The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-05-05
As Intense as Ever on
Eve of Convention
Both Claim Victory But
indications Point to
Rarmon's Nomination.
Independents Will Out
a Figure.

the Democratic state convention, the
fight between the forces led by Mayor
Tom L. Johnson, of Cleveland, on the
one hand. and the forces led by State
Chairman Harvey G. CARRIER and
State Oil Inspector Finley on the
other, for control of the state organi-
Eation, continues with as great an
intensity as ever.
But what is concerning Mayor
johnson and CARRIER and Finley most
the success of their respective
forces in the coDventiOn-is neither
exciting interest nor alarm of the
magnitude that such a controversy
would naturally be expected to
arouse.
What the Democrats of Ohio want
and the delegates who are indepen-
dent of either faction is harmony, and
they propose to have 1t il they have
to fight for 1t. In other words, there
is very pronounced feeling against
faotionalism entering into the conven-
tion, the chickering's and triumphs OF
individuals being minimized in COM
parison to the great promise Of party
success, to which all the signs of the
1imes point for the Democrats of
Ohio In both state and nation in
November, and these signs are so
portentious that even the Republicans
themselves are trembling in fear.
An untrammeled and an Embossed
convention is what the Democrats Of
Ohio want and that Is what they are
demanding and have a right to expect
from their chosen representatives in
state convention assembled. They
want men in control of the state Or
ganization who will use it for the
benefit of the party and to that end
the Democracy of the state may be
made again triumphant and restored
to the moorings of times past when
the party was successful, at least
part OF the time.
There is serious division in the Re-
publican party of Ohio and these diff
ferenCes are due largely to the fact
that the wishes of the Republican
masses were either entirely ignored
or over-ridden and the wishes of the
party bosses only consulted and given
recognition, through a prearranged
agreement by which each one of the
bosses controlling that convention
was permitted TO name some candi-
date on the state ticket who would
be most useful to him in the event of
his nomination and election to that
Office.
The rivalry between Johnson and
his followers on the one hand and the
Garber-Finley forces on the other,
for power and prestige does not stop
with a desire to control the state
organization. but extends even TO the
state ticket. or did. in the incipiency
OF the contest when each faction
started out with its own candidate
for governor, the Johnson forces get
ting back of Atiee POmerene, of Can
ton, while the Garber-Finley forces
got behind John e. Welty, also Of
Canton. Then came on the Stark
county primaries to determine the
choice Of the Democrats of that
county for governor, as between
POmerene and Welty.
The result was adverse to Welty,
who, by the vote and voice OF his
neighbors and friends, was lifted out
OF the running for the governorship.
This result in Stark county left the
Garber-Finley forces without a candi-
date for the chief Office and they
turned instinctively to General Oliver
III. Hughes in vain effort to get him
20 stand as candidate for the COVER
norship, and their appeals were re-
inforced by the appeals Of prominent
Democrats from all sections OF the
state, but General Hughes hearing"
was not good and his health worse
General Hughes is a member OF the
state railroad commission and was
adjutant general Of the state under
the late Governor Pattison. but was
never identified with any faction and,
by his action in the goYernorship
declined to identify himself with one
element Of the party against another
When Hughes declined, CARRIER and
Finley urged General Isaac H. Sher-
wod, of Lucas county, to become a
candidate, bat he declined, stating
that he was going to be a candidate
for congress again,
While this condition of affairs ex-
listed and the Garber-Finley forces
were seeking some available man be-
hind whom they could rally their
forces, there arose in all sections Of
the state popular demand for Jud-
son Harmon, Of Cincinnati, whose
availability appears to be commend
ing him to the delegates of the con-
Pention, who may be classed as the
independents and who are not allied
with either factiou that is fighting
for control OF the convention.
One Of the arguments being urged
in favor of Judge Harmon's nomina-
tion is the fact that he Is entirely
free from factiouel alliances or en-
tangIements. His nomination, they
say, ought TO be a happy solution Of
the differences between the opposing
elements so far es ths head Of the
state ticket Is concerned. This SEN
tInIsnt IN favor OF Harmon swept on
ard being without a candidateo OF their
aagn ana fhrofoh m fanN of THAR