Ottawa County news. (Port Clinton, Ohio) 1931-1956, 1955-04-15
What About Ohio :?

And how about Ohio? Is that same spirit of defiance
present here? can assure you that it is. Our Demo-
Gratis in all 88 of the 88 counties, Young Democrats
and old ones, the Democratic Women and Democratic
men, all of them share the vital spirit of Thomas
Jefferson in this year 1855 and it is mounting into
unity of purpose that will repeat within borders the
same political reSurgence that will from coast
to coast in 1856.
Now, despite some newspaper predictions did not
come here tonight to criticize Governor LauSche and
Gene Hanhart. That not my intention in Canton
recently and it is not my intention toni ght. You see
subscribe to Thomas Jeffersons belief that the common
man will be enlightened and agree with him that elected
officials are dependent on his will. quoted to you
earlier.
At the Canton speech pleaded for leadership of this
mounting tide of Democratic unity that exists in our
state The picture drew political landscape not
political portrait. am certain that the good people
OF Canton would no more want me to present false
picture than you do here tonight The political land
scape copied from travels through every county of
OHIO included the figures of precinct workers. of Demo-
cratic men and women, of ward and county chairmen
focused the landscape Lucas County where these
Democratic figures gave entire state ticket ma
Jo1t elected five out of seven legislators and domnat
ed the county government explained how they accom-
pished this from the doorbell precinct level to the
county leadership.
IT, in this political landscape was reporting certain
figures did not appear, could not place them there
did not attack did not criticize did not speak as a
loser in the last campaign newspaper said was
reporting what Democrats every county of the state
had told me. That they want must have and will have
leadership to channel the energies of the Democratic
Party toward victory all over the state That is all
reported and all | intended to report
The only explanation | can give you regarding the
immense reaction to the Canton speech that this is
not state election year and folks now can consider
principles and party structure instead of candidates.
1t has been said that | made sour grapes speech.
Yet that speech was made long before candidate
for Secretary of State had any thoughts in that
direction. was content to my third term in the
House but not content to allow bad situation to
grow worse.
Besides, who could indulge in sour grapes after re-
ceivng million Democratic votes in the election
last year. my only bid for state office? was deeply
grateful to the Democrats of Ohio for accepting an
unknown like myself to the extent that they did, No,
ladies and gentlemen, it was not sour grapes on my
part but it was grapes.
May quote the expressive aphorsm: "The fathers
have eaten of grapes and the chidens teeth
set on edge That describes the situation exactly. The
actions of old and Intellectual leadership have set the
Democrats in Ohio on edge for change | saw that
last year in all parts of the sta te. heard the demand
for new, aggressive, young and devoted leadership.
The screams that went up reminded me of the time
Thomas Jefferson, elected to the Virginia House of
Burgesses at the of 26, rash to suggest
that the educational level of the state pretty low
but that public education and public schools could raise
it. His colleagues accused him of disappearing the fair
name of Virginia where man was a gentleman
even if he couldn't read write.