Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-09-03

! its worse sense, as everybody
must know who knows how Cincin-
natl is governed. Board rule, divided
responsibility, control from the
state capitol, that is the system that
creates and maintains hopeless civic
conditions in Cincinnati. The little
finger of the boss is stronger than
the loins. of the people, But under
home rule, under the federal plan,
which Cleveland had until ripper
| Legislation had done its work, no
boss has been able to hold out
against public sentiment. In Cincin-
natl, under their boss and board rid
den government, fifty year fran
chise was boldly granted to the street
railways, and the same men are still
in power; but the mere attempt to
make a twenty-five year grant in
Cleveland swept from office every man
who favored the proposition from the
chief executive down. This Illus
trates the difference between a poIiti-
cal leadership through the manipula-
ton of boards, and a political leader
ship directly subject to the will of
the people.
I'm framing our municipal code
there should be extraordinary vigil
lance regarding franchises, aspect
ally those of street railways. The
fact that the street railway grants
in Cleveland are about to expire and
that the last judicial decision de-
| clares unconstitutional the fifty year
franchise in Cincinnati, makes the
temptation great for all the powerful
| of rif
les to unite in an effort I'd slipinto the
municipal code provisions hostile to
the public interests. a cunning and
well laid lobby is at work, and the
only sure way of bringing its clan
destine schemes to naught is to pro-
vide in the code that no franchise,
and no renewal of franchise, shall
be operative in any city until the
ordinance granting it has been rati-
fled by majority vote of the people
of that city.
Opportunity Before People.
The opportunity opens before the
people of Ohio to engage in noble
work. If they choose, they may take
their place in the van of the great
moral as well as political movement
that is making Roadway wherever the
English language is spoken. They
have only to say the word, and our
state will set an example in human
progress such as seldom falls to the
fortune of any state to offer. They
have only to say the word, and every
city within our borders will govern
itself i'm local affairs, and through
out the whole great commonwealth
the principal of just taxation will
prevail. Home rule and just taxa
toni Let us adopt these ideals of all
good government, and we shall solve
the riddle which the sphinx of fate
put to our civilization and which il
must answer or be destroyed. These
are the issues of this campaign. These
are the shibboIeth of the Ohio democ-
racy today, and my prayer is that
they will continue so to be until they
are realized. Home rule and just
taxation! Fellow democrats, under
that banner let us fight, and by that
sign we shall conquer"
y ticket headed by Rev. Herbert
Bigelow, of Cincinnati, was placed in
nomination. The platform adopted
reatfirms the principles Of the Kan
sas City platform and pays tribute to
| w. j. Bryan. The balance of the
platform is devoted chiefly to state
| and municipal affairs to the end that
| equalization in taxation and home
rule shall be established. 1t advo-
Gates the election of United States
senators by popular vote.