
convention where the state COMMITTEES
besides. it should be held. PERSONAL!
| think that 1t should be held in Cleve
. land. 1t should be held there for tn,
reason that the result upon the voters
of the state would be better than Ii -th
convention were held in Columbus"