The Detroit times., 1908-08-26
H { N ANS ASSA|LS
REPU BL|CAN
M|SRULE
MASON, MICH. MAN, WHOSE
EYES ARE ON oovERNoRsHlP.
DOESN'T FAVOR PERSONAL
PLATFORMS.


the campaign has been isuod by Law
ton T Hemans. who will be the
Democratic candidate for governor o.
Michigan As for the big issues "a
people want these laws and that they
should be passed. The Republican
party is attacked for its misrule for
the last 10 years MI HemanS adds
that he does not favor personal plat.
forms for gubernatoria candidates
and he refrains from making any per
sonal declarations on any of the big
questions confronting Michigan.
Mr. Hemans says in his statement:
Il am not greatly impressed with
the value of individual platforms OF
candidates for the governorship. We
have Legislative bodies in this country
and they have rather more to do with
the making OF laws than does the
governor A candidate for the COVER
norshlp assumes no responsibility
when he puts forth a. high sounding
ptdrfUrru, tHuued1 TIC InOTp atfuTtug
the promise he makes. the less like
..isasas~t 4=..5seF@tss,
realized in the form OF legislative en-.
actments. Promises from men in
public life have far less significance
than is To he attached tn-lheir mast
associations, sympathies and actions
Good Laws Desired
The questions involved in the taxa
ton Of telephone and telegraph com
panies: In the perfecting of primary
nominating system; in the prohibi
ton of stock watering, so-called, and
in the comforting OF powers upon the
railroad commission are not political
issues. because there is no consider
able public opposition 10 any OF them.
The great majority OF men in all par.
ties agree rs to the general desira-
bility OF all the propositions from
! Branding lobbyists to Less politics
and more business.
The question or issue presented is
not the desirability OF the things pro-
posed; but why il is that. with their
desirabllity admitted. they cannot be
ss.st:frr,r,ri=ssrrsss E=i=
executive machinery?
G. O.. P's MsruIe
The history of Michigan for the
past IL years is a much truer index of
its government for the next two or
four years. under like political condl-
lions, than the enthusiastic decara.
ton of any candidate can be-
Political parties are as much in:
situations in our government as
though provided for in our constitu-
tiors: they have come into being be
Cause of the inherent tendencies OF
/ ~ and 81 l.,
Because men in public life are GOV
erned as much by their fears as by
their patriotism, political parties
serve their purpose best when they
ate of comparative equal rrttmeritai
strength. Under such conditions the
conscientious and independent ele-
ment of party is able TO visit punish
ment upon il for trust violated and
rights outraged. In Michigan for more
than ID years the disparity between
the two leading parties has been such
that when the men OF patriotic indie
pendence who have been made alive
TO the situation within the dominant
party to redress present evils or pre-
vent threatened wrongs, their com.
bined strength has been many thou
sands i+A-,s-tl4- n ta.i jprity,
1T Is the great preponderating ma
jority of the dominant party in Mich
igan that makes futile its fairest
promises. that places the mediocre
where excellence should be, and pro
notes program with altogether too
frequent incidents of shame and dis
grace --i4---l+++se+a with political du-
ties will come far from doing the right
thing when there is no penalty FOR
doing the wrong thing.
AS for Grand Juries.
"One Is well within the truth to
say that during the past Is years
Michigan has suffered more in-as-
saults upon her political integrity than
during all the years OF her previous
history In this brief period % men
who had been elected or appointed
TO high positions of trust and honor
In the state have answered To indict-
ments charging them with crimes and
misdemeanors OF Il grievous nature
Three times within this period have
grand iuries been called TO investigate
scandals involving some of the high
est officers Of the state. During these
years the people OF the state have Wit
messed REORGANIZATION CONTESTS fUT
the governorship within the majority
party, as in the Bliss campaign, when
bribery and corruption walked
abroad In the full light OF day and
were not ashamed within the same
time If we are to believe the charges
now freely made and not denied, We
have seen men elevated TO high posi-
lions by funds contributed by pOwGT-
ful corporations. who loved their pene-
ficiaries only because they expected
to own them.
In every legislature for the past
dozen years there has been q coterie
OF men sufficiently numerous and pow
erful either as lmmortalS or Boxers
to generally complicate and sometimes
defeat legislation backed by the most
wholesome popular demand While
at other times both legislative and
executive have been willing TO sac.
rifice dignity and honor and violate
the rights of municipalities by pass.
ing so-called Ripper act IN further
ance OF the basest political purposes.
During these years We have seen leg
islation enacted involving The cxpend.
iture of hundreds OF thousands OF dol
-..-.1-,--l- .llIls-A 10 urnM0le Tho Amhi.
tons of favored individuals, and yin
this year OF grace. 1908. the Michigan
taxpayer learns that OF the S7S,357.-
G52l7 demanded by the state In the
form of direct taxes during the states
history that S2j.G0i S6905. or nearly
One-third OF the whole amount, has
been taBcn since the inauguration of