The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-05-14

MN now 10 say 1 am not fit to b.
even a justice of the peace? He ha
stated not a single fact from my Off
ctal record or elsewhere to justif'
| the platform on the initiative an,
referendum. This is not true. ad
vocated before the joint caucus ant
, signed when passed the bill authoriz
ing resort to 1t in municipalities
which was all our constitution woul,
permit.
I He says am not a progressive bu
'reactionary.' This is merely call
ing names. the last resort in a poo
case. II 'progresstveness' means sin
cere and successful efforts to secur
practical reforms in government. in
stead of mere talk. where has 81
much been accomplished as in Obi,
during my administration.
After mentioning many reform
laws passed during his administra
! ton. including acts for protection o
employees. direct election of fedora
senators and income tax, Mr., Harmon
continued:
Sheer Wantoncss.
IF Mr.. Brayn knows of the man,
reforms accomplished in Ohio he i
grossly unfair to me and my com
rades in the administration. If h
does not know of them. then it i
| sheer Wantonness for him to com
into the state of my birth and hon
| and try to discredit me with the peo
pie without specification or proof
! though even an accused criminal i
entitled to both.
He would have the people believ,
that l would serve special interest
instead of the people. if 1 were elect
ed president. If he really thinks s.
himself, he ought to have cut my ac
quaintance long age, as would sure
~ do with anybody thought capabl
OF such an infamous betrayal of
public trust.
But l served for years as a. jude
and also as attorney general I hay
been for more than three years gov
ernor. In all of these positions ther
| have been ample opportunities to ia
Nor special interests or shrink m
duty. 49,
Does he mean I have only bee,
acting part In all these positions
just to secure the confidence of tn
people SO as more fully to betra
them If | should ever become presi
dent! Silly as that sounds. 1t /
the real meaning of what he says.
law on it's feet by the three cases i,
which for the first time it was en-
forced?
WAS that why threw up a prof
table employment when Presiden
Roosevelt refused to agree with m
that guilt is always PERSONAL an
ordered that railroad company onl
and not its responsible officials shoul
be prosecuted for paying rebates to
trust,
WAS that why I have always de
nounced our tariff law as the wors
form of special privileges. the breede
high prices which oppress the peo
plec
Was that why I spent time an
enort to secure proper public utili
ties law for Ohio after the inter
ests' had got it fixed to suit then,
selves in the senate? Even as passe
1t permits the merger of competin
companies and for that reason l di
not sign 1t though ! permitted 1t I
become a law for the sake OF il
many excellent features. Does Nj
bryan favor such mergers?
WAS that why I'd +ho Ions: tigh
for fairer taxation with the resu
that the valuatio of railroads an
other public corporations was raise
from less than three hundred mill
ion dollars to more than nine hun
dred million, and seven million dol
lars in taxes was shifted from tn
farm homes of the state to these cor
porations and tax dodgers. The Gin
cinnati Gas company's appraisemen
went from less than two million t
fifteen million dollars. And I wa
myself one of its stockholders.
The Most Unkind Cut.
MIR. Bryan twits me with allege
disappointments in the selection q
delegates in various states. Well,
would rather take disappointment
from my party in its nomination
than inflict disappointments on it i
the elections Though l have fiv
times been its candidate, l have neye
disappointed it yet.
| He says failure is certain if | ar
nominated. If the party thinks so.
shall be content. But l do not thin
Mr.. Bryan. great as his abilities ar
in many directions. has shown him
self qualified to pick winner.
Has it come to pass in the demo
cratic party that winning repeate
victories in its name counts as moth
feats give another the right to die
tate its course or limit its choice to
list of eligibles prepared by himself
The best asset We have this yea
| is the work of our democratic house
Much of this we owe to it's most ca
| pable and worthy leader. Mr.. Under
| wood. Yet MIR. Bryan has time an
again in reference and abuse imperil
ed the harmony and good feelin
which are so necessary in that bod
| and to party success.
MIR. Underwood truly denies MI
Bryan's charge that his candidacy i
| in any other behalf than his owr
The only relation Mr.. Underwood an
myself have in the pending contes
is that Mr.. Bryan has put us bot
on his list Of impossibles.
MIR. Bryan's persistence in advo
eating government ownership of tn
railroads against the advice of all hi
friends had much to do with his las
| defeat. Though it did not find
place in the platform found it wa
being used against him among rail
road employees and did my best t
| counteract it's effect.
'Is Mr.. Bryan really for the Ne,
Jersey governor? I do not recall
word he has said in his behalf. Is
because the governor never support
ed him, but wanted him 'knocke
into cooked hat?' The people q
Nebraska have instructed him 70
the speaker. He cannot be for bott
Is he really for either?"
uChUV cN0IUCAII