The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1909-07-01
Harmon And a Clean Sweep

gusted with the way things had
been going at the state house and
they wanted change. They be-
came suspicious when state oili
cials who were supposed to be the
servants of the people resisted in
vestigation by lawfully appointed
committees of the legislature
They became alarmed when state
official refused to answer questions
or to produce records to these in
vestigating committees and inso-
lently replied ''none of your busi-
ness" when asked questions of
the utmost Importance to the gen.
eral public. They became indig-
nant when these insolent officials
were shielded by an acting Repub.
lican governor and other Republi.
can officials who clicked together
with the machine bosses in the
selection of state ticket in the
name Of the Republican party.
So they resolved to "clean out
the state house,, but the election
of Democratic governor and state
treasurer was as far as they got
in the house cleaning.
Three years ago the peol lie tlied
to effect the same result by elect
ing only the Democratic official,
the governor. They did not elect
nybody to support him, not even
a Democratic lieutenant governor;
while the legislature was Republi-
can in one branch and evenly di-
vided in the other, making the
position of Democratic governor
alone in the midst of hostile pollti
cal surroundings exceedingly pre-
carious. SO they were cheated
entirely out of all they had gained
when death removed their COVER
nor, and matters got worse than
before.
When the people elected Demo.
cratic governor and state treasurer
in 1908 they made some gain over
their partial victory in 1905. But
they made almost the same mis-
take they made in 1905. They did
not give Governor Harmon Demo
cratic lieutenant governor to stand
by his administration in the sem
ate, nor any other state officials
except state treasurer to work in
harmony with him, while the leg
islature was made politically hos
tile to him in both branches as
proven by short special session
beginning by design n week before
the change of administration.
Secret conferences were held in
the office of the Republican at
torney general, from which instruc'
tions were issued to both branches
in the Legislature through the
party leaders of the majority; and
the secretary of the state Republi-
can committee acted as lobbyist on
the floor to see that these orders
were obeyed. Lay over appoint
ments of the retiring Republican
governor were confirmed to put
stumbling blocks in Governor Har-
mons way. The Republican ma
orlty under command Of the bosses
refused to provide for an investory
of property at state institutions;
rejected Governor Harmon s recon-.
mendations on taxation; refused
to continue the Cincinnati probe;
refused to give the governor ad-
ditional power to make investiga-
tlons ignored all other vital recon-
mendatlons of the governor, and
called him peanut politician
although he stands peer among
the nations most eminent states
man.
Despite partisan distractions,
Democratic administration of two
state offices is producing results
that are pleasing the people.
Instead of state deposits being
|juggled among favored banks,
competitive bidding open and i'm
partial to all is turning into tt e
state treasury $1,000 per week as
interest on deposits.
The penitentiary has been put
under control of competant board
of business men, through which
it has been discovered so far that
the state has lost over $50, 600 on
contracts under former administra-
tions.
The Athens hospital and Della.
ware home for girls, have been put
under new management without
lurid sensationalism or petty poll.
tics.
Here recently the state fire mar
shal's office was found to be a
foul nest of political protiigacy
and it is being given thorough
renovation.
Other subordinate state depart,
ments are being put on a com
petent business basis, and the ad.
ministration is only six months
old.
What n thorough house cleaning
there might have been if the peo
pie had elected all the candidate
on the ticket with Governor Hal'
mon last fall,