Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-10-27
SCIO FARMER WRITES
Mr.. COX A LETTER
OF HOT CAL|BRE
Sums Up Reasons Against
Former Governor.
LIFELONG DEMOCRAT DISCUSSES
METHODS OF COX ADMlN!STRA-
. TION AND ASKS SOME VERY
PERTINENT QUESTIONS.

Steubenville, o. Especially = The
Herald-Star, of this city, Saturday,
contains the following scorching let,
ter, which, it says, has been sent to
Ex-Governor Cox by Henry W. Hen
derson, prominent Democratic farm
er of near Scio. It is well worth
careful reading:
Scio, O., October 6, 1916.
Ex-Governor James M. Cox, Dayton.
My Dear Sir: l have voted the
Democratic ticket for forty years and
your third candidacy for the Gov
ernorship moves me to write you and
suggest some of the reasons why I
will not vote for you.
l live on farm, pay my share Of
taxes, have raised a large family,
have anever held an office, never
wanted one, and don't want one now.
But take an interest in public ques-
tions and the general good, as every
one should, and now exercise my
right OF citizenship in addressing you
without any personal animosity, for
it is your public acts and policies that
object to.
Our forefathers gave US a repre-
sentative form of Government respon-
sive to the peoples will, which your
policies as Governor tended to de-
stroy and replace with fantastic fads
which cannot endure, for l hold with
the fathers that when the people vote
for a change of government they
should be able to get it.
The Industrial Commission of Ohio
and other departments of the State
government are still controlled by
your henchmen, are they not? And
the County License Commissioners
generally appointed by you as part
of your machine are still serving you
are they not? The platform upon
which you first were elected, written
by you and approved by Newton D.
Baker, I am told, promised "Home
Rule in Taxation" did it not? Did
you purposely trick the people? At
the time the measure was pending
you declared your intention to vote
for the short ballot proposition under
which, had it carried, you as Gov.
ernor, would have appointed substan.
TALLY all the county officers in oul
State, l. believe. Have you at any time
since, .disavowed this, attempt to rot
the people of their right to self gov.
ernment, and have you ever repenreG
of your sin?
It is commonly understood, not dis
puted by you so far as l know, anC
is mostly matter of record, I be-
lieve, that many of your appointee.
whose salaries and travelling expense.
were paid by the State, were in
structed to obtain and destroy refer
endum petitions at the time an at
tempt was made to let the peopl,
vote on some of your fantastic legis
lation, and that, according to the Co
lumbus papers at the time, you evel
commanded your Attorney General t.
instruct your Secretary of State t.
cast the petitions out. Were 70,
afraid of the people? If so, why?
It is also reported that many o
your appotntees were sent over tn
State and instructed to spend thei
time, while being paid by the State
to defeat Democratic candidates fo
Congress and other district candidate
on the Democratic ticket, whom yo
personally disliked If this is true
and I think you will admit that it is
do you still hold to the position tina
this is proper way in which to ex
pend the public money? Ever hea
of Governor Harmon doing anythin
like that, Mr.. Cox?
Is it not true that yours was the mos
wasteful and extravagant admins
tration by about three million dollar
our State had experienced up to ths
time? Is it not also true that muc
OF this excess was spent in trying t
conduct political machine that til
people could not overthrow? An
may l ask you, Mr.. Cox, if it is nc
the fact that large number of sma
banks were needlessly wrecked du1
ing your two-year term, and man
of your political favorities put i
charge and paid enormous fees OF
r of the peoples savings on pretext {
0 making settlements ? Why was it III
s necessary for Governor Harmon {
:. Governor Willis to wreck so man
= banks, Mr.. Cox, and why were yo
a willing to see the people plundere
- in that way?
. 1t is my understanding that man
g hundreds more new jobs and salarie
we're created under your administr;
tion than our State has ever know
e in the same length of time, befol
f or since. Can you show that tn
+ estimate is wrong? Under vol
v Humanitarian Legislation" CD OF
little county of Harrison was saddle
with about $4,000 worth of new jol
and salaries in the way of Deput
q Tax Assessor and office force al
g useless school superintendents.
/ You seemed to think we farme
l. were to dishonest to elect assesso
Il and pay our taxes and too ignoral
to care for our country schools, al
: that country people generally, net
i a guardian in every fence corner al
at the crossroads. Maybe we do, b
some of US yet have sense enough
vote against a bumptous autocr
when he runs for office.
What was your purpose in writir
with the approval of the governo
In so many laws enacted by your Sc
b vile Legislature? Are we to ha,
- more Coxified statutes in case of yo
election? Why is it that you al
nearly every one of your personal d
votees are and always have been, en-
mics of Governor Harmon during h
two terms as Governor and his cane