The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-09-29
ONLY IN NAME.
Ohio Democratic Party of 1903
Not the Real Thing.
Its Platform Of Popuiism and Social
ism, Its Single Tax Tom Johnson,
the Mogul, Create a Complete "pi-
iemma of Democracy"

ism, Its Single Tax Tom Johnson,
the Mogui, Create a Complete "oi-
femma of Democracy"
Our Democratic friends have q
great many things to complain of this
fall and consequently are not even toll
eTably happy. The rank and file OF
the party want to be consistent. as q
rule. bat the Inconsistencies of their
leaders frequently create extremely
trying and humiliattng situations. The
party is entangled in one OF them this
fall.
The party of jefferson. Jackson and
Cleveland is a thing of the past and
the so-called Democracy of the pres
ent day is a mixture of Socialism and
Populism. II is Democratic only in
name.
Tom l.. Johnson. who violated Ohio
Democracy in 1908, much as Bryan
did the national party in 1896. comes
before the people as a Socialist and
single-taxer this fall and seeks to be
elected governor of Ohio: first. by
kicking out of the so-called Demo
. cratic state convention all of the old
line Democrats who refused to wor.
ship him; and second, by condemning
the very methods he employed to
make himself a ten-time millionaire.
The methods he employed to get rich
were all right so long as he was col
lecting his colossal fortune, but after
that he insisted that the men who
employed them deserved to be cruel
| fed.
Johnson is not without some sense,
| and for that reason is a dangerous
| demagogue. He is not a Democrat
| he is not a Populist. he is not a free
4 silverite, he is not Socialist. He is
rich man. political buccaneer, who
has seized the banner of Democracy
and to crafty his greed for power is
| trying to turn the Democratic pavilion
into a great monkey house. with q
herd book revised by the Johnsoniar
hand.
In 1896 W. J. Bryan went before the
| people advocating free silver at the
ratio Of 16 to ]. He got a wonderful
vote and in this county had a major.
ity of nearly 1900. He predicted dis
aster for the country under the golt
standard, but when in 1900 he agair
came before the country he still stood
for free silver, but made imperialism
the issue. He was forced to that ex
tremity by the marvellous prosperit,
of the country. He was again defeat
ed. In the late so-called Democratic
convention Johnson kicked out som,
of the ablest free silver leaders in tn,
state and forced the convention to in
dorse John II. Clarke. the gold-bug at
torney Of the Nickel Plate railway, 70
| United States senator. Clarke in hi
recent speech at Napoleon stated T.
| the people that he voted against Bry
an in 1896. because he thought he wa
wrong and was opposed to free silver
He further stated that he had no apol
ogy to make for voting as he did Il
/ 1896.
In 1900 he supported Bryan in hi
! fight against Imperialism. but r,
manned a gold bng as in 1896. NoS
in 1908 Tom l.. Johnson attempts. Z
force the free silver Democrats I
elect a legislature that will send tn
gold bug. Clarke. to the United State
senate.
W. J. Bryan adds his tribute t
, Clarke and says he is all right
Clarke was right in 1896 in votin
against Bryan and free silver and 70
a gold standard. Mr.. Bryan wa
wrong. AS Mr.. Clarke stands by tn
gold standard. Mr.. Bryan in urgin
? the free silver men to vote for Clark,
either acknowledges that free silve
. | was in 1896 and is today a fraud an
delusion. or is attempting to force tn
, free silverites to support the gold bu,
I Clarke. merely that he and Tom Johl
son may remain in control Of the pa
ty in 1904. The free silver men wer
honest in their support Of Bryan
!, 1896 and 1900 and his insistence ths
e they support a gold bug in 1903 is
!. little more than they stand.-Defanc
a Express.