The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-09-25
SAME old song.
Johnson and Clarke as Calamity
CroakerS.
REFUTED BY THEIR OWN ORGANS.
Free Trade Alone Inspired Their Ut
terances Now Proven by Their
Strongest Supporters to be False,
as Well as Damaging to Public m
terests and Fraught With Danger

as Well as Damaging to Public m
terests and Fraueht With Danger
John III. Clarke. the candidate for
United States senator. forced upon the
Democrats of Ohio by Tom l. Johnson.
in formally commencing his campaign
at the meeting with Mr.. Johnson in
Akron, took the tack that all free
traders do of false assaults upon the
business prosperity of the country.
They know that the people generally
know that the last time a Democratic
free trade tariff was tried widespread
calamity came with it. and the country
suffered. and particularly its wage
earners, as had not been the case be-
fore in a generation during all the
days since the last preceding Demo-
cratic administration and its attempt
ed free trade. Learning nothing at all
from this, Johnson and Clarke go
back to the same old doctrines that
have always done so much damage and
urge them upon the country. seeking
to pull down the prosperity that has
always appeared with protection.
Mr.. Clarke. as a candidate for Unit
ed States senator. which Office would
give him full power to make laws of
this kind that he likes. told his Akron
audience that the business OF the
country had refused TO stand still at
Mr.. Hannais command. but, on the
contrary. has run riot in speculation,
such as was never seen before. and
now stands upon what all men fear is
the verge of collapse" Not content
with this sweeping statement, Mr..
Clarke added the direct misstatement
that the president and secretary OF
the Treasury. by their public speech.
show that they distinctly share the
fear" of the panic predicted by Mr..
Clarke. and by no one else except by
free trade stump speakers. For IL was
free trade. and nothing else. which In
spired these declarations by Clarke,
when we went on to say that this con-
dition of evil. which he thus enlarged
upon. was largely brought about by
the disturbance of business caused by
the high tariff taxes
From this misunderstanding PROPOSE
tion by Clarke. in which Johnson, by
repeated acquiescence has concurred,
being present at the same meetings
and publicly approving Clarke's utter
ances, 1t is'well to turn to their prin-
cipal newspaper supporter in this
state, and that, too. the senior Demo-
cratic organ. in their own city as we'll
The Cleveland Plain Dealer, in an edl-
torial on "injudicious campaign utter
ances," such as 1t says speaker had
better have left unsaid. II he did mean
it." as johnson and Clarke surely do
mean 1t. says that ''one of these is a
statement more than once made in the
present campaign that the business
of the country is on the verge of
ruin"
The Plain Dealer proceeds to say:
'Such a declaration at the present
time is not even good politics. 1t is
not justified by the condition of busi-
ness, which continues good in spite
pending collapse which have been
heard at intervals ever since the be
ginning of the period of business ac-
tivity. The mills and factories are
still busy. The mines are pouring out
their wealth in metals and minerals.
The crops are large and prices good.
| The railroads are taxed to their ut
most capacity. The material prosper
| fly Of the country has suffered nc
abatement"
This Democratic evidence from q
Johnson and Clarke organ, completely
contradicts all of the Johnson and
/ Clarke claims upon this matter of vital
national Importance. This contradic.
ton of their candidates. by all Demo
Gratis who know the truth about bust.
ness conditions and speak II. is char.
acteristic of the present campaign oi
contradiction. Every observer who 1:
candid and honest will unite with th'
Piain Dealer that ''the actual bushes.
OF the country has been practically un.
/ affected by the explosion" of specula
tion In Wall street. They will alsC
! agree with this Johnson and Clark,
organ that the business of the coun
try Is NOT on the verge of ruin bu
very far from it,
But what are the voters of Ohio go
ing to do with such candidates-thes.
"alarmists for a purpose" who ar,
running their campaign upon the basi
of soaring business to a standstill?'
II Johnson and Clarke have done thes
things igporantly. an almost impossi
BILE supposition. then they are not fl
for the leadership Of the intelligen
and enterprising people of this grea
state. If they have not been ignorant
but wilfull. in these declarations
fraught with such danger to every in
dustrial interest. and to the entir
] community. they are surely not fit t
be trusted by the people of Ohio. o
to be voted for for any Office.