The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-09-11
JOHNSON AND RuRTON.

Theodore Burton for mayor OF CleVe-
land will be the most interesting one
in the United States this year. In
fact, it will be the most interesting
one that has taken place for years
and years. The result is bound to
be i'm doubt until the last moment,
for two political giants are pitted
against each other.
1t would be hard TO find two men
who differ in more respects than do
Burton and Johnson. Tom Johnson
is big and fat and red faced, with
a stomach that would make a good
advertisement for a brewery. Burton
is tall and thin to the extent of be-
ing "bony" and is pale and white.
Johnson is clustering, loud-mouthed
fellow, going at a subject like a
Durham bull would go at a red flag.
Burton is quiet, talks little and al
ways in low voice, and is deliberate
in all things.
Tom Johnson is the hail-fellow-
well-met, scattering money ike
drunken sailor, giving five-dollar tips
to the trainmen upon whose train he
rides, buying anything for anybody
who asks him. Burton can hardly be
approached by anyone. He is so re-
Itiring in his nature that he has
made few warm friends. His whole
life has been devoted to study, and
lhe would no more know how to give
a tip to a man graciously than he
would to pat man on the back
when talking with him.
johnson would like to be n boss
in fact, he is essentially boss. He
has been a boss all his life, a boss
! of everything and everybody with
whom he comes in contact. You could
not lead Tom Johnson with rope.
Some way he would break It, and get
in front, even If he had to push
fiat car off the track to get in front
He has put in more hours fighting
than any man in the country-fght-
ing city councils for street railway
franchises, fighting other street car
lines, lighting pol!,;cal enemies and
everything else that would fight him.
|
fight. He is timid, but not cowardly.
! EIe would rather write hook to con-
vince an opponent than to settle the
! difference I'm a rough and tumble
fight But he is polished scholar
and logician. man who posts him
self upon every question before op-
ening his mouth about the question
Johnson would make stab at any
question that could be presented TO
/ him, and It would be such stab
that 1t might convince an opponent
whether there was reason behind It
or not.
Tom Johnson will do his own fight
ing in the race. He will be his own
platform. his own orator, his own dl-
rector and his own manager and
treasurer. Nobody else will be heard
from on his side of the fence. His
personality will be ever in front of
everything else. Burton will have TO
be aided, and will be aided, by an
organization. He will have directors
and treasurers and committeeman TO
lguide him. Johnson Is a practical
politician. If neither of the men
had ever been before the public John
son would get two votes to Burton's
one-and may do so any way-but
there will be forced into the race
much more than the two candidates
National politics will get into the
race. Johnson's enemies will seek
to unhorse him, because of his pow
er in the state. Burton's friends
will endeavor to make him the most
prominent Republican in the state.
Johnson has never been defeated
for mayor of Cleveland. He has been
elected by an increased vote every time
he has run, and he has made three
races before this one. In many re-
spects he has made good mayor;
he has certainly advertised Cleveland
better than 1t was ever before adver-
tised, and much good has been ac-
cOmplished under his administration
Many students of municipal affairs
claim that Cleveland is the best
governed city in the United States
1t is at this time making wonderful
progress and millions and millions
of dollars worth of public improve
ments are under way. The tax rate Ii
excessively high, but the people have
something to show for their taxes,
Burton would make a splendid may
ioI. He would in fact make n good
lofficer of any kind II he were per-
,mitted to have his way. The only
chance the people of Cleveland would
have OF run in eIecting him would
be that he might permit, through his
,unsuspecting nature, gang OF pol
iticians to get control of him. There
II never doubt OF the mans inner
ent honesty of purpose, of his deter
mination to give the people OF
Cleveland good administration, but
whether he could control the politi-
clans would have to be seen.
II Is unfortunate. however, that
Mr.. Burton has agreed to make the
race. 1t is likely to prove TO be
another campaign such as that in
which Henry George lost his life