The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-08-28

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mental ills and inequalities, takes
rank with the great constructive
regimes OF our history. Whether in
llnance or diplomacy, there are ex
hibited the same elements Of poise
Ialr dealing and farsightedness that
nave yielded so much to the glory OF
tue nation and the happiness of our
people. 1t is doubtful whether there
has ever before been SO keen an ap
probation of the blessings of Ameri.
can citizenship, and this thought
Dased primarily upon the obvious ad
vantage of our glorious isolation and
geographic removal from the war
tossed continent of Europe, has been
emphasized by the results of a
diplomacy that measures up in dignity
ana harmony with the pioneer doc
trine OF Washington with respect to
our relation with other nations. Liv-
ing IN absolute peace with every coun-
try, our God-given advantages stand
out In marked contrast with the un-
happy plight Of millions of people
across the seas. There, the boundary
lines of sovereign powers are marked
| by dark scowl of hate-there. the
genius of the age is applied to the
awful purpose Of human destruction
| shere, homes are desolated and gen
eratlons must come and go before the
heartaches of war disappear. And yet
our escape from the same unhappy
conditions abroad is so recent as to
lodge in the public mind a full realiza-
tion OF what might have been, and
inspire at the same time a nations
gratitude for service rendered by the
most commanding figure at this time
In all the world-the man all nations
trust-our great president, Woodrow
Wilson. 1t behooves our people. in
common appreciation OF his labors in
their behalf to select as the junior
Senator from the state man COM
mitted to his policies, our candidate,
Mr Hogan. He is known by his works,
and his service as attorney general
of the state has been so conspicuous
for ability and devotion to duty as to
bespeak a brilliant career in the SEN
ate with the present member OF the
upper house, Hon. Atlee Pomerene,
whose fidelity to the president has
buttressed him In the confidence and
gratitude of our citizens.
Keeping Mandates of the People.
In state affairs, it is conceded gen.
orally that a great responsibility was
cast upon our party two years ago,
when changes in the constitution car
rled the positive command to the leg
lslature to pass certain special laws
intended to provide for the social and
industrial changes that have occurred
since 1851 when the preceding con-
stitutional convention was held in
ohio. That the mandates issued by
the people have been respected is not
denied. If the laws passed in conse.
quence of the enlarged legislative
authority are not helpful to the gen.
eral interests of the state, we await |
with eager curiosity to see which ones
the opposition will recommend In the
coming campaign for repeal
An attempt has been made 70 |
create the public belief that the legis-
lative program carried out under |
Democratic auspices was. in consider. |
able degree at least, the result of |
some kind of reform obsession on the
part Of the leaders, legislative and |
otherwise, OF our party. The truth is |
so obvious, however, that it is neces.
sary only to remind our critics that |
the legislative enactments were. for
the most part, designed to provide
FOR the new order Of things socially
and industrially, and the work in its
large scope was due to the fact that
the legislature was without the con-
stitntional right prior to 1912, to deal
with the several subject matters. In
short, the Democracy faced the task
of providing for the legislative neces-
sites accruing during lapse of al
most seventy years. For twenty years
many laws that had been passed to
meet evolutionary changes had been
declared constitutionally infrm be-
cause under the old charter the right
did not inhere in the legislature to
make such enactments. So that the
and humanitarian laws
recently passed were written in the
hearts of the people long before the
grant was extended to
The legislature. The standpat policy
Of the opposition, so long aud so per-
sistently maintained, had brought
mental attitude concretely set against
any departure from the paths of old,
and its vision was so clouded, both
)y fetch and obsession, that it was
either unmindful of conditions that
made government a burden rather
han a help to the people, or 1t had
1roflted so long by campaign contri-
buttons from tine interests that enjoyed
'afair and special privileges, that the
Welfare of the party was regarded as
he surest guarantee of the prosperity
nd happiness of the state. Ohio now
eads all progressive states, and stu
lents of political economy concede
hat her new laws bring the common
wealth to plane approaching a real
democracy, under which government
5 not only a genuine agency for the