The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-03-01
GOV. HARMON PLACES RESPON.
SIBlLITY WHERE 1T BELONGS

address recently before the Kentucky
legislature at Frankfort when he
warned the legislature and all public
officials to analyze their own records
to see just how much they were re-
sponsible for the unrest which is de-
handing innovations in government.
Whatever We think of the inno-
vations we are hearing so much
about" said the governor, 'it be-
hooves every one who holds pub
lie position to make diligent self
search to find whether any shortcom-
ing on his part figures in the unrest
which the proposal of these changes
signifies. For, while some doubtless
advocate them for reasons, the great
er number would not lend an ear
without some real or supposed ground
for discomfort with public agencies
as they are.
And it must be noted that all are
involved in the measures in ques-
ton. Direct legislation is aimed at
the lawmakers as body and the re-
call at the individual members as
we'll as at executive offivers and
judges. And it may fairly be said
that the support these devices re-
ceive varies with the real or suppos-
ed need of them, as we'll as with
opinions about the balance of advan-
tage in them"
This assertion by Gov. Harmon
shows that he sees beyond the froth
on the political surface of the pres
ent unrest in this country, and that
he is a deep student of public af-
fairs. This is the first utterance by
prominent public man that perhaps
the office holders would do well to
try to find out whether the way they
are conducting their public trusts
has anything to do with the impend-
ing political upheaval in this country
next November.
There is no doubt that much of the
dissatisfaction among the independ-
ent voters is due to the manner in
which federal office holders, all of
them republicans, have been running
the government, from President Taft
down to the smallest postoffice. This
is especially so in the south and
west, where it is believed the demo
Gratis in the national election will
make a clean sweep of the republi-
cans at the polls. 4'~
There is also great dissatisfaction
among the voters with the senate,
which ever since it has had repub.
lican majority, has been the stumb'
ling block over which legislation de-
sired by the people has fallen. The
senate is an example of the most fOS.
SLICED thing on earth. Privilege, mo-
nopoly, and interest" are firmly en-
trenched in the senate, and this con-
dition will continue until enough OF
the stand-pat senators are driven
from the upper house and the major
ity now controlled by predatory
wealth and special privilege is de-
stroyel.
The senate, however, is not the
only cause of dissatisfaction OF the
people. President Taft and some
members of his cabinet are even low
er in the estimation of the independ-
ent voter than the senate. The fact
is that the Taft administration has
been a failure from start to finish.
Both of Taft's pet policies. Canadian
reciprocity, and the chimerical arbl'
tration treaties, are fiat failures. Re-
ciprocity was kicked out of the back
door by Canadians, and the arbitra-
ton treaties now appear to be only
a shattered dream. Taft has done
one thing, though-he has become the
champion railroad traveller of the
world-at the peoples expense. That
is about all that can be said as to
what the present occupant of the
White House has accomplished in
four years.
The president has also been unfor-
tunate in his advisers in the cabinet
Ballinger voluntarily" retired, as
the result of the Ballinger-Pinchot
row, but in reality ANONYMOUSLY fore
ed out of the cabinet, was the first
mistake the president made. 1t was
mistake to have ever put man
like Ballinger in the cabinet. Pin
chot's discharge, when he was in the
right, was another mistake. Wicker.
sham's selection as attorney general
meant the advent of a real will man
in the official family. Wickersham's
course as head of the department OF
justice has done more to make enc
mics for the Taft administration than
any other cause. This pert little
Wall Street lawyer, as soon as he
got in the cabinet, seemed to become
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