The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-10-08
eovERNoa STILL DoDelNe.

Gov. Harris is still dodging the
direct issue in the state campaign and
trying to hide behind a temperance
issue Of his own invention. His plat
form touching state issues declares
first: "In the state we stand for
honesty and economy in public Office"
This we have not had during his
administration, as Investigations by
| legislative committees clearly prove,
and as still further attested by many
of the leading republican papers in
the state.
The seventh declaration in the
state plank of the Ohio republican
platform declares for Legislation re-
lating to the liquor traffic in accord
with the policy of high taxation for
the saloons and local option for the
people"
That is something we already have,
| high taxation for saloons in the Aik-
en- $1,000 tax and local option in codn-
! ty, township, municipal and residen-
tial districts. The laws fixing the
saloon tax and providing for four
different kinds of local option were
enacted by non-partisan votes. These
were not party measures in the legis-
lature, nor are they at issue in this
campaign. They are accomplished
! facts, and reference to them in the
state republican platform does not
make them party issues any more
than the ten commandments given to
Moses coulu be made partisan poll
cies by reference to them in a poll
tical platform.
Nobody except Gov. Harris is talk
! ing about the repeal of any of these
laws, and he is talking about it only
to raise a false hue and cry while he
is dodging the real issue before the
people of Ohio.
One fact which shows the hollow
mockery in the governors ado about
/ local option is that he has nothing
whatever to do with local option
elections, which are left entirely to
the people according to a fixed plan
| of procedure.
Gov. Harris has been challenged to
show where he has enforced any of
the sumptuary laws of the state, and
he has not dared to accept that chal-
lenge. He has stopped no prize
| fights. as Gov. Nash did with the as
sistance of Judge Harmon; he has
done nothing to enforce Sunday clos
ing, which is a state law; he, as
Judge Harmon said at Mansfield, sat
with his eyes closed and hands fold
ed" while state officials, whom he
shielded with his official cloak, Jug
gled the peoples money for their pri-
vate gain through banks in which
they are financially interested; he al
so sat with eyes closed and hands
FOLDED while Knockout prize fights
took place within a stones throw OF
the governors office, and with open
violation of Sunday closing laws un-
der a republican city administration
at Columbus.
Judge Harmon has given the peo-
pie of Ohio his solemn pledge that
if elected governor he will enforce all
the laws. This promise stands out in
bold contrast to the failure, of Gov.
Harris to enforce any laws and who,
Furthermore, makes no promise to
enforce any laws If elected to the Of
fee he now occupies by the accident
of death.
And if Judson Harmon is elected
governor he will enforce the laws re-
lating to the handling of the peoples
money, as required of the governor
by sections 156 and 1913 of the Ohio
statutes, which Gov. Harris has not
enforced, and in such a manner as
to remove the white-wash Gov. Har-
ris is giving the state treasury and
state auditors Office in his campaign
speeches.