The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-10-21


came chief executive of Ohio, Cover
Z nor Cox has come boldly forward with
an unusual and remarkable statement,
in which he takes cognizance Of al
legged reflections cast upon him and
other state officials.
in the language of the Cleveland
Plain Dealer, the governor threw his
glove squarsly in the face of the Ohio
Equity association and its agents,
Z charged them, in formal statement,
with campaign of cowardly imputa-
ton and dared them to make public
anything that might even SAVIOR of
facts against his administration"
The Governors Statement.
The statement given out by Cover
K nor Cox follows:
There appeared in a newspaper in
Columbus a contributed article. The
authors text is the Meekison trial at
Cleveland. in the course of which he
says:
1.-The monstrous doctrine that 1t is
wrong to steal dollar, but it is all
right to steal petitions bearing the
mandates of sovereign people, has
been smitten in the city where 1t was
promulgated. The state machine has
been struck a blow that makes it rat
tie in every Wheel
From previous contributions by
the same person, it is fair to assume
. that by "the state machine" he means
: the state administration. Beyond
l.. 4. hn
Equity association the belief that an
effective organization for the purpose
of passing progressive laws in the
first instance without a breath OF
scandal anywhere in the state, and to
preserve this legislation in the second
instance, is machine, but that the
organization maintained in the old
days in Ohio for the purpose of buy
ing preferential laws in the legisla-
ture was not machine, but an in
stitution of great service to society
Tactics of Bushwhackers.
81 have never by word, oral or writ
ten, given any attention to the insidi-
2 GUS and anonymous efforts of the
Equity association in Cleveland to in
Volve the state administration in the
MeekisOn affair because | thought 1t
would dignity a procedure which de.
serves human contempt. Since, how
ever. an anonymous circular has been
distributed over the state-and it has
induced a contribution to a reputable
newspaper-it is perfectly apparent
that the honor of the state requires
that | permit it to 90 no further un'
noticed.
when the Ohio legislature passed
5e major laws, compliant with public
desire and suffrage direction, an effort
was begun by the Ohio Equity asso-
citation to alarm the public mind to
arouse business interests and to de
velop the thought that the program
was lacking in constructive qualities
and safety. The laws are demonstrat-
ing not only their humanity, but their
wisdom and equity and Legitimate
business interests In Ohio cheerfully
concede that they have not been harm
ed la the least. | ask no quarter from
the coterie driven now into single
covey by a common cause made against
progressive and humanitarian laws,
hut / request public indulgence while
speaking with a plalnness and direct.
ness which conditions warrant In
the newspaper contribution Is carried
the observation that the state ma
chine which in the authors mind
means the state administraton-has
been struck a blow by court ruling
which holds that petitions are prop
erty and can not be stolen without an
1nfFaction OF the law. ANY governor
who would assist In, or subscribe to
the propriety OF, stealinS or destroy
ing referendum petitions, should be
driven from his Office In disgrace,
ANY man, on the other hand, whose
mind wreaks with poison discharg-
ing an insinuation like this against
the head of a proud state, without a
shadow of justification, deserves to be
treated by society with abject repul-
sion.
"The Ohio Equity association, which
its secretary admits in court has no
head. grew out of the vitals of the
liability insurance companies. They
sought to destroy the worllmen's com
pensation law.
Ordered Meekson 10 Stop.
MY knowledge Of Meeklson can be
stated IN very few words. | have
scarcely more than a passing ac-
quaintance with him Some time dur
ing the summer Mr. MeeNson "e-
auested of Mr. Burba, the executive
secretary. a list of the applicants in
ahe various counties for the tax com.
aisElonerships. It was refused him,
Subsequent TO this, at the request OF
both the so.called vets and drys It
was decided to make public the
names Of all applicants for the post.
tiSR OF liquor commissioner in the wet
counties. At this time the lists with
reference to both the liquor and tax
Applicants became public property, In
the latter part Of June, months before
the Meekison trouble, information
came to me which prompted my send
ing the following letter to him: