The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-09-26
Text Of Speech Delivered
by Former Governor James
M. Cox In the Discussion of
Administration Affairs With
Governor Frank B. Willis

r-oLLoWING is a stenographic re-

FOLLOWING is a stenographic re-
port Of the speech made by for
mer Governor James NJ. Cox on
the discussion of administrative af-
fairs with Governor Frank B. Willis
At the Miami Valley Chautauqua, Mon
day, Aug. IA.
"Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentle
men: am both proud and happy to
be here. | am glad that you are here.
am delighted that Governor Willis
Is here. (Applause and laughter.) |
shall make no trespass upon my time
by making the useless observation
that the amenities of this occasion
will be respected by botn speakers.
respect Governor Willis as gentle
man. nave known him long. con-
cede his fine qualities as private
j citizen and his honesty; but am here
to challenge his record as a public Of
ficer. He had scarcely spoken to this
crowd until he declared that he was
advocating the principles of Thomas
Jefferson. Uaughter,) And yet he
! Is candidate on the Republican tick
ct. (Laughter) Nobody save Frank
B. Willis and Almighty God knows
how ne voted in 1912, whether for
No nnnfnS pd
by these contradictory circumstances
his candidacy on the Republican
ticket and his advocacy of the princi
pies of Thomas Jefferson. In order
| that there may be clear understand
ing, am Democrat (Applause.)
"And | shall support whoe-heartedly
our magnificent president in whose be
half the mothers of the land today are
eendnq prayers to the King on High
| (Applause)
ON THE TAX LAW.
"Mr. Willis inveighs against the
warnes law. and ne has put in praeti
cally all of his time explaining to yot
/ why taxes are higher now than they
/ were under the Warnes law. The
I Warnes law was the tax law of vii
! liam Mckinley. The Parrett-Whitte
more law is the tax law Of Frank b
! willis. shall permit him. therefore
I during this campaign, to conduct
1 Joint debate with the theories ant
I economic principles of William Nc
! Kinley. The Warnes tax law wa
the tax law of Governor Foraker
i also of Governor Harmon. Now, LEI
! me make this observation with al
earnestness and without any dispo
sition to be disagreeable; There
never has been student of taxation
who has not proclaimed unreseryedl!
that the old system of electing asses
sors is inefficient. ! recognize per
fectly we'll that the subject gives thu
demagogue rare opportunity. H'
4 proclaims to the people that som'
public officers have no confidence il
the people; that they can select bet
| ter taxing assessors than you can.
know that this is a vote-geltin!
phrase. But, my friends, I did no
| gain the governorship in the first in
etance by any sacrifice of my self-re
spect. and l did not care to retain j
In the second instance by coming t
you with any demagogic appeal. CAP
plause.) If the people have the visiol
| and the power of analysis to selec
their assessors in every instance, thel
why does the observation-disclosures bil
/ provide that the auditor when tn
people do make a mistake can ous
/ the man elected and appoint his sue
cessor? Under the Warnes law take
were decreased in 80 per cent OF tn
taxing subdivisions of Ohio. No on
knows that better than Governor Wi
lis. Under the Parrett-Whittemor
tax law taxes are increased in 80 pc
cent of I ne taxing subdivisions o
Ohio. Nobody knows that better thai
Governor Willis. (Applause)
81 am willing to concede that ez
penses have been increased in tn
counties for good roads and othe
things. but If an efficient system o
listing property for taxation had bee
maintained the duplicate would hav
been large enough to yield additiona
funds desired without increasing tn
rate.
EXPENSES ADDED TO COUNTIES
"As to finance, / shall come to TIA
under a separate item. The highwa
system expenses were decreased SO
900 at Columbus. I admit 1t In a.
fairness, but the authority was trans
ferred to the county and the expense
to the people increased, not $4,000
but $4,000 per month. (Applause.)
Governor Willis said, as | read Il
the newspapers that we plan to re
store the Warnes law. We have cour
photographers here today, becaus
these utterances in n sense are vita
and intrinsic to this campaign.
speak reservedly in making this OF
servation.
"You have had an opportunity to Sc
the demonstrated qualities OF bot
taxation laws. Your taxes were DC
creased under the Warnes law AM
Increased under the Parrett-Whitts
more law, and you can now take you