Ottawa County news. (Port Clinton, Ohio) 1931-1956, 1955-04-15
Abdfhefic Leadership

Our problem-particularly In Ohio has been apa-
thec party leadership at various organization levels
There can be frustrating experience than cam
paignng for state office in Ohio under conditions
that existed last year. Everywhere went-urban
and rural ake-huge crowds turned out for meet
ings and rallies, for dinners and pcncs. In almost
every instance enthusiasm at high pitch. but
it ended right there because there direction or
coordination of effort. Our peopleour Democrats IN
Ohio are crying desperately for sound constructive
sincere hardworking leadership. It's up to us to see
that they get it this year well next-if we don't
party is doomed for at least decade.
I'd like to give you another political landscape, one
where the spirit of Thomas Jefferson has resulted in
the enlightenment of and action by the common man.
When jefferson was candidate for vice president in
1896 he wrote to James Madison and said in his letter.
LET us cultivate Pennsylvania and need not fear
the universe " This neghbor state of ours has demon
strated the Democratic resurgence quite completely and
could we'll consider it. But the political landscape
I'd like to draw is northern neighbOr, Michigan.
There is an example worth cutivating
Only few short years ago Michigan was written
off as completely Republican state. 1t did not appear
to be worth the slightest effort to bring 1T into
the Democratic column in presidential elections and IN
interim elections why is silly to have Democratic
candidates the local state level And, except Tor
Detroit there many counties without Democratic
candidates. AS far Democrats concerned, the
British could have kept the whole state OF Michigan
after the war of 1872.
Before 1913 the only political landscape that could
be drawn of Michigan desert for Democrats Then
a figure appeared in the picture He was G. Mennen
Williams, young likeable, articulate Democrat. The
Republicans laughed at him. They called him light
weight, playboy, naive kid who wanted to play at
politics as he would with toys. But the Democrats in
Detroit in Bay City, in Grand Rapids and Jackson listen
ed to this youngster and found him wholesome Don
Quixote quite willing to tilt at the Republican windmill
His refusal to write off the state of Michigan in
fectious and after the other Democratic figures
joined Williams in the political landscape. Here and
there Democrats began to ring doorbellS and other
Democrats behind those doors! They never knew
there so many Democrats just waiting for the bell
to ring.
Michigan Democrats ACCOMPLISHED the impossible
when they elected Governor Williams the first time
So many Democrats discovered that the next cleo
ton saw more local Democratic candidates. in
counties that had not known a Democrat ballot
for much generation.
When Williams elected the second time, few OF
the local Democratic candidates elected too, and
the Democratic county leaders got together in 1850 to
examine this miracle. In comparing notes they found
that it was no miracle at all. There Democrats
all over the state and they needed first Democrat to
vote for and second the facts of Democratic plat
form and third feeling of participation in the affairs
of the Democratic Party of the state
PYVT