The Cairo bulletin., 1907-09-20
WHEN GREEK
MEETS GREEK"
TOM JOHNSON AND SENATOR
BURTON IN POLITICAL
TUG OF WAR.
CLEVELAND MAY0RAL1Y
Laurel for Which Men Are Contesting
---Rumor That Roosevelt viii
Talk For Burton and Bryan
For Johnson.

Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 19.-Tom L.
Johnson received iss fourth nomina
tlon for mayor OF Cleveland at the
Democratic city convention today
and from now until the November
election there will be waged the most
exciting campaign IN the political his
tory of this city, not excepting the
contests of several years ago in
which the late Senator Hanna was
the central figure The Republicans
have picked upon Congressman Theo-
dore r. Burton to make the race
against Mayor Johnson and their s.
lection Ii admittedly the strongest
one that could have been made
fThe Endorsement of Mr. BurtCn's
candidacy by President Roosevelt and
Secretary Taft, it is said may be fol
lowed BY speeches here by both later
ON in the campaign. If this rumor
proves correct it is probable that VIII
liam ]. Bryan and other prominent
Democratic leaders VI I be heard here
In behalf of Mayor Johuson In any
event the campaign is bound to at
tract the attention Of the ptire coun.
try A victory for Mr. .drton would
naturally add to his reputation aud
would probably prove a stepping.
stone to the United States senate.
Cleveland is regarded as a nor
mally Republican city by from 1000
to 10000 majority in national cleo
tions. and IN to the advent of Mayor
Johnson 81, years ago the Republi-
cans had ruled the city and county
for several years with the exception
of isolated cases. In selecting Mr..
Burton to oppose ssayor Johnson the
Democratic leaders admit that the
Republicans have put forward their
strongest man. and while they claim
Johnson will win, they concede that
the race will be close. 1t was Bur
ton who defeated Johnson after the
latter had served two terms In con-
gress. having been previously elected
as Democrat in a district which was
largely Republican.
But Tom l.. johnson, as has often
keen said, is as lucky in politics as in
money making. and he has risen from
poverty to the millionaire's class. 1t
Is the same undefinable qualitg that
won repeated successes for the late
Carter Harrison, many times mayor
of Chicago, and Hazen #. Pingree,
mayor of Detroit.
Mr.. Johnson was. first elected
Mayor of Cleveland in 1901. His plat.
form in that contest was brief Equit-
able taxation, 3-cent fares on the
street railways, and personal atten.
ton to the office he made features.
While declaring that the single tax
and municipal ownership wolud rem
edy alleged existing evils, Mr.. John
son did not make them as prominent
issues in his campaign as was ex-
pected. At the outset he asserted he
would spend no money, and make no
pledges to procure his election. AS
even his political enemies admit,
these pledges were religiously kept.
During his campaign he was
charged with failure to pay his taxes,
even ON his home; with repudiating
conditions upon which he obtained
franchise rights for his Cleveland
street railways; with all sorts Of
trickery in promoting similar enter
priscs in other cities: with lavish use
Of money in his congressional cam
paigns. and an attempt was even
made to show that ne purposed adopt
ing similar tactics at the eleventh
hour in his mayoralty fight.
Despite all the accusations of this
character. however. Mr.. Johnson was
elected by a plurality of more than
6.0O0. the largest, with one exception,
that any mayor sad received in Cleve-
land for 25 years.
Pat il Is generally admitted that
Mayor Johnson now has the fight of
his life on his hands. Mr.. Burton is
2 native buckeye and his record both
personally aud politically is clean.
He is an expert on france and at the
last congress was at the head of the
House committee on rivers and har-
bors.