The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-02-20
GARFIELD'S HAT
is IN The RING
VIII Seek Progressive NOmlna-
tIOn For Governor at Primary.
MAKES BITTER ATTACK ON COX

Declares Republican Party Has Run
Its Course and Predicts Near Dis.
ruptlon Of Democratic organiza.
tion-Points Out Differences Be.
tween Progressive and Other Par
ties - Ohio Bull Moosers Open
State Campaign With Rousins
Meeting at Lima.
Hon. James r. Garfield of Mentor,
at the opening of the Progressive
campaign at Lima Thursday evening,
Feb. 12, declared he would enter the
statewide primary in August as a
state candidate for governor on the
Progressive ticket. The statement,
which was made at the close of a re-
markable address, was a signal for
great enthusiasm among the dele
gates that assembled from all sec
tions Of the state to attend the open.
ing.
Mr.. Garfield made an attack upon
Governor Cox and the present state
Democratic administration. The com
plete address Of Mr.. Garfield follows:
Every great movement for human
betterment requires sacrifice, the
abandonment or destruction Of an ex.
listing order to make way for a new
order of things. The crisis that vital
ICES such a movement is not acciden.
tai, though often unexpected; it is
usually the logical elimination Of ef'
forts to repress normal progress and
to compromise principles that are
fundamentally divergent.
The Republican convention at Chi
cago in 1912 was such crisis. With
in the Republican party were two
warning forces, the progressives and
the reactionaries; they held views re-
garding political, social and economic
conditions so antagonistic that com
promise was impossible. The control
of the Republican party by the reac
tionary committee and the overthrow
of a popular majority by that com
mittee simply precipitated the conflict
that was as "irrepressible" as was
the civil war.
Lincoln's Name ReVered.
No partisan appeal to sentiment
and tradition can avail. Lincoln and
the other great leaders of the Repub'
lican party in the days Of its vigor
when 1t was responsive to the high
est aspirations of the nation, are now
honored and revered by right-minded
men and women of all parties.
The history of the Republican par.
ty is finished; it ran its great course
and met the fate of all parties. The
Democratic party has within it the
same opposing forces that destroyed
the Republican party. Before long
reactionary and progressive Demo
Gratis must separate. No party can
long command public confidence
whose principles are elastic enough
to satisfy both Wilson and Tammany
Hall.
For us, then, the duty is clear; we
must look toward the new order of
things and press sturdily forward
along the path we have chosen. We
are gaining strength from all parties
and all sections Of the country be-
cause eventually men who think
alike will act together.
Tonight | wish to speak particu-
larly Of the conditions in our state.
Despite some effective legislation,
some undoubtedly wise executive ac.
tions, the administration Of Governor
Cox has become serious menace to
good government. Under the spur Of
Progressive activity the Democratic
legislature enacted some laws in har.
mony with some of the planks Of the
Progressive platform, but unfortu.
nately much of that legislation was
ill-considered and hastily enacted. In
stead of safeguarding the people Of
the state against the recurrence Of
the very evils sought to be eradi
Gated, Governor Cox's administration
has imposed upon the state a system
of commission government so exten'
sive, so dominated by the governor,
that it has become a most powerful
and dangerous political machine. The
power once welded by the auditor Of
state, which was overthrown only af.
ter years of struggle, was as nothing
in comparison with the power Cover.
nor Cox has assumed through the tax
commission and the liquor commits
sion.
Why Referendum Failed.
The constitution now provides
means for the exercise of the reserv.
ed power of direct legislation through
the initiative and referendum Be.
cause Of ill-considered legislation by
the Democratic legislature, the first
attempt to exercise that power re-
suited in a proceeding discreditable
alike both to those who sought the
referendum and to the state execu.
tive officials who opposed it. The In.