The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1911-11-17
RESULT OF ELECTIONS
Ohio, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania
Repudiate Presidents StandpatiSm


The campaign for popular government
has won a notable victory in Ohio, the
native state OF the president. The
victory is particularly significant in that
it involves the adoption of principles
which have been roundly denounced
by the president in many speeches.
Ohio is to have constitutional con-
vention shortly. The candidates for
delegates to this convention were di-
vided into two classes, the conserva-
tives and the progressives. The pro-
gressives pledged themselves to revise
the constitution along the lines laid
down by the progressives in Congress
and who subscribe to the spirit of the
speech OF Senator Jonathan Bourne,
known throughout the country as
Popular VS.. Delegated Government" :"
The progressives were elected by an
overwhelming majority and now the
people of Ohio are assured of consti-
tuition which will provide for the initia-
tive, the referendum and the recall.
Ohio's election was notable, also be-
cause it mnrked the downfall of one OF
the most notorious political machines
in the country. When Mr.. TAFT was
secretary OF war, he denounced
Boss" Cox and his political machine.
This year the Cox machine put up
municipal ticket and President TAFT was
prevailed upon to make public letter
announcing his intention to vote for
the machine candidates, notwithstand-
ing his previous condemnation of the
machine. He excused himself on the
ground that conditions had changed,
but twelve of Cincinnati's most promi
nent citizens followed the presidents
letter with the statement that condi-
fions had not changed in any particular.
Opposed to the Cox machine candidate
for mayor was District Attorney Hunt,
who has been fighting Cox in the
courts and at the polls for many years.
The voters OF Cincinnati ignored the
president and elected Hunt mayor.
Ohio also elected democratic mayors in
Cleveland and Columbus as protest
against machine politics and the vote
of the socialists was increased through
out the state.
Massachusetts, furnished a striking
example of the temper Of the country
on national issues, and a stand-pat
tariff platform was rejected.
President Taft was personally re-
sponsible for having the Massachusetts,
platform made on national issues. -Four
DAYS after the extra session OF Congress
adjourned, the president went to Ham
ilton, Massachusetts,, to defend his
vetoes of the cotton, woolen and farm
ers' free list bills. Republican leaders
were making plans for their state cam
paign and the president appealed to
them to vindicate his tariff record in
the following language:
You have a state election imme-
diately before you into which il seems
to me national issues ought to enter.
We have just finished an extra session
of congress and the matters considered
were Of such importance to the COM
monwealth Of Massachusetts, that l do
not see how the people of the state
can withhold an expression of opinion
on them"
The president then criticised the
wooden and cotton bills, and denounced
Senator LaFollette, whose bills were
accepted by the democrats and passed
by congress for the presidents sigma
ture. In his speech he said:
Under these conditions, men Of
Massachusetts, it seems to me that the
slogan Of your party should involve a
national cry and not be confined to
mere state issues"
Acting upon the advice Of the presi-
dent, standpat platform was written
by United States Senator w. Murray
Crane, and on that PLATFORM Louis A.
. rockingham, the republican candidate,
made his campaign. That the people
of Massachusetts rejected Governor
Foss and rejected the presidents stand
pat issue is now a matter OF history,
and history Of a character certain to