The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-08

in the election returns of next Novem-
| Der.
The most remarkable development of
these two years in the politics of the
middle west, that probably which gives
the republican managers more anxiety
than any other, is the popularity and
power of Judson Harmon, governor of
Ohio. Let me now relate some little
facts suggestive of the strength of this
man in his own state.
In September, 1908, 1 travelled from
Chicago to Washington in the same
sleeping car with four Ohio republicans,
two being Cincinnati merchants Zone
Jew, the other Gentile), one manu-
facturer of some kind of machinery at
Columbus. and the fourth a business
man of some description from Spring
field. There was another man aboard,
democrat. who had moved from Gin
cinnati to Chicago, and seemed to be
friend of the Gentle merchant from the
latter city. This friend was Joking the
other about the probable prospects of
the republican candidate for governor
of Ohio but finally the other put the
laugh on the Chicago man by saying
he was going to vote for Harmon, and
that the latter would surely be elected.
The other Cincinnati man expressed
himself to identicaly the same effect.
to vote for Harmony but 1t was not
clear to him how the election would go.
The Springfield man would not say how
he expected to vote, but did say that
Harmon would undoubtedly be elected.
We know that Harmon was elected by
some 1900 votes, Notwithstanding that
Taft on the same day carried the state
by plurality of 1851. Last December l
Travelled over this ground again. Among
,, ell
ing car there were again four Ohio re-
publicans Three were lawyers, two from
Cincinnati. and one from somewhere In
the Cleveland region. Akron, I believe;
the fourth was from Springfield and well
acquainted. as it transpred, with the
man from that town whom I had met
the year before. I asked him did he
know how his friend voted in the end.
He said he did because they talked the
matter over several times and reached
the same decision they would stand by
their party that time and vote the
straight ticket from Harris down. He
added that both are resolved to vote for
Harmon for reelection this year I
asked one of the Cincinnati lawyers
whether Harmon would be renominated
He said he was afraid" he would be-
Why afraid" inquired He explained
that Harmon's victory OF the year before
was a great thing for his reputation and
that he (the speaker) should be sorry
to see him risk a loss of prestige by an
other race when the chances would not
be so much In his favor. I suggested
that, whatever the temporary issues may
be, no weak or unknown man could beat
candidate SO we'll known and so virile
as Harmon, and I asked whom could the
republicans pick with any confidence.
The Cincinnatian admitted that this
would be a hard search. I next asked
what element of votes would cause Har-
mons defeat another time and so felt
licensed to inquire of his vote. He re-
piled that he had voted for Harmon be-
fore. and would vote for him again, no
matter whom the republicans might
nominate In this declaration the two
other lawyers Joined. I came out of that
discussion with a pretty confident belief
that Governor Harmon. If he should ac-
cept a second nomination, would be gov
eInor of Ohio until the end of 1912.
Now Governor Harmon has been re-
nominated, and by one Of the most i'm
posing conventions ever held In Ohio;
and last week I travelled across that
state again. There can be no doubt that
he will be reelected by a greatly in
creased majority. A clear enough sign
of this is that the republican chiefs
haven't been able to find any man of
respectable rank In the state who would
take the nomination. except one or two
whom they could have no hope of elect
ing.
The fates have given Judson Harmon a
wonderful power to bring democrats into
accord, as well outside as within his
state. The fates, that is to say, have
given this man some uncommon oppor-
tunties to demonstrate his unshakable
faith in some things that all democrats
profess to believe. There Is no secret
about It, except the secret that smaller
men. no more and no less ambitious than
Harmon. are slow to learn-namely, that
no public man almost none) can go very
far on the mere profession of sound prin-
ciples. Harmon, In speech and action, is
simple and straightforward; but above
all the nature of the man forbids that his
action shall not fit his words.
There is a sort of family likeness be-
tween Harmon and Governor Hughes.
though the Ohian gets the ear of indie
pendent voters, and thoughtful men of the
opposing party In way that seems some
how denied to Hughes. Each of these
is the son of Baptist preacher, and
grew up in a small town a stranger to
all affluence. holding the beliefs of earn
est country boys that patriotsm-sanity
and justice in the making of laws, with
honesty In their administration-is a thing
agents.
not mere copy book texts.
The country first knew of Harmon as a
corporation lawyer. This was when Mr..
Cleveland chose him for Attorney Gen
eral. But the country soon learned not to
expect him to be soft toward corporations
and combinations of corporations
The most conspicuous achievements of
his administra ton were the decisions of
the supreme court In the trans Missouri
Freight association, Freight Traffic asso-
citation and Addyston Pipe company
cases, condemning two of the railroad
pools and the other, for the first time,
breaking up manufacturers trust. After
Harmon was Attorney General, and be-
fore he was named for governor of his
state, he held two other conspicuous sta
tions. He was a commissioner, appointed
by President Roosevelt, to Investigate re-
batting by railroads, and after full and
fair probing he declared that the Santa
Fe railroad system and Paul Morton, then
in Mr.. Roosevelt's cabinet, had broken
the law, and should be indicted; but the
President would not have 1t so, and Har-
mon resigned his commission He was
also for some of those years receiver
of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton
and Pere Marquette railroad systems,
and his methods of putting those con-
Germs on their feet again won the highest
praise from Jurists and financiers alike.
Appealing now from Ohians to out
landers. will give you few express
sions regarding Harmon's qualities for ma
tional leadership.
Alabamians know that few public men
served the cause of free silver in 1906
so effectively as did Joseph F. Johnston,
now your Junior senator. He won his
nomination for governor by forcing the