Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-10-10
citizens-many Of them Republicans
are Disguised with such tactics?
oHlo's DEMOCRATIC LEADER.
tFron the Springfield Republican.)

master of the sort It evidently needs
one strong enough with the people to
compel harmony of action in the ranks
of the party itself, and one strong
enough in his own resources alone to
be greatly effective to the end Of build
ing UP compact and disciplined or
ganization for the working out Of radi-
cal policies. The master is Mayor Tom
Johnson Of Cleveland, who is now cam
paigning over the state with a circus
tent to hold his meetings. These meet
ings, according to the latest reports,
are being largely attended,and are lin
tied in size only by the capacity of the
tent, which holds some 5000 people.
Thus from town to town and county
to county moves the johnson process
sion.
| One of the issues taken UP by the
Ohio Democratic party under his lead
ership is the taxation of railroads.
These are assessed for taxation ac-
cording to property value by a board
Of the auditors Of the counties through
which the several roads run. Then
they are taxed for each county in pro-
portion OF the whole value which the
mileage lying in each county bears to
the total mileage of the road. Through
free pass and other influences 1t has
come about that the roads are assess
ed at less than 20 per cent. of their
actual value, while farm and other
4 property is assessed for some 60 per
cent. and upward. Johnson, in striv-
ling to raise the assessments of rail
roads In Cleveland somewhere near to
the level on which other property is
taxed, came into collision with the
state auditors, most of whom, Demo
Gratis and Republicans alike, proved to
be mere partlsans Of the roads, and
were exposed by Johnson as being In
secret consultation with the attorneys
of the roads and holding free passes
from the corporations.
County auditors are to be elected
in November, among other local and
state officers, and johnson as he goes
about is exposing to the people the
railroad record of such of the old au-
ditors as are UP for reelection. 1t
makes no difference to him whether
the bad auditor is Democrat or
Republican. II Democrat, he adj
vises the people to vote for the Repub-
lican. AS his procession moves into
new county which has a Democratic
auditor with a free pass record, John
son summons him to the meeting
in the big tent And there he calls
him up and questions him as to his po-
sition in the mntter of assessing rail
roads--whether he is in favor OF valu-
ing them for taxation as the farm
property in that county is valued, or at
a much lower percentage Of the true
value than farm property. And the
culprit always comes and generally
bows down.
In one case, Johnson, after telling the
audience of the bad record of the
Democratic auditor, who had been re-
nominated, caused the candidate to
stand up and thus received
from him pledge to be a
good auditor next time. If the
, bad auditor refuses to come to the
} tent, Johnson urges the Democratic
, voters to pitch in and help drive the
man out of the Democratic party. In
, the meeting at Fostoria the other night
which was attended by ex-Secretary
Charles Foster among 4500 others,
Johnson took up the case of Auditor
Nighswander oflthat county, a Demo-
crat. He said
When we started out on this fight,
all of the SS auditors of the state were
riding on passes. Up to date, about
, 30 of them have reformed, or have
promised to be good In the future.
am sorry that Mr. Nighswander was
not able to be here tonight, for did
not know but that before we got
through with him he might also be
reckoned among the repentant. was
! informed some time before we reach
cd this county that Mr.. Nlghswander
had prepared lot of questions to ask
me, and l thought that we were going
to have a very good time. Now he
says that this was not so. am very
sorry to hear 1t. Mr.. Nlghswander is
kept away from this meeting for n
, very good reason. He has lost n young
nephew, and i am sure that he has the
sympathy Of all OF u.s. But | told Mr..
Nlghswander's friends today that, not
. witbstanding this, would have to tell
the people In the tent something about
, his record.
And this johnson proceeded to do.