Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1910-07-14
CAN HE DENY7
Did Mr.. Kelley Make Pledges for Sup
port2 It's Charged.

bauH Ste. Marie. June 23-An up
per peninsula man, who is actively
interested in Chase Osborn's cam
paign for the governorship, In an in
teryiew here today threw a veritable
bomb into the Kelley camp by d.
rectly charging the lieutenant-gover-
nor with having made a pledge,
months ago. to the mining interests
OF the upper peninsula that he would,
II elected governor, veto the tonnage
tax bill II 1t passed the legislature. He
said
MY attention has been called TO
an editorial IN the Lansing State Re-
publican. which has lately become the
Kelley mouthpieee, In which the dec
laration is made that the gubernar
torial contest lies between Osborn
and Kelley. This Is followed by the
bald statement that Osborn Is pledged
to tbs mining interests, while Kelly
is pledged only TO the good Of the
state.'
up 10 a Ssw days ago was In
Shned 70 agree that the contest lay
between Messrs. Osborn and Kelley.
but since Kelley's Mt. Pleasant
speech, in which he attempts to re-
pudiate his intimate association and
connection with the present admins
tration, ! am beginning to believe
Kelley will be a negligible quantity
In the situation before primary day.
People instinctively admire loyalty
even when the object Of that senu-
ment is not entirely 10 their liking.
But when. as In the present case. a
man who Is an integral and important
part OF an organization, who has been
largely responsible for the success at
the polls of that organization, at
tempts to repudiate It solely because
he finds public sentiment almost uni
versany unfriendly to that organiza-
tion. / have too high an opinion Of
public intelligence to believe he can
get away with It.
"The second declaration In the Re
publican is most unfortunate one
30 far as Kelley is concerned, since
1t permits OF rejoinder which will
puzzle Mr.. Kelley to meet satisfac-
torny.
Mr.. Osborn Il pledged 10 no spe-
DIAL interests, either In the upper or
lower peninsula. He Is pledged to see
equal and exact justice done all in
terests. His political record and the
character of his declarations upon the
stump; Ia fact his entire life and the
quality OF his mind give absolute as
surance upon this point But how
aboat Mr.. kelley
Is Mr.. Kelley prepared 30 deny
without qualification that IN his eff
forts prior to Mr.. Osborn's entrance
t,a&A he a. ~.
OF the upper peninsula that he gave
certain Representatives Of the mining
interests his personal pledge that he
would protect the mining companies
against the tonnags tar proposition
should It become an issue before the
next legislature2 II Mr.. Kelley ready
TO deny that he gave these represent
atves the assurance that II q tom
mage tax blu passed the Legislature,
and he were governor, he would kill
II by his vetof
Il don't believe Mr. Kelley win
answer these questions. He has had
one good opportunity 10 do so, but
declined. The Detroit Free Press,
several weeks ago, asked q similar
question. Kelley ignored II then, and
| presume he will ignore II now
While equitable assessment for
taxation Is sull a problem az It al
ways has and win be for years to
come, II Is no more a problem now
than It has been during the six years
of the Narner-Kealey regime
ThrouShout the six years OF Warner
as Governor. and Kelly as lieutenant
governor, no word on this subject
escaped either Kelley or his chief.
Now that Kelley Is candidate and
needs an issue he has become very
keen for equitable assessments. par
ticularly In q section of the state
where he does not expect much sup
port.
The real issue In Michigan today
and the issue In which every citizen
is interested Ia that the money col
lscted for state taxes shall be hon
estly, wisely and CONSERVATORY ex-
pended. Since the Kelley Warner rec
ord along this line Is not exactly
popular, Kelley is making every effort
70 distract attention from this phase