The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-10-08
OUTLOOK
Bright in Stark County
and Eighteenth
District
CHANGE SENTIMENT

ton few days ago and sizes up the
local situation for the Columbus Press
Post as follows:
This is the old home of President
William Mckinley and probably more
speeches have been made here upon
the virtues and benefits of high pro-
tective tariff than in any other one
city in the country. Certainly in no
other place have the people up until
the present more thoroughly and hon
estly believed in it,
During the life of the late president
the residents of not only this city, but
of the entire county, were proud that
he came from here and carried the
name of Canton and Stark county
wherever he went. Feeling this pride
and having faith in him they adopted
his views and so became protection
lists often without stopping to analyze
the proposition or give it the benefit
of close and careful study. Mr.. Nc
Kinley wanted it, Mr.. Mckinley be-
lieved in it. Therefore it must be in
line with good policy and good gov
ernment.
When Mr. Mckinley first came into
politics as a young man, Canton and
Stark county were both regarded as
safely democratic by substantial ma
jorities. But as he grew in power
and influence there became general
among the people a belief that loyalty
to him as well as local pride demanded
that his own city and his own county
should be of the party of which he
was so conspicuous a member, until
finally both Canton and the county
outside of Canton placed themselves
in the republican column.
Since his death there has been a
gradual change In sentiment until now
while the county as whole, is still
republican, this city has democratic
mayor, a democratic council and
democratic board of public service,
thus dividing almost equally with the
republicans the more important local
offices.
In the coming election it is the hope
OF the democrats to make both this
city and this county so strong in al
legiance to their party that in future
elections they will be counted as safe
q ly democratic in the making of pre-
election estimates. Reasons for this
hope are numerous. The old abiding
faith in a high protective tariff and
republican administration as safe
guards against financial distress and
guarantees of steady employment and
a full dinner pail has passed away in
the face Of events during the past
year.
Canton, Massillon and Alliance, the
three large cities of the county, and
each a manufacturing center, have felt
in a distressing degree the effects of
the present panic. Some factories
have been closed entirely others have
run on limited time with a reduced
force and reduced wages Laboring
men have been forced into a condition
of idleness with its accompaniment of
hardship and all this in the face of
high protective tariff and a republi- !
can administration supreme IN power |
1t has needed no argument beyond |
this, for what argument could be !
stronger to convince them that the |
long accepted combination of repub- |
lican control and high tariff are not |
necessary to prosperity and uninter- |
rupted work AS you hear everywhere |
on the street:
you can't lay this panic on the |
democrats. We want to give them a
chance now"
This feeling exists not alone in Can |
ton and Stark county but in Youngs- |
town and Mahoning county, where |
there are great iron and steel mills, |
and in East Liverpool and Colum- |
biana county, where there are i'm |
mense pOtteries. Both of these coun-
ties are in the Eighteenth congress
sional district of which Stark is a |
part, and both have felt keenly the |
effects Of the present financial depres- |
sion. This one element OF discomfort |
against the republicans will of itself |
throw to the democrats many votes |
and encourage the belief that Stark |
county and the entire congressional |
district are going with the democracy. |
Many railroad men live here and |
many more pass through here on
their runs. It was somewhat surpris-
ing to learn In what large numbers,
far larger than ever before, they will |
vote the democratic ticket this year.
Causes for this are not hid or hard to
find. These men, intelligent and alive
TO their interests as we'll as mindful |
of their friends, are antagonistic to
Judge Taft because of his decision in
the injunction suit brought against
Eugene v. Debs, In Cincinnati, during
the famous railroad strike a number
of years ago. Mo amount of argu-
ment will convince them that this
decision was justifiable or in the in
terests OF the cause OF the railroad
men.
Coupled with this Is most friendly
feeling toward both Judge Harmon
and Mr.. Bryan, toward the latter be-
cause of the unwaVering interest he
has displayed in their welfare and
the attitude OF the democratic nation
al platform in fits declarations con-
cerning injunetions, 'favoring an eight
hour fhw, pledging the party to the
enactment OF a general employers
liability act, covering injury to body |
or loss OF life 20 employees, and urg-
ing the establishment of department
OF labor.
The feeling of kindiineks toward |
Judge Harmon comes from his mani
fest concern for their welfare as eK-
hibited In his treatment of the en-
ployes OF the great c., H. & d. rail-
road. OF which he is the receiver; his
uniform kindness and consideration
and his efforts to keep as large body |
OF men at work as a republican panic
ttndar ran,f1aIfean