The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-10-14
WhyAanna Viii Not De-
bate
WITH TOM JOHNSON
Salem People Listen TO Ad-
dress From cieveIand's
Mayor-.Mr. Foley Makes
HE Debut.


Salem, Oct. 13.-Mayor Tom L..
Johnson. talked to an audience Of 5000
people here last Saturday evening.
The weather was cold and rainy but
the crowd shivered through the meet
ing and applauded yociferously at
short intervals.
w. f. Potts acted as chairman Of
the evening and presented Mr.. New
ton d. Baker as the first speaker.
Mr.. Bakers address was in his usual
thoughtful vein and he held the moist
audience with him to the end. He
was warmly applauded at the end Of
his speech.
I'VE have been very SORRY" said
Mr.. Johnson, who followed Mr.. Baker,
that none Of the Republican leaders
have seen fit to accept our oft repeated
invitation to come upon the platform
at the tent meetings and deny our
charges against them. Not only have
they declined to come to the tent, but
they have also omitted In their own
campaign even to touch upon these
matters. Do you suppose that II there
were any denial or refutation that
these men would keep silent when we
attack them?
"A short time ago there was re-
port in the paper to the effect that
Senator Hanna had offered to discuss
the tariff with me, under the reser-
walton that I should not touch upon
the tariff rs responsible for the trusts.
When l replied that / would accept
Hanna's proposition and allow him to
fix all the conditions Of the debate
he Immediately declared that he had
never intended to propose any discus
sion. What he intended, he said, was
for him to talk at one end Of the state
and for me to reply from another
platform at the other end OF the state.
He said that he would not dignity me
by appearing on the same platform
with me, and would not consent to
draw crowds for Tom johnson to talk
to. :,
NOV, these are not-the reasons why
Mr.. Hanna does not care to appear on
the same platform with me. The real
reason Is that there are q number
of questions which he would not care
to have asked upon any platform. He
would feel embarrassed, perhaps, II
l asked him why he returned his
street railroad in Cleveland for taxa
tion at only per cent OF its actual
value. He might dislike to be asked
II he was still in favor of perpetual
franchises, and II he had only post
poned his demand on account of its
bad effect upon approaching election.
The senator might be little troubled
II the question was put whether or
not his man Hissey, acting under the
senator's orders had been responsible
for railroading through the forty-year
franchise steal for Cincinnati known
as the curative act These are some
of the reasons why Mr.. Hanna does
not care to discuss the issues of the
campaign with me, why he goes whiz-
zing about through the state, making
little speeches from the back platform
of special car.
Senator Hanna seems to have an
aversion to circuses, yet he had real
circus in Akron, with animals and
bands and troops of men In gold braid.
There was where he promulgated the
great watchword of the Republican
campaign. Think of 1t. Senator Han
ma, before an intelligent audience of
the people of Ohio, saying that the
issue of this campaign was to stand
pat What an insult. Why, the is
sues OF this, campaign are serious,
very serious, indeed, to the people
of Ohio, and they cannot be brushed
aside with Hanna's stand pat And
perhaps this Is just another reason
why Mr.. Hanna does not care to de-
bate on the same platform with me.
He does not wish to discuss that pat
hand he is holding. He would dis
like to stand at one end of the plat
form and leave some one CALI HIS
pat hand s6 .
Mayor Johnson was followed by
Mayor Foley. of East Palestine, Dem
ocratic candidate for congress In the
eighteenth district. Mr. Foley's ad-
dress was brief and full Of wise DEM
ocratic aphorisms. Tonight's meeting
will be at youngstown, where Mr..
John III. Clarke will take Mr. Bakers
place Mr.. Bigelow is expected to re-
Join tho campaigners tomorrow to
: participate in the meetings at War
rem, Ravenna and Akron.