The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-05-05
DAILY MORNING NEWS.
THE REVOLT AGAINST THE RE.
PUBLICAN MACHINE


The Toledo Blade, the leading Re
publican organ of Northwestern Ohio,
which refuses to support several can
didates nominated on the Republican
state ticket, in Fridays issue takes a
fall out of those Republican members
of the Ohio legislature that voted and
worked to have the proposed investi-
cation Of the affairs of Cincinnati
knocked out. Both Of the Stark
county members, HOLES and Welker,
voted with the Cox machine, and now
that the voters will have an opportu-
nifty to elect their successors this
coming fall, good care should be ex-
ercised so that Stark county will not
again be disgraced by being repre-
sented by parties that are totally un-
fit to honestly look after the interests
of the people The following was
taken from the Toledo Blade:
On several occasions the Blade has
deprecated the attitude of State
Treasurer McKinnOn and State Audi
tor Guilbert toward the legislative
committee charged with the duty of
examining their Offices. Both men
are vociferous in their claims that
every cent of the public funds had
been accounted for, but in spite of this
they sought to place obstacles in the
path of the investigators and to be-
little the investigation.
We criticised this attitude on the
ground that it would have bad effect
the further reason that it would place
the Republican party Of the state on
the defensive. We maintained that
honest officials should encourage,
rather than retard, any and every in
VestigatiOn the people chose to insti-
tute, because it is the peoples right.
Besides, the result of such an investi-
cation, if honestly conducted, must
rebound to the credit of the officials
Investigated, and of the party re-
Bponsible for their selection.
The Blade is constrained to repeat
this advice now to those Republican
members of the legislature who have
been persistently seeking to block the
further investigation of Cincinnati
The methods employed to encompi
the defeat of the proposition of them
selves arouse suspicion. First it was
thought that an effort to include
Cleveland would drive the Democrats
to the woods, but the challenge was
accepted. Then the Republicans an
dertook to nulIify the proposition by
Withholding any appropriation, but
in this they were foiled. And finally,
in apparent desperation it was
sought to make the appropriation un-
available for six months. thereby
postponing the probe until after the
election 1t was as if the Republican
legislators active in the discussion
had publicly said: We are afraid of
the disclosures which would follow a
further inquiry into the local govern
ment of Hamilton county, and hence
We are opposed to it,
The Drake committee uncovered so
many questionable transactions on
the part of certain Cincinnati office
holders that the latter found it ad-
yisable to turn back into the treasury
sumo aggegating over 100000 If
there has been more Of that kind Of
work the people demand that it shall
be exposed. No one can tell what a
further investigation will reveal, but
If we are to judge by the character OF
the opposition which the plan has
awakened, we should say that the
work cannot be begun too soon.
The attitude Of the Republican
leaders is inexplicable except on the .
theory that they know more about |
conditions in Cincinnati than has
been published, and they are willing
even to sacrifice the party il an effort !
10 shield the wrongdoers. This is a
foolharGy policy and will avail moth
ing. 1t has long been the boast of
the Republican party that it is hon
est and intelligent enough to drive /
out the rascals who may seek shelter
within the fold 1t is no less honest .
and intelligent today, and if the re-
puted leaders are found guilty of a
scheme to betray it, the punishment
ultimately will fall on them
The attitude of the bosses, as ex- |
pressed by certain Republican legis-
lators. does not reflect the sentiment !
of the Republican party of Ohio.
BERNARD HAS STRENGTH