The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-10-23
WORK MEMS FOES
GETTING ACTIVE
Liability Companies Openly Op-
pose Governor Cox
WILLIS CONNECTED WITH THEM

Letter Soliciting Opposition to Gov
ernor Because He Secured Enact
ment of Compulsory Compensation
Law Appears Simultaneous With
Attack by Republican Candidate on
the Industrial Commission.
Information reached Democratic
headquarters this week that insurance
companies handling liability business
were making vigorous efforts against
Governor CoX's election. After he had
obtained d copy of one letter sent out,
Democratic chairman w. l.. Finley ad-
dressed an open letter to Frank b.
Willis, Republican candidate for gov
RrnOT, demanding in the name OF the
workingmen of the state to know
where he stands on compensation and
what his plans for the future were.
The letter in question was sent out
by S. NJ Ferris OF Cincinnati, presi-
dent of the Ferris Agency company
and was written on stationery of the
National Insurance company of ll5
Broadway, New York,
1t was an instruction TO agents Of
the company to get after bonds OF pub
lie officials after the election in the
state. Then came the following post
script:
As the attitude OF Governor Cox to-
wards insurance interests in general
has been unfriendly and antagonistic,
especially as relates to the present
workmen's compensation law, 1t is my
earnest desire that you use every ef'
fort to elect Republican governor,
from whom we can expect relief"
kilograms from Cincinnati quoted
President Ferris as admitting he had
written and sent out such a letter.
On receipt of that information,
Chairman Finley put out an open let
ter to Congressman Frank B. Willis
In which he said:
q demand of you on behalf Of the
voters of Ohio and OF all the workmen
and their wives and families who are
interested in the industrial commits
sion and the fund 1t handles, what Is
your plan?"
The open letter was in course of
preparation before the Ferris letter
was given out. The letter was in reply
to the speeches of Mr. Willis, in which
he had criticized, as an example of ex-
travaganaCe, the commissions formed
by Governor Cox and had made the in
dustrial commission one of the fea-
lures of the address, claiming its ex.
pense was 329 per cent above that
which had preceded 1t.
Repeatedly since the campaign !
started Governor Cox has said the La |
bility companies were fighting him in |
the hope Of having the compensation |
law so changed that liability COM |
panies could compete with the state. |
The Democratic headquarters says |
the Ferris letter ia proof of all Gov
ernor Cox claimed and brings into |
the campaign an entirely new issue.
"Are you taking the place of the !
Ohio Equity association at the head |
Of the organized liability companies
who stand ready to spend millions to
break down the Workmen's compensa.
551i5n aw7" Is question IN the open
letter to Willis
''In the course OF your extended
seeking election on the Re.
ernor of Ohio you are making charges
and have made the most reckless
statements and misquotation of facts
on various subjects" the letter
goes on.
Passing by your onslaught against
the state highway department your
equivocal explanation of uncertain
platform planks, the question OF
veracity raised by yourself and your
and for the time being,
overlooking your record in the Ohio
. anu IllC hclblOAAtlA tOn9l CobB
as well as your connection with the
trusts as shown by the infamous
Archbold letters, | wish TO take up
specifically your more recent charges,
That Governor Cox has given to the
state the most extravagant and finan-
cially reckless administration In the
states history
"You charge that this is due to the
creation of expensive commissions,
and then, in an attempt to mislead
and deceive, you enumerate legisla-
tive COMMISSIONS created by every
general assembly, even those Of which
you we're a member.
"You take up specifically the com
Darison Of the administration of Gov
oTnor Harris, last Republican gov
srnor, in 1908, and that of Governor
Cox, in an effort to show great in
,reases. You name in numerical or
Ter list Of twenty-five, including the
legislative commissions, and quote
lgures in a way that is dishonest, to
and willfully misrepre-
Ient You say:
1.-The Industrial commission, 285
employees, receives 1899 $50. OF an av-
srage of 81 1861 for each employe;
IN Increase of 329 per cent over the
for this work In 1908.
"You fail to define this work or
dye the basis OF your figures. Under
Governor harris the Workmsn Of Ohio
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