The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-16
OHIO SEES 4 MAN.

ONO SEES \ MAN.
Politics in Ohio has reached the pitch of
desperation at which the effort to force the de-
feat Of Governor Harmon does not hesitate TO
wink at the shedding of blood and TO encourage
conditions of anarchy for the sake OF partisan
advantage. For much more than the fortunes Of
Governor and Senator are at stake. Taft is
at stake. The Republican party in the nation
calculates It's fortunes on the result of the Ohio
issue. If Ohio, in the face of the power of the
administration shall declare against Its own
cumbent in the White House, the writing that
is already on the wall will need no inspired in
terpreter to decipher it. If Ohio can be saved to
the administration, there will be afforded the
first check to movement toward profound
change of policy in the country. There will be
eliminated from the Democratic situation the
man upon whom, since the passing of John John
son, the eyes Of the people have most steadily
rested as the leader in 1912. The crisis is in
every sense tense one. 1t is being met by Re
pubIicans with cut-throat methods. The Incl
dent of lawlessness encouraged is not permitted
10 emharrass the making of desperate political
play.
Opportunelv. Columbus developed a street car
strike. Signs are not wanting that the Repub-
4 iean machine knew of the strike beforehand and
encouraged It, However that may be, the de-
yelopment of disorder not only not checked,
bur tacitv approved. Destruction Of property,
continued riots and disorders, assaults upon men
attempting to operate the elected from the
Republican Mayor and the Republican Sheriff
only the most perfunctory interest. While they
were close.ed with the managers of the State Re
publican machine, Columbus was left in State
of anarchy. Then-"Labor'' having been
aroused passions having been xcited,-the May
or and Sheriff called upon the Governor for
troops. Having encouraged lawlessness and the
shedding of blood they did not hesitate to at
tempt to spill the blood of those whom they had
excited TO crime-and to at the same time put
the Governor in the attitude of spilling the blood
\ of martyrs.
Governor Harmon however, is by no means
lost to political appreciation. He ordered the
- t#eeps-atse4 he ordered m command Of them
General Dick, Republican. The disorders
ceased temporarily The troops marched home
And then the riots commenced again. and the
Columbus police all but Joined the rioters
by refusing to act toward the preservation of
order Still the Sheriff hesitated dawdled did
nothing.
Then the bolt fell Governor Harmon has
ofutfeu nach the troops, upon MS own Initiative.
lie has played the man. and politics at the same
time. He has shifted the burden of responsible
itv, while himself accepting the basic respon-
sibility of maintaining order He has set himself
on the side of the law, his opponents against the
law He wifi break the strike, so long as the
strike takes on the color of anarchy. He will af-
ford fair deal between labor and capital. He
will, above all, protect the rights of the public
lie will with that fine disregard of politics, which
has time after time been demonstrated to be the
finest politics at all, do the brave and the OBJ
yious thing.
In this COOL calm. and determined action in
the face of political campaign impregnated
with teachery there Is a suggestion Of the Cleve-
land precedent of 1894, when, asserting the right
u OF the Government to protect It's fail functions
he acted in larger sphere and called out the
United States troops 10 suppress a reign of terror
10 which State politics in Illinois was at the time
lending its protection. Other causes resulted in
the retirement Of Cleveland from politics. but
N had the issue hung upon his solution of the
Chicago strike situation there is little reason to
doubt that the innate sense of iustde of the
people at large would have upheld a brave action
Ii the Nation believe viii Justify lis
counterpart of Ohio
here is point where the most elaborate of
plots, the most calculated Of meshcs cast for the
destruction of "a victim, is shattered and dis
solved. That is when, scorning the effort TO
Fl nvoid the consequences man acts upon the i'm
pulse of his manhood.
81 POPULAR VERDICT ON "HIGH COST.
He y L.