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CHAPTER XXXIII

Dark Days of Democracy in Ohio Suspicions of Republican Graft— The Democratic State Convention of 1905-Nomination of John M. Pattison for Governor-Herrick Republican CandidateThe Pattison Campaign-Election of Pattison But Defeat of Balance of Democratic Ticket-Life of Governor Pattison— Constitutional Amendment Relating to Elections.

THE PATTISON CAMPAIGN.

After the overwhelming defeat suffered by the Democratic Party in Ohio as well as in the nation in 1904 the Republicans regarded the Democratic Party as an almost if not entirely obliterated organization. In this view many Democrats agreed with them, even Democratic newspapers went so far as to say "there is no more a Democratic Party." Yet even while the Republicans were flattering themselves that they had broken the backbone of Democracy in Ohio, signs of a change in public sentiment began to manifest themselves. Whispers began to be heard that public interests were not safeguarded in the capital, and although these whispers did not grow to plainspoken words for some time, they began to have an effect upon the minds of the people. In addition to this Governor Herrick was not giving that aid and comfort to the Prohibitionists which, for some reason, they expected of him. The Democratic Party recovered its breath, found its strength returning and began to plan to regain its lost prestige.

Success did not breed factionalism to any great degree in the Republican Party in Ohio. There were those, who, for political reasons, were dissatisfied with Governor Herrick, but the organization was too strong to be affected by their little might.

The Republican State Convention met at Columbus, May 25, 1905, with William Howard Taft, then Secretary of War, presiding officer. The general result of that convention may be set down as a triumph in the art of political organization. Not a dissenting vote

that carried newspapers into Staunton and thereby cornered the news market of that burg. For five weeks he charged fifteen cents for ordinary newspapers and twenty-five cents for all illustrated sheets. Through this deal he made nearly one hundred dollars and with that money he paid the way of the Johnson family back to Kentucky.

After returning to Kentucky Tom Johnson was a clerk for three years in a rolling mill, where he received only a small salary. The mill finally shut down, and after considerable hunting young Johnson found a position with the Louisville Street Railway which operated mule cars. He took a minor position but the street railway business had a fascination for him, he took notice of everything, not only in connection with the operation of the particular line he was connected with, but gave much study to street transportation generally. The result was that he rose rapidly and soon became superintendent of the line. As soon as he was in this responsible position he inaugurated many important reforms and improvements in the management of the street railway, and by reducing expenses and giving an improved public service he put the railway on a paying basis for the first time in its history. When twenty years of age he married his cousin, Margaret J. Johnson, and then began to look about for a location and position that offered more future for him than that of superintendent of a street railway in Louisville. He decided to leave Kentucky and locate in some city that promised growth and opportunity. He was one of the first men in America to see the future of the street railway business and his experience fitted him to become a factor in the growth of that business, which has assumed such enormous proportions.

He resigned his position with the Louisville Street Railway, and when he made his determination known, Mr. Dupont, President of the Railway, gratuitously loaned him a sum of money, variously stated at from twenty to twenty-five thousand dollars, with which to make his start in life. Johnson at first declined the money because he could give no security for it, but Dupont told him that he was quite certain that if Johnson lived the money would be repaid and that he desired to help him in this way. In after years Dupont and Johnson became so intimate that their relations were like those of father and son. John

son not only repaid the loan, but was a friend to Dupont's sons as well as to the father.

After looking over the country Johnson decided to locate in Cleveland, Ohio, where he found the city fathers had liberal ideas regarding the future of their city and were disposed to grant franchises to anyone who could prove himself capable of carrying through a sizable undertaking. They soon decided that Tom Johnson was the kind of a man they wanted to do business with, and he was soon in the thick of street railway enterprises. In a few years he became a rich man.

In the early eighties Johnson became acquainted with Henry George and was soon a disciple of the great advocate of single tax. He was also a student in many ways and made a particular study of science, mathematics and French. It is asserted that he was a fair French scholar.

Through meeting with public men in connection with his business he began to take an interest in public affairs and finally became the leading citizen in Cleveland's public life. He was a good speaker and being nominated for congress, accepted a challenge to a joint debate, in which he acquitted himself with great credit. He was elected Mayor of Cleveland on the Democratic ticket and gave that city a three-cent rate on street railways. His ambition led him to reach out into state politics and from 1900 to 1903 he had his eye on the Governor's chair. At the Democratic State Convention in 1901 he had a considerable following but Colonel James Kilbourne was given the nomination. For the next two years he worked untiringly to secure the next nomination and at the Democratic State Convention in 1903 he was made the Democratic candidate for Governor, but was defeated by Myron T. Herrick. He did not receive the united support of the Democratic leaders of the state. That defeat really ended the public career of this truly remarkable man. Soon afterwards his health began to fail and he never regained his vigor. He will long be remembered in Cleveland, upon the public life of which he exerted a great influence and where he made many friends who will long remember him. He was a thorough believer in equal taxation, and his theory of municipal government was of the most advanced type.

was cast upon any proposition affecting the majority platform or the ticket nominated. Secretary Taft addressed the convention and in his speech advocated tariff revision, a subject which was destined to become his greatest stumbling block when he should become President. In his speech he declared that disaffection among the Democrats had helped the Republicans in 1904, together with the solidity of the Republicans, and public confidence in President Roosevelt. The convention placed itself on record as squarely against temperance and all disloyal to Governor Herrick. Outside of this the platform was a masterpiece of evasion. Governor Herrick attacked leaders of the Anti-Saloon League and so committed the Republican Party to an antagonistic stand on the temperance question as viewed by the Prohibitionists.

The following ticket was nominated: For Governor, Myron T. Herrick; Lieutenant-Governor, Andrew T. Harris; Judge of Supreme Court, William C. Davis; Attorney-General, Wade H. Ellis; State Treasurer, W. S. McKinnon; Member of Board of Public Works, William Kirtley. The reason for substituting Andrew T. Harris for Lieutenant-Governor Harding, appeared to be a desire to submerge the able and ambitious editor.

The Democratic State Convention met at Columbus, June 27, 1905, and showed surprising energy and hope for an organization that had been disastrously beaten eight months previously. There were fewer professional politicians in that convention than in any other ever before seen in Ohio. There were many rural delegates; the farmers seemed to have awakened to the wisdom of their taking a more active part in the political affairs of the state. Ben J. McKinney was chairman of the State Central Committee and Michael A. Daugherty temporary chairman. There was much talk, before the convention assembled, regarding the important question of who would be nominated for Governor. John M. Pattison of Clermont County had the bulk of the instructed delegates, but he had no support in the larger cities. The delegates from Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Dayton and Canton were all opposed to him and from first to last gave him no support. The number of instructed delegates was not sufficient to control the vote on any question.

The committee on permanent organization met on the night of the 28th and named Judge Curtis C. Williams of Franklin County as permanent chairman of the convention. As soon as this was done some of the Pattison forces began to work very eagerly for their candidate because the selection of a permanent chairman was looked upon as an indication that they would now be able to control the convention. The most active supporters of Pattison were mainly the old Johnson leaders. Pattison himself was not in favor of creating any contest over the chairmanship, being content to abide by his fate on the floor of the convention. Indeed, Hugh L. Nichols of Clermont was very busy on the floor, before the convention assembled, working against a proposed amendment to make the temporary organization permanent. The matter adjusted itself, however. Chairman Daugherty in his address captivated the delegates by his peroration which was simply a glorification of William Jennings Bryan. Immediately the old spirit broke out and cries for Daugherty arose from all parts of the hall. The convention overthrew the work of the committee and made Daugherty permanent chairman of the convention. Daugherty's speech was one of the greatest political philippics ever heard in a state convention in Ohio. He made a scathing attack upon Mark Hanna and in arraigning the Republican Party asked: "Why is the home of the party of God, of morality and of temperance in a saloon?" referring to the Republican headquarters in Cleveland.

The most striking features of the platform were denunciation of boss rule and a plea for municipal ownership in the operation of public utilities, the latter showing that some of the leaders had become advocates of the principles of Tom L. Johnson.

In the contest for the nomination of a candidate for Governor the first ballot gave John M. Pattison 423 votes, not enough to nominate, but the Pattison managers instantly started a stampede of the convention and the counties of Wayne, Ottawa, Putnam, Wyandot and Hocking threw their solid vote to him, giving him the election. The vote then stood, Pattison 457, John H. Welty of Stark 175, Benjamin F. McCann of Montgomery 48, Lawrence T. Neal of Ross County 22, Junge Hunter of Licking County 16, Hiram D. Peck of Hamilton 64, Brand Whitlock of Lucas 73.

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