The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-10-13
..'-r-'ss s',------a--s--- ----..a-
IS JOHNSON
CONSISTENT?
The Cleveland Mayor Allows a Bryan
AudisnCe to Judge For
Itself.
HIS talk With CANDIDATE EeMUTH
Special to News-Democrat.

Special to NeWS-DemOcrat.
Bryan, Oct. 10.-Dr. DeMuth, Of Ce-
Gil, nominee on the Republican ticket
for the legislature from Paulding coun-
ty, encountered Mayor Tom l.. John
son on the train coming from Van
Vert Friday. The following conver-
sation ensued:
"Mr. Johnson" said DeMuth, stop
ping at the mayors seat and giving his
name, II am bound for the same place
you are only by different route
Columbus"
Glad to meet you," replied the may
or, but l am going to Bryan"
Il mean | am a candidate for the
legislature and you are candidate for
governor"
"oh, see, what are your politics?"
Republican"
"If you are elected will you vote for
a bill for two cents a mile on steam
railroads." asked Mayor Johnson.
81 suppose III vote for most any
thing" was the answer.
THAT is evading the question. l ask
every candidate for the Legislature that
question, regardless of his politics.
Chapman of Clark county told me he
would vote for two cents mile. The
more Republicans we can get to prom
Use to vote for such a bill the surer
we are to get it no matter which way
the election goes. VIII you vote for
two cents a mile, doctor?"
well, I'll tell you, Mr.. Johnson,
am the surgeon for the Northern Ohio
railroad and ride free, so it doesn't
matter to me whether the fare is two
cents or three cents"
Then you are the railroad candidate
for the Legislature from Paulding coun-
ty?"
Il suppose you might call me that"
"Well, doctor, I'm glad I've had this
talk with you and want to add that
l hope that you are numerically beat
en-
That's all right" retorted DeMuth,
"but Well see about that"
In his speech at Bryan last night, as
we'll as at Montpelier in the afternoon,
where he addressed a crowd of over
1000 people, Mayor Johnson related
the conversation.
81 am almost tempted to go back to
Pauldiug county again." he said, "to
Tell IIt pSOplt dDoul bChulhs W ny iN
honestly thinks. | believe, that if he
is elected to the legislature he will
owe everything to the railroads and
nothing to the people. He says he
rides free and is not interested in the
amount of fare that other people have
to pay. Can any intelligent, fair-mind-
ed man vote for such man to repre-
sent him in the legislature. If you
have a damage suit against the North
ern Ohio railroad you might as we'll try
it before a jury of II men each Of
whom has a pass in his pocket. What
chance do you think you would have to
win the suit?"
At Montpelier the question was
asked Mayor Johnson:
"You are in favor of two cent fare
on steam railroads now but what was
your attitude on that question when
you were in the railroad business?"
do you mean steam railroad?"
"Yes."
II never was in the steam railroad
business"
Street railroad business then"
"My friend, when | was in the street
railroad business it was my duty to
make the most | could for my stock
holders, and | did pretty well. Now
am in politics and it is my business to
protect the interests of the people
But I'll answer your question fully and
when / have done I'll leave it to you
whether ! have been consistent. When
/ bought a street railroad in Cleveland
the fare was sixteen cents from one
side of the city to the other reduced
the fare to five cents. My brother AL
bert bought street railroad in Brook
lyn, N. Y. The fare from one end to
the other of it had been 25 cents. He
cut it down to five cents. ! myself
thought that was too low but he dem
onstrated that more money could be
made out of the road at five cents than
at 20 cents. So many more people rode
on it, you see. In Detroit | was presi-
dent of street railroad; | was one of
the small stockholders was on a
salary. Henry Everett came in with
an eight ticket for quarter road and
we carried on the rate cutting fight
with him for several months. /
studied the situation carefully and /
became convinced that we could make
Just as much or more money II we
gave straight rate of three cents. So
unbeknown to my stockholders / re-
duced the fare to three cents and it
lasted week before the board of di-
rectors found out what I was doing
and forced me to quit. But in that
one week I proved to them that a
three cent street railroad would earn
as much money as a five cent road.
But because of the effect of a three
cent fare on their Wall street interests
they would not allow me to continue.
Do you believe, my friend, that l have
been consistent"
Senator Hanna says that If you do
not re-elect him senator of the United
States all the captains Of industry will
close up shop and workingmen will be
thrown out. Of employment to freeze
and starye. In the name of God, people
of Ohio, re-elect Hanna IL his defeat
means that. But does Il? Does SEN
ator Hanna hold the destinies of this
nation in the hollow of his hand. II
that Is true then where is our Repubh-