The Washington herald., 1912-03-23

gubernatorial nomination there was nc
opposition TO Gov. Harmon. He was
| the unanimous choice Of his party. He
told the leaders frankly that he would
much more work to be done, and he
hoped there would be a Democratic gen
Pomerene, the radical. who two years
/ ago had been his rival for the guber-
material nomination, was persuaded 70
become candidate for lieutenant gov
ernor and Harmon's running mate.
The disclosures made during the FIRST
Harmon administration with regard 10
the slipshod and dishonest methods IN
voked by the Republican State treas
cellence Of Gov. Hsrmon's first admin
istration and that Of the Democratic
State treasurer. lent themselves readily
as Democratic weapons IN the second
The result is matter of recent history.
Gov. Harmon was reelected he won
by l0o.3T. He lacked only 1000 Of equal
ing the combined majorities of all the
Democratic governors elected in Ohio
since the formation Of the Republican
party in 1856.
tory Of Ohio. except In two instances;
Brough, the war governor, was elected
in 1863 by a majority Of 10, ,W0. Herrtck.
in 1906. when the late Mark Hanna was
at the zenith of his power. and had
completed his work of introducing busi-
ness methods in Republican politics in
Ohio, was elected by ll4Ooo But in that
fight as much as $4,000 was spent by
the Republicans TO cover the cost Of the
campaign In y single Congressional dis
trict.
elected. and in addition Gov. Harmon.
when he took Office the second time, had
Democratic majority in each house of
the general assembly. Gov. Harmon in
sembly this year commended a pro-
gramme OF reform as vast in its scope
as any that Gov; Hughes ever recon-
mended to the legislature at Albany. His
recommendations were based to large
extent on planks contained in the Demo-
cratic State platform, which that year
message he renewed his recommenda-
tions for the passage of all the progress
sive easures which had been defeated
by the Republican general assembly, OF
The history of this session is too re-
cent to require repetition at length. 1t
had not been long under way before 1t
developed that the reactionaries and cor
rupt members both of the Democratic
majority and the Republican minority
had entered upon bipartisan pact di-
rected against the reforms recommended
by Gov. Harmon and that the law-mak-
ing body at Columbus was honeycombed
with corruption. Where striking" de-
general assembly in Ohio had it's milk
ers." who bled the interests behind GER
tain bills and as general rule placed
Their as,,r votes +; i9 ,ba sfTsf TSs stafe
House at Columbus was overrun by cor
poration lobbyists: who piled their ne
farious trade under the very nose OF
Gov. Harmon and the decent element In
the law-making body.
Demands That Promises BE Kept.
AS the session was drawing to a close
it became evident that the entire reform
programme of Gov. Harmon was going
to smash. The governor had sent spe-
cial message upon special message re-
iterating the recommendations contained
in the message read on the opening day
of the session. but to no purpose. Then
Gov. Harmon lost patience and decided
that the time had come for drastic ac-
ton.
On April 26., after an important tax
measure urged by the administration had
been defeated in the house OF representa-
tives, Gov. Harmon called the leaders of
the senate and the house to his office
and demanded that a joint caucus of the
Democratic, members of both houses be
called for that same evening. The eau
Gus was held in the Representatives,
chamber, and, to the CONSERVATION OF the
Democratic members, Gov. Harmon ap-
peared on the scene in person and, as
cending The rostrurn. made ringing ad-
dress, in which he demanded the passage
of every important bill he had recon-
mended. Et
That night meeting was not musicale.
Gov. Harmon did some bitter truth tell
ing. Some of the Democratic members
in the caucus talked back. There were
those who told the governor frankly that
some OF his recommendations were too
extreme and that they would not heed
them. The governor told Them that was
their business; that undoubtedly there was
a reckouing coming. and that when they
settled with their constituents they would
II is very doubtful whether the gov