The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1905-09-28


even grand jury without the consent of
the boss. The conversion of one of the
so-called leaders In Cincinnati into an
honest man would be n volcano, and his
tales of plundor, by their magnitude and
bra2enness, would surprise even the tenn
porarily co wed citizens of that great city.
The Democratic party and with u.s. we
believe, all good citizens of all parties.
are making this great campaign not only
to have an honest government in Cincin-
natl, but we are making fight In behalf
of the whole state-a state the proudest,
and in our opinion the greatest common
wealth In all the bright constellation of
states, n state that has since its founda-
tion had history not only unique but
one filed with the best of American life
and American manhood.
1t has been asserted by apologists for
the present organization of the Republi-
can party of Ohio, that corruption and
graft have always existed; that the NOR
ais Of the present day are better than
ever before, and that the many recent
exposures of rascality in Office are the
result merely of an enlightened public
conscience, and of greater publicity,
which have brought to light these evil
dcnces of graft.
deny that stealing and corruption
must be expected as necessary incidents
to the administration of public affairs.
Stealing and corruption are not only
necessary incidents to- but are the foun-
dation principles of an administration by
bosses and gangsters. There can be no
such thing as good boss or an "hon-
est boss" in politics All bosses and their
attendant gangsters depend for their ex
istence on spoliation and plunder
Nor Is 1t true, as asserted, that any
greater publicity now aids in exposing
corruption. Boodlers and corruptionists
"A In M ", tHn hrtey 1fg,f nf
publicity; their deeds are dark, and they
work under tho cover Of darkness What
criminal gives to the public press infor-
nation regarding the size or method Of
his graft? What officer or agent of a
corporation has come forward voluntar-
lily and confessed that the council Of a
certain city, or that the bosses acting
for them, had demanded and were given
100000 for certain rights and immuni-
ties? What member OF the Legislature
has voluntarily made public admission of
the fact that in the last session he was
compelled to vote for measures which
neither his conscience nor his judgment
approved; and that for such service he
had received so many tainted dollars or
a promise of another term in the legis-
lature? No, the plain facts are that the
reason there are now so many discov-
cries of wholesale corruption in Office is
that under the baleful reign of bossism
all over the country there is more
boodling, more robbery than ever before
in it's history. Grating has become so
common. so braZen, that it's exposures
cease 10 occasion surprise or wonder.
Get Rid of Grafters.
1t Is time that all the people were be-
coming aroused on the subject of graft
and grafters, and, as in all matters of
wrong, the American people. when once
aroused, will provide remedy. They
have already come to the conclusion that
the only way to get rid of grating
is to get rid of grafters. and the
only way to get rid of grafters is to
get rid Of bossism, of which grafters and
grating are always the necessary attend
ants. I believe they will DO it, and do it
at the first opportune moment.
A convention OF Republicans in Nor
row county voiced the sentiments not
only OF the masses OF the members OF
that party in that county, but also OF
the great majority OF all parties in Nor
row county. and not in Morrow county
only, but in every county in the state
Had this band Of good citizens gone a
step farther and resolved to favor and
support all candidates who are making q
fight against grafters and grating in the
state of Ohio, they would have fully met
the issues of this campaign.
They said: 1--WE earnestly endorse
President Roosevelt in his untiring and
heroic efforts to extirpate graft and cor
ruption wherever found in public life,
and to secure TO every man a Square
deal"
The other resolution passed by this
Morrow county convention was as fol-
lows: 1--WE expect our representative
whom we shall nominate this day to
govern his official actions in accordance
with the wishes and interests of his con-
stituents, even If such course be not sus-
tanned by the advice Of party leaders or
the decision of party caucuses"
When in the history of Ohio did any
convention ever before think it necessary
| to instruct its candidate for representa-
tive that If elected he must comply with
| the condition of his oath. be honest and
| decent, legislate for the people, and not
| at the bidding and dictation of q corrupt
| boss?
When In the history of our great state,
| until the year 1904, would a member of
| the legislature have made such a state
| ment as was made by representative
| from a certain county last winter, In ref
| erence to the Chapman bill. which was
bill taking away the spring elections
| at the command of the boss. because he
| thought the masses of the people could
| thought the masses of the people could be
| driven by partisanship to vote a straight
| ticket in local affairs as well as national
| elected representative OF the people of his
district, publicly proclaimed that he was
| opposed to the Chapman bill; that his
constituents were against 1t, but that al
| the command or demand OF the leaders OF
| his party he would vote for 1t, and he
did. He said "leaders.' but he meant
| bosses"
Abuse Of Public Trust
The stealing OF the public funds is a
| great crime. The betrayal of any public
| trust Is an offense against the statute
| and also against the moral law. The
| building up OF great and corrupt organ
ization by means OF largely increased
salaries Of incompetent, dishonest and
unfaithful officers, and the making OF
| numerous and unnecessary places for
| party followers, is a great outrage upon
the people and the peoples rights; hut
all these, though the public money thus
| used may amount to millions, which the
people must pay by increased taxation
are but little compared to the loAseness
| OF morals produced, as SO well stated by
| a great archbishop few weeks ago. All
| this is nothing compared to the lowering
| OF the standard OF the body po-
| utic. and the lowering OF the ideals
Of good citizenship. of honesty and
| uprightness OF character. The ex-
istence OF a corrupt court in any OF
| the old nations of the world was never
brought about because the people were
| corrupt and sunken in morals, and the
| corruption In officials OF our state and
| cities is not OF itself an indication that
the great masses OF the people are cor
runt.
| 1t is true. however, that the existence
OF corruption. grating and dishonesty IN
| public officials has and always will have