The Washington herald., 1912-04-21
D JAMEs B. MoRRow.

Ey JAMES b. MORROW.
Columbus. April 2a-Anybody can b,
heard IN Ohio. Many citizen seems tC
say: Go ahead. my friend; talk away
I have a grand old idiosyncrasy Of my
own. When yoY get through want yoI
to listen to me
Reciprocity. you understand. walked
into the constitutional convention the
other day just as a man exclaimed
Here Creferring to a little valley among
the hills they (meaning the early set
tiers, Of couFse) built their homes, reared
buried their dead"
Yet every delegate was alert and ap-
parently interested. But there is more
TO the case than mere reciprocity, which,
after ALL is only egotism or selfshness-
The people Of Ohio are indulgent- The
path leading from one side of the cum
try 10 the other passes straight through
more than century have been process
sions of men with ideas, hallucinations,
and missions. Some Of them, stopping
TO, break cargo, never resumed their
journeys.
Then there has been the usual native
output of persons having voices and
visions John Brown, the abolitionist,
and Joseph Smith, the Mormon prophet.
tarried a while in Ohio. The latter, how
ever. was tarred and feathsred. Gen.
Jacob S. Coxey started his army OF
tramps toward the National Capital from
the driving little city of Massillon. Re-
turning, he ran for governor and polled
more than 5000 votes.
Also personality counts in Ohio. The
face and the vocal notes as well as the
principles of William Jennings Bryan
-
the State made famous by Edwin NJ.
Stanton, John Sherman, and Salmon P.
Chase, chief justice. Audacity, too, Is
oftentimes successful. Tom L. johnson
came along smiled, tossed his ringlets,
denounced protection. and Knocked plu-
tocracy, and Cleveland, smothered in the
smoke of furnaces and factories and
filled with millionaires, sent him to Con-
gress. Later it chose him to be mayor
Of the municipality.
BiEeIOw the Politician.
To-day Ohio is toiling over the writing
of a new constitution. and Herbert
Seely Bigelow. a preacher and SINGLE
taxer, and a recall, initiative, and refer
endum propagandist, is president Of the
convention Likewise. he is an adroit
and resourceful politician. though the
pastor of a congregation. Further. he is
handsome, magnetic, and oratorical
Ohio, tolerant and admiring, and care
less, so long as its assorted principles
are in no immediate hazard. accepted
Bigelow, simply observing: Lets hear
what he has to say" That is always
the attitude Of Ohio. 1t hstens-maybe
It laughs-and then rejects moonshine
and heresy.
There are plenty of watchful and intel
Igent men who snigger and predict that
Mr. Bigelow's constitution, or those parts
of it which he is practically writing. will
be thrown overheard by the electorate.
It is to go before the people in sections,
they to chose or reject The fight, ac-
cordingly, will be over propositions. One
or two or a dozen may be accepted-in
such an event they viii become the or
ganic law of the Commonwealth. The
rest will to go the rubbish heap.
Last autumn the voters appeared to be
inclined to try the initiative and refer
endum. Next autumn. having reflected
on the matter meanwhile. they may vote
the proposition down as being unneces-
sary and revolutionary. Judson Harmon,
their governor, and a Democrat is
against it. Burton, their United States
Senator, and a Republican, says that
perfect government cannot be obtained
by a change Of methods, but by a stinnu-
lation OF the civic virtues and a quick
ened sense Of the responsibilities Of citi-
zenship.- The legislator. my friends" he
reminded the constitution makers, lis
mirror of the people" In other words,
II the people want a CRATER, they viii
elect him to the city council or the leg
islature. Leaving this nut for the dele
gates to crack and the voters to- think
about. Senator Burton went back to
Washington.
Debs Refused an Invitation.
Other conspicuous men have come to
Columbus solemnly to take part in the
tournament of eIoquence and wisdom.
President Taft has been here, and Col.
Roosevelt, and Mr.. Bryan, and Judge
Lindsey, Of Denver, and Joseph B. For
aker, until recently a Senator, and Gov.
Hiram johnson, who oefeVes that he
kicked the Southern Pacific Railroad
out Of the politics OF California" There
was a suggestion that Eugene V. Debs
be asked to tone up and enlighten the
So far, however, a formal
invitation has not been sent to him:
Thus, for once, Ohio has been inhos-
pitable intolerant, or neglectful. But
from all over the land have
been stealing in unofficially. and stanch
Socialists are sitting among the dele
gates. Elsewhere, outside Of the hail OF
the convention, no Ohioan, living up to
his traditions, would refuse to lend his
ear and a little Of his time to Mr.. Debs
or any one else who is picturesque, un-
common, sincere, or interesting.
For years a stone stand for speakers.
in the heart OF the business center Of
Cleveland, was free to permanent and
itinerant orators. They might preach
everything. anything, or nothing to au-
diences Of settled citizens and pedes-
trianizing tourists, while playful boys
at the edges Of the crowds gave new
comedy to the entertainments by hurllng
wads OF paper, soft vegetables, and
Jumps of moist earth toward the noisy
and lodging apostles on the platform.
Strange doctrines were preached at such
and violent ones, besides.
But harm, so far, has never come to
Ohio or its institutions through its toll
Grafton, its contrasting elements, and is
love Of contest and debate. The melting
pot is always over the fire, but there
are no explosions Five groups Of m-
like people settled the State. Swedes,
Dutch, and English came in from New
Jersey. Virginians trickled northward
through the passes OF the Blue Ridge
Men from Massachusetts,
founded the town of Marietta. Connec-
lieut. families moved into the Western |
Reserve. Pennsylvanians crossed over
the line and filled the eastern counties. |
There were Germans. Scotch Irish and |
Seotch-Irish among the new Inhabitants. |
A Strange Ohio Mixture.
with them were Dunlkards who washed |
The feet Of their brethren as q pious |
and Dunkards who did not;
Amish who wore hooks and eyes in
81 hrrfs onz k-E