Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1922-10-26
POSITION MADE PLAIN

| Last week the Herald quoted
from the Cleveland Plain Dealer, an
independent paper of high standing,
in which the Herald left the infer
ence that that paper was supporting
Carmi Thompson for governor. Lest
some voter might, after reading the
article, feel that that paper was
supporting Thompson, we reprint
from a recent issue of the paper an
editorial which in unmistakable
language tells where it stands. Here
it is:
The strength of Vic Donahey,
candidate for Governor, lies in his
independence of organization con-
troll. He has never been a favorite
with the bosses. Big party lead
ers tried to defeat him in the pri-
mary, but failed; if they accept him
now it is only because they have
been forced to do SO by the maJorl-
ty will of the party over the state.
Donahey entered the primary un-
pleged to any organization. 1t elect
ed. he will enter the Governorship
owing no obligations except to the
people of Ohio.
Citizens of the Buckeye state are
candidates for Governor two men,
either of whom is fully qualified by
experience and character to conduct
acceptably the office of chief execu-
tive. Both Vic Donahey and Carmi
A. Thompson have served ONO IN
important public office and MADE
records for which no apology is
needed.
One outstanding advantage, how
ever, clings to Donahey and his can
didacy. Whereas Thompson was the
favorite of his party organization IN
the primary and the man counted
on to keep the Presidents state IN
line in this critical election, Don
ahey's candidacy was practically
without organization backing ana
was founded on the belief of thou
sands of admirers, largely unorgan-
lied and inarticulate that the rlgld
honesty and fearlessness OF the
former state auditor is particularly
needed at the state house during
the next two years.
This situation leads Thompson TO
make himself as defender Of the
national administration, defender
of the record of congress and de-
fender of the two-year term OF Har-
nv l.. Davis at Columbus. Thomp-
son has not sought to evade this re-
sponsibility; in fact, it seems to us
he has shouldered more OF 1T than
was necessary. He need not have
assumed the burden of the Davis
for Davis chose not to run
a second time. Few, we take 1t,
will vote for Thompson because he
approves of the Davis administra-
tion
One who enters office as tightly
bound to his party organization,
state and national, as Thompson is,
would find himself handicapped as
Governor. We do not imagine that
the people of Ohio would welcome
another two years of Davis in the
and when Thompson
makes himself defender
of the Davis regime he limits his
own usefulness TO that extent. AS
Governor, Thompson would have
too many friends to take care of.
too many political debts to pay, to
permit his giving the state the best
he has in the way of service.
The situation in regard to Vic
Donahey is entirely different. F.
it be to Donahey's credit
or not, the former auditor never
got along very well with the active
leaders of his party. He never let
political considerations get by the
outer door of his office in the state
house. He blue-penciled the pet
of politicians, refus-
ed to sanction expenditures which
party leaders indorsed but his own
judgment rejected, saved the state
hundreds of thousands of dollars by
drains on the treasury and
made himself an official watchdog
of the public interest.
The people of Ohio remembered
all this when it came time to nomin
ate candidates for governor this
year. They were not much inter-
ested whether the party organiza-