The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-01-04
Pushed And PrOddGd By VIII
IiS'DiSOFganizGd System
And Made Confusing By The
InGffiCiGnCy Of Turner

Columbus, o., Jan. 3--NeWton ID.
Baker, of Cleveland is again private
citizen, but he is still in public life
He has done too much and has shown
| himself too great democrat (small d.
to be allowed to retire. He is also a
Democrat who has given good account
of himself. A big man in Cleveland,
where he has just retired from the of
fee OF mayor, he looms up bigger
figure I'm the state and nation. More
will be heard of him. That he is not
without honor In his own country is
shown by this editorial from the Cleve-
land Plain Dealer:
1T is given to few men of Newton
ID. Bakers years to have accomplished
as much In public service as may right
ly be credited to the mayor of Cleve~
closing year. For fourteen active
years Mr.. Baker has served the peo-
pie of this city in increasingly respon-
sible positions. Never have the voters
failed to give him an endorsement.
When Judge Clarke referred to the
mayors initials as standing for Never
Defeated" he might well have been
within the truth, for Mr.. Baker has
never been rejected at the polls. First
appointed by Tom l.. Johnson assist
ant director OF law on Jan. |, 1902, he
a, 10, hA a hin
year later Before the year ended the
office had been made elective, and Mr..
Baker was chosen by popular vote to
III post for which Mayor Johnson
deemed him so we'll fitted. Re-elec-
tlons followed in 1905 and 1907 and in
1903 he was the sole survivor on his
ticket. Twice elected mayor, his rec
ord OF unbroken victories was contin-
ued for another four years. Other
men have been successful In politics,
but the annals of municipal progress
offer no parallel for the career OF Mr.
Baker. The period of his service has
been one of marvellous development
for the cty-development In civic
ideals as we'll as material expansion,
AS law director city solicitor and as
mayor, Mr.. Baker has been spokes-
man and interpreter for the city's con
science. In the peoples name and by
their authority he has builded with en-
during materials Tom l.. Johnson
was the pioneer and Newton ID. Baker
followed In his footsteps to build on
the foundations his mentor and per-
sonal friend laid The work of either
| would lose It's finest quality except for
the supporting strength of the other
The editorial refers at length to Mr.
Bakers invaluable service to Cleve'
land and contains this paragraph
which sums up the picture of the man
as a leader
"As leader of the new militant dem
ooracy In Ohio, as advocate Of the new
state constitution, as father of the new
Cleveland city charter, as an advocate
OF every forward movement for the
betterment of social conditions as
spokesman Of progress against reac'
ton, the mayor has always been on
the firing line and always ready to
sacrifice personal convenience to the
public welfare"
%
The new tax law now is in effect,
What is known as the Parrett-Whitte-
more act OF the Willis legislature
takes the place OF the Warnes law
which made the tax dodgers come to
the mark The ripper holds sway.
Taxation Is "de,antralized" Results
viii soon be forthcoming,
Now eighty.eight standards OF taxa.
tion take the place OF one Elected as.
SCISSORS take the place of appointed as
SCISSORS, where the people took enough
interest in their God given right to
nominate candidates ana vote for