West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-09-05
A DEMOCRATIC MAYOR.
Republican Bosses Can't Size
UP Tom Johnson.
PUZZLED BY A SQUARE POLITICIAN

AOnobhp D1 SUO hhh fOLiILUlAN
He Retires From Money Making Ia
the Very vigor 90 his Manhood aud
Takes In the Cause OF the People.
Takes - Course Inconsistcpt with
Large Gains TO HimseIf-An Honor
able Ambition the Only Point of
Attack.
II is very difficult for the Republicans
20 believe that Tom johnson, the re-
form mayor of Cleveland. is sincere In
his efforts To tax the railroads and
other tax eyadors In proportion to their
property. They cannot understand n
politician undertaking 10 really be OH
the side OF the people as against the
trusts and corporations. They think
he has some personal ambition 10 serve.
that he -wants To be United States sen
ntor or governor or president. Mayor
Johnson has declared that he Is not
candidate for any Office. but intends to
devote his entire time TO the govern
ment OF the city OF Cleveland. He re-
ernor of Ohio aud also TO become one
OF the state executive committee. Yet
the Republicans will not believe him.
and he himself declares that there Is no
use I'm trying to assert that he is sin
cere, FOR time will sufficiently prove IL.
All this worries the Republicans.
They cannot understand Tom Johnson;
he does not act as they are used TO
gauging men. The people of Cleve-
land and throughout Ohio and over the
whole country are believing I'm him
and are realizing the force OF what
Professor Bemis said In "A letter to the
Springfield Republican: The people
who voted against him are now prals-
ing his work. and IL Is entirely posi-
bic that he may carry out his present
ambition, which, as recently stated, IL
TO give Cleveland so good an admins
tration that he will be reelected two
years hence by twice the recent ma
jority, which was about 0,OOO, in city
that went Republican for the rest OF
the ticket by 5000 majority.
''The mayor says those who charge
some inconsistency entirely miss the
point that he is driving at. If he crit-
cised Mark Hanna and others for own
Ing street railways, lac would be incon-
sistent, but he does nothing OF the kind.
lie simply urges the community to
change the system of private control
of such enterprises. Where, however,
the community refuses TO do this and
Insists that private management is bet
Ter than public, there is no crime, he
holds, In receiving the enormous Gnan-
cial benefits which the city thus insists
upon bestowlng upon private manage
ment, provided, OF course, that no cor
iuption Is used TO secure the favor OF
the city government. He Is willing to
pursue n public policy Inconsistent with
large gains 10 himself as an investor
and he not only prides himself on that
fern Of Inconsistency, II others choose
10 call IL so, but IL constantly appeal
Ing TO other men of wealth to do the
scme, and we all remember how Prcsl
dent IIadlcy OF Yale has lately de-
clared that unless our leading men OF
wealth and power are thus willing to
pursue public policy In opposition to
their private financial interests there
are serious and dangerous times ahead
for this republic.
Those who know the mayor Of
Cleveland best, even though they may
disagree with him, candidiy admit that
he has retired from money making In
the very yigor OF his manhood, when
he could probably double his fortune
I'm the next FIVE years by keeping out Of
public life. The only kind OF an at
tack that remains is TO assert that the
man who will do this may do so I'm or
der to so win the approval OF his fell
low citizens as 10 secure still higher po-
sitions Of public honor aud trust, and
such ain ambition. which these critics
assume that Mr.. Johnson possesses, Is
held TO be ignoble. That such view
should be taken OF the effort to merit
high position by public service, while
kindly consideration should be given to
the efforts OF corporation attorneys to
secure senatorships IN less honorable
ways, speaks volumes as to the mental
and moral attitude and standards OF
those who take that view"
II Mayor Johnson becomes a candi-
date for governor, senator, president OF
anything else it will not be as n mere
seeker for place. but as a faithful pub
lie servant whose promotion, not so
much to higher honOrs as to larger pos
sibilities OF public usefulness and
wider fields OF public duty, the people
themselves, those OF them that are
democratic, Enthusiastically demand