The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-23
From the Boston Globe.

Johnson of Cleveland in the contest for the chief magstracy of the city, what usually is of only of local interest, will be- come a matter or national attention. For Mayor Johnson and Congressman Bur ton are distinct types of independence each in his own party, and each has won independent support at the polls De- cause of his undoubted public spirit, his integrity and his ability, together with his announced determination to defend the rights of the people against any az gregation of political or financial power
 Roth men have been pltted against each other in political contests before' and each has beaten the other. Both are in the prime of life the years or Mayor Johnson being 53 and those or Congressman Burton being nearly oo. Both. while defenders of political lnde- pendence under certain conditions are adopts at political organization. Both TOT wears have enjoyed the favor<of the peo- nle of Cleveland who have been wont to refer in the same breath to their ldeai mayor and their ideal congressman
 Consressman Burton Is the good friend of President Roosevelt and Secretary Iaft. If is needless to add that he is regarded with little affection, although with whole some respect, by the republican state ma chine of Ohio and by Senators Foraker and Dick MT. Burton wanted 10 succeeo Senator Hanna but the state machlne would have none of him.
 In the same way, Mayor Johnson never has been quite acceptable to the demo- cratic machine, although when It comes to organizing and administering politlcal machinery he is a mechanician of un- questioned skill. John R. Mclean and the old machine democrats of Ohio, many
 of them at least, have no sort of use TOT
 Tom L. Johnson,
 The career of these two gentlemen
 Burton and Johnson, are so expanding that it appears as if the great city of Cleveland were too small to hold both of them. MT. Burton acquired ms frrs' early distinction by beating Mr. Johnson for congress MT. Johnson straightway recaptured his congressional seat and held it for four years. Then MT. Johnson re- tired. and MT. Burton returned to Con-
 gress and Is now serving his seventh consecutive term.
 MT. Johnson is serving his third term
 of two years each, as mayor Of Cleve- land.
 Mir. Burton was lorn in Ohio, and Is a typical favorite son. He was a poor
 farmer boy, and was educated after the manner of enterprisng youth of his herl- tage and environment MT. Johnson Il
 he chose. could boast a southern aristo-
 cratic lineage. He was of the Kentucky | Johnsons whom the civil war ruinei Congressman Burton is naturally stu dent who has become a man or aftalrs Mayor Johnson is naturally a man oi affairs who has become student MT | Johnson has become rich in the iron man. ufacturing business and as an organizer | and owner of just such street railways | upon the regulation of which he insists so sternly.
 He is short round and good nature1 his rival is tall spare and gravely amia- bie.
 Both of these candidates for the office l of mayor of Cleveland have consistently | protested against the intrusion of partisan politics in municipal affairs, and now | each is opposed to the other in a way that will necessarily involve partisan diff ferentiation and selection. Yet each can- didate will be opposed by elements that will be wholly non-partisan in their per sonal bitterness.
 The enemies of Roosevelt and Taft are the enemies of Burton among the repub. licans. while the enemies of Bryan among