The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1909-09-16
Up to Their Old Tricks.

TerslstenG elOrt ls DelnR maze
by msgnipulators of the Republi-
can party to stir up factional feel
ing If possible among Democrats.
This is not new trick. They
have resorted to it for years with
varying success. In the state
campaign of 1905 it got a partial
set back when it was worked
vigorously, but in vain to save a
Republican governor from earned
defeat. 1t was laughed to scorn
in the campaign last year, and the
result was the election Of another
Democratic governor and a Demo
cratic state treasurer to resume a
long needed renovation of the
state house and public institutions
of Ohio.
Being unable to assail Governor
Harmon's administration in any
wsy that will shake the confidence
of the people in him, political
tricksters who conduct campaigns
in the name of the Republican
party have resurrected the same
old scare-crow from the rap.pile
where it was found buried under
a heap of campaign rubbish after
the election last November, and
Shey hope to spread havoc with it
in the ranks of Ohio Democracy.
They realize that on that slender
hope hangs their only chance of
victory next year-a victory that
would cheat the people Of Ohio
out of the beneficial results of their
partial victory last year.
Every intelligent voter Will
instantly see the purpose and sig
niticance of such Il maneuver. A
political party is driven to sad
extremities when it has no cause
left except to incite dissension and
division in the ranks of its strong
est rival. Republicans used to
say that about the Democratic
party. If there ever was any
truth in the saying it is true to-
day when the Republican party
finds itself reduced to just such
condition in Ohio by years of
machine control; it is true also of
that party's condition nationally
despite it's dearly bought victory
last fall, as result of trust domi-
nation SO clearly demonstrated by
an upward revision of the tariff.
Hence the machine manipulators
who have reduced the Republican
party to such straits in Ohio, care
nothing for men nor measures if
they can only recover control of
the states affairs. If they can
involve the Democratic voters of
Ohio in wrangle at time when
thousands of disgusted Republi-
cans stand ready to help complete
the work of renovation, they will
do 30 and snicker in their sleeves
while doing it; if they succeed by
such chicanery they will give the
people of Ohio, Democrats and
Republicans alike, what is known
in vulgar parlance as "the merry
ha ha" as they had been doing
regularly for years until the grip
of Cox and Guilbert was pried
from the doors of two state Offices
last tall.
To the unthinking it may seem
tragic, but to those accustomed to
the farce it is really amusing to
witness the crude performance of
Republican machine manipulators
in their attempt to revive their
old feat of pitting imaginary
Democratic factions against each
other.
Last fall the Democracy of
Ohio stood solidly together, and
enough Republicans, weary of
rotten politics as the result of
ring rule, joined with them to
start tidal wave for reform that
carried two candidates on the
Democratic ticket into office, and
several others close to the border.
1t is altogether probable that if
there had been no national cam.
paign the whole state Democratic
ticket and a Democratic legisla-
ture would have been elected.
Those who voted to entrust the
entire responsibility for better
government to two Democrats have
since had reason to regret that
they did not give Governor Har-
mon Democratic lieutenant gov.
ernor, other state officials and a
Democratic legislature to back him
up in his endeavor to administer
the affairs of Ohio in behalf of the
whole people without regard to
parties, factions or persons.
"Divide and rule'' was the
motto OF one of the unscrudulous
French kings. 1t is the design Of
the organization in present con.