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Show U HARMON MiKES i STRONG REPLY J TO HJSCRITICS ' ji kio Governor Delivers Ad- . dress at Omaha and Resents I Intimation That He Stands for Special Interests. .Jl CALLS ATTENTION TO PUBLIC RECORD R . Secretary Fisher Defends the 0 Administration of President ?jj .Taft in Stirring Speech ' bM at Lincoln. "IS T MAHA Nch- April 12. Governor ' Ml I Harmon of Ohio delivered a apir- tM I Ited address 11070 tonlcht in reoly W to criticisms of his public record H and Uio assertion thnt he was a . "reactionary." Ho resented as a slander -WR the intimation that ho stood for or Jffi permitted npcclal nrlvllcKCS an offense I Vllg ,Ilt!e short of treason In the eyes of rJBD the democrats and declared the chaxtre . ' that he took part In the sale of eov-ij eov-ij 'ffl ernment honds while a cabinet officer i jB was mere wantonness, j IM Governor Harmon's visit to Omaha K followed an announcement that William , Ri J. Brj'an would speak In Ohio In odposI-!5 odposI-!5 lion to Governor Harmon. Mr. Harmon .V H did not mention the name of tho Neil! Ne-il! Wt braskan, but said: B D "The Rood people of Ohio will bear I H me out when T say, as I do. that not ' -M In a Keneration have their affairs been H so honestly, fairly, economically and r B capably managed as they have been by H tho present Democrato administration. It KI has been booause Jefferson principles If were practiced and not merely prated iH about." B In beginning. Governor Harmon said: j Vigorous Defense, B "I am here by the Invitation of my B irood friends in Nebraska, and, whllo I B am always averse to spcaklnpr about my- B Fclf, T feel that It is duo to them to B speak of somo matters of a public na- wM ture about which falsehoods have .been B circulated so wholly unfounded that pcr- Ej slstcnce in them cannot bo ascribed to hS proper motives. It would not be ncces- B sary to do this at home. IB "There hnB been no retraction of the KB published statement that I took part in iBA a sa'" f government bonds, which oc- iBR ciirred months before I entered the Bw cabinet. And as tho facts are matters Bj of public record, making the charge iBK without inquiry was mere wantonness. Bu "My first election ns governor, when "BjB Ohio went Republican by almost 70,000 iB9 majority, was duo to the knowledge of B niy public services and the belief by Bn the people of Ohio that their continu- ,Bfi nnco would bring about reforms whoso iBfl nned had become urgent. H Scores Ohio Grafters. ,HU "One of these related to favoritism ,B and grafting in connection with the de- JKi posit In banks of the public money. While jX I was making the campaign largely on HI Lhrso matter, one of my as.Hoclatcs on the ticket, as was afterward learned. HJ was tiding to better his prospects by HI promising deposits In case of his elec- IHH tlon to bankers who would glvo him sun- Hwj port by votes or contributions. This man is now noisily 'progressive' and fabrlcator-ln-chlef of a 'lougue' at whose first mooting the doorkeeper was under Indictment for bribery In the legislature and Is now In the penitentiary. "Somo members of this league arc known lobbyists, office brokers and dealers deal-ers In illicit favors with the ring which long disgraced the Republican party in Ohio. The 'progress' they want Is backward, back-ward, like the crabs, to the fruitful times when they swapped votes tliGy could control in the legislature with the bosses on tho other side In return for advantages of some son to themselves." Tho speaker discussed national affairs and, referring to tho president, said he never could understand how anybody can rest content with being a mere place holder wlille economics and practical" reforms re-forms aro suggesting themselves all around him. Resents Recent Charges. "And to stand for special privileges or advantages of any kind through tho action ac-tion of a government maintained by all tho people for their equal right, Is an offenso llttlo short of treason In the eyes of the Democrats. The intimation that I ever was, or could be actively or passively guilty of this offense, 1 resent as a slander without excuse or mitigation, mitiga-tion, j "It is said, nnd T think truthfully, that I havo the confidence of tho men who conduct the business enterprises, groat nnd small, which havo done so much to make Ohio what she is; and If tho same bo true of like men throughout the country coun-try I am glad to know It. "The weakness of the Republican party Is that It has become the party of a class. The strength of tho Democratic party Is that lt haa never been the party of any class. "Is It now proposed to change all this? Are we to nominate for president somo one whom the men of business all over the country fear or distrust? The answer depends chiefly on ourselves. There Is no sound reason for serious disagreement among Democrats." |