The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-05
!. hAHMON WTIH
 CHILDREN.

State for the president of the United States in 1912, turned their batteries on the executive. No other Democratic governor has withstood such a wither- l ing fire for the reason no other Demo- cratic governor has succeeded in carry ing a Republican state in the face of the opposition of Republican pres1-
 dent citizen of that state and five of
 his cabinet officers who stumped the state.
 In February, 1910, ten months before
 the state election in Ohio, when Judson Harmon would go before the people for reelection, Ohio Republicans by
 order of President Taft held har- mony meeting in Dayton. The Re-
 pubIicans at Dayton did not talk of
 helping President Taft or of restoring the Republican party; they talked about the chance of defeating Governor Harmon, and they did not talk hope fully. Unconsciously they paid pat ent tribute to the real strength of the man. It suddenly revealed the tre- mendous success of Governor Harmon and his complete mastery of the poht- ical situation in Ohio. The plan of op- position outlined in Dayton has never ceased. No governor has ever been opposed by so strong force as Gov ernor Harmon.
 During his first term of two years Republican general assembly to dis credit him reduced the treasury bal ance s2.e52.85s.es by making appropri- ations exceed revenues and also creat- ed obligations amounting to $2,oo0.ooo more by deciding to build new struc- % revenues were reduced s500,0oo a year by voting out saloons and several hum dred thousands of dollars were added to the wrong column by the abolish ment of prison labor contracts liar mons arms were apparently tied, and his enemies laughed at his discomfort.
 In this crisis the business genius of the man was displayed and his friend ship for the people was exhibited by the method he used to solve the prob lem. Instead of levying a general tax. which would fall largely upon the com mon people. to provide sufficient funds, Governor Harmon first exer- cised the brand of economy practiced in homes when the salary does not meet expenses. He promptly reduced public expenditures. Then instead of  of the excise laws provided s50o.oo0 additional every year. The esta blish- ment of a market for prison manufac- tured goods and the concentration of authority over nineteen state institu- tions is expected to add another s50o,- 900 to the state revenues. Thus was the situation met and the state re- stored to sound financial basis with out any additional burdens being inn posed on the people who are least able to be further taxed.
 Voters like to support clean and able men, as has been demonstrated in many localities where the electors dis honoring exceptional men with an ex- ceptional vote. This explains why in strongly Republican state Judson Harmon was elected governor of Ohio two years ago by plurality of 19,372 in the face of Republican plurality of 6s,591 in the vote for president. On his record as governor of the state Judson Harmon was prepared to go before the people and ask reelection.
 With precedent against him, the cleo tion machinery against him, with the president of the United States, a citi- zen of the same state fighting him for re- election and in face of strong Re- publican sentiment to combat Cover nor Harmon nevertheless was given a ma ajority of 101.000.
 Ohio repudiated her favorite son, William H. Taft. president of the Unit ed States. Governor Harmon won the greatest Democratic victory in the his tory of Ohio or of the middle west. It was a crushing blow to the president
 There are some things in Ohio more popular than the Taft smile One of them is the Hon. Judson Harmon. who