The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-09-25
WHICH is BETTER7
sHannaism" Compared With
"Johnsonism" as 1t Is.
Can Ohio Afford to Replace the Sem
ator Who Is Public Benefactor
With the FreeTrader and Single
Taxer2

6tof VINO is PUBIC 6eheraCtoT
With the Free-Trader and Single
Taxer7
Mayor Johnson, in all OF his
speeches. has made it very clear that
he Intends to ignore his own candi-
dacy for governor as far as possible
and make his whole campaign one OF
abuse of Senator Hanna. Everywhere
he goes the burden of his song is,
that although Senator Hanna is a fine
citizen, an upright business man and
good neighbor. he should be defeated
for reelection because ne does not be-
heve in the things Johnson processes
to believe in. Il charge him with
using the high Office of senator to fur
ther his private interests" says
Johnson, and that's as far as he ever
goes Just how Senator Hanna has
ever abused his official trust has not
been made clear by Johnson or any
one else. He is interested in a street
railroad which he refuses IL allow
Johnson to confiscate, and that's all
there is to il.
There is no reason why Senator Ham
ma or his friends should decline this
issue, and II may be confidently ex-
pected they win not do so. A compar-
ison of either the public record or pri-
vate life of Senator Hanna and Mayor
johnson can not fail to rebound to the
glory of Senator Hanna. Both men
have been considerably before the
public in Cuyahoga county and Ohio
for twenty years. In many respects
their careers have paralleled each
other, but in private life and in busi-
ness Johnson admits that Senator
Hanna is above reproach- Likewise
he admits that his own money was
made by questionable methods and
that he has not ssrupled to take ad-
vantage of every opportunity offered
to accumulate fortune at the expense
Of the people. AS private citizen,
therefore. according to Johnson's own
testimony, Senator Hanna has a dis
tinct advantage over him.
Both Hanna and Johnson have been
extensive street railroad operators in
Cleveland. johnson has secured many
valuable franchises in this city which
he has invariably sold to other capt.
talists at fancy prices, thereby reap
ing all the profit in the franchise
grants without giving the people any
thing in return. Senator Hanna has
also obtained many franchises, but
instead of taking the franchise profit
as Johnson has done, he has used at
least a portion of that profit to build
up one Of the finest, il not the finest
street railroad systems in the world
a system that gives longer ride and
better accommodations for the money
than can be had elsewhere I'm the
United States. Furthermore, Senator
Hanna, with the wealth he has gained
during his long business career, has
organized many business enterprises
which give honorable and profitable
have helped to develop this magnifi-
cent city. Not one dollar of Johnson's
money is in active service in Cleve-
land, nor is 1t working anywhere for
the benefit of any one but himself.
II is in the public careers of the
men that the people should be most
interested, however. 1t should be re-
membered that johnson has seen
much longer service as a public off,
cial than has Senator Hanna. In 1890
he was elected to congress and in 1892
he was reelected to the Democratic
congress which formed a part of Gro
yer Cleveland's second term, and
which by vicious legislation precipi-
tated the panic of 1893. That panic
brought ruin to millions of people.
There is scarcely a man or a business
firm in the entire country who did not
suffer dire distress during that dark
period. LET THEM REMEMBER
THAT TOM L. JOHNSON WAS A
PART AND PARCEL OF THE AD-
MINISTRATION WHICH CAUSED
IT, and that because he was identified
with it, the people of the Twenty-nrst
Ohio district, in 1894, RETIRED HIM
TO PRIVATE LIFE. In 1901 he was
elected mayor of Cleveland, and al.
though he has held that Office nearly
three years, his most violent partisan
| can not point to single thing which
he has accomplished, that has made
| the people better or happier or more
| prosperous. Senator Hanna's public
career began when he undertook the
task OF electing William Mckinley
| president. That was in the darkest
days of the panic. when business was
| at a standstill and when workingmen
| were starving. To the business men he
promised renewed prosperity. to the
| workingmen plenty of work and full
dinner pail. SENATOR HANNA's
BTTTEREST ENEMY WILL NOT
DENY THAT HE FULFILLED
THOSE PLEDGES TO THE LET
TER, OR THAT TO HIM, MORE
THAN ANY OTHER MAN. Is DUE
THE PROSPERITY THE COUNTRY
IS ENJOYING AT THIS MOMENT
Why, then, should the people of Ohio
cast aside the man who does things
and whose public career has so largely
contributed to the growth and pros
perity Of the nation. in favor of the
man who does nothing but croak, who
breaches calamity and hatred. anc
whose public life has given the people
nothing that is good. but much tina
is evil. The defeat of such man a.
Senator Hanna by such a man as Ton
johnson would be notice to the worlS
that the people of Ohio prefer the dis
credited policies and dire disasters o
1894 to the solid principles and mar
velous prosperity of the last five years
Senator Hanna's friends and thu
friends of good times and good gov
ernment will do well to accept Ton