[Newspaper]
Publication: The Newark Daily Advocate
Newark, OH, United States
vol. 23, no. 83, p. 21, col. 2-3
IT WAS LOADED,
That Ballot Box Bugaboo of
Foraker.
His Own Brother a Stockholder,
While the Governor
Himself Writes to the Michigan
Executive,
And Asks Him to Help Its
Agent Along
James E. Campbell Answers
His Traducers.
He Makes a Red Hot Speech, In
Which He Mows Down a Wide
Swath of Liars.
GERMANTOWN, O., Oct. 9.—Hon. James E. Campbell in his speech yesterday afternoon effectually silenced the swarm of unscrupulous detractors, who have been daily heaping slander upon his honorable name and high minded acts. The speech was an out-door affair, and was held before tbe Florentine hotel, where fully three thousand of his neighbors and boyhood friends assembled to do honor to their illustrious countryman.
In his opening remarks Mr. Campbell referred to the fact that his birthplace was but eight miles distant. He then declared his purpose to justify himself and expose his traducers on the subject of the ballot box. Mr. Campbell said:
Some nights ago the Governor of Ohio, in Music Hall, exhibited a ballot-box and read a portion of a bill proposing a certain form of ballot-box. It was my bill, I introduced It. So far it was all right. And it was the same box — the same box his brother Jim Foraker is interested in as a stockholder.
As I said before of the bill, I introduced it and It was the best bill Introduced of a dozen of the same kind that were to come before the Committee on Elections.
It was in consonance with the occasion and with the surroundings that Governor Foraker was assisted in his dramatic performance at Music hall, in exhibiting the box, by that distinguished exemplar of purity in elections, by his chosen instrument of reform, Mr. George R. Topp, his chairman of the Republican Executive Committee and his member of the Board of Public Affairs, You will remember that as Governor Foraker grew eloquent in his description of the box George Topp manipulated it and
TOOK IT TO PIECES
Before the great audience just as he had been taking in pieces the people's money. Governor Foraker was, of course the star of the occasion and George Topp, of gravel fame, and the box were leading support.
Mr. Campbell next took up Halstead, and recalled his calumnies of the illustrious Lincoln, and continued:
Now as to Mr. Halstead's charge in his card that I was financially interested In the ballot-box. Now, mark you, Mr. Halstead, is utterly irresponsible. He can call you a thief, a liar, a murderer, and you can have no recourse, unless it is to spit in his face, and no decent man would want to do that. You can't sue him for slander, because it would be like skinning a flea for its tallow.
He dare not editorially, in the columns of the Commercial Gazette, where his company would be held responsible, make that charge, and I defy him to do so.
The morning the Halstead letter appeared a reporter of the Evening Post appeared before breakfast with the C. G. and showed me the Halstead card. I then and there branded him a liar, a double liar, and said if he could prove that I was finacially interested in that ballot-box I would go off the ticket, and I repeat it now. But that poor, crazy old creature, following the Senate jack o' lantern, has been howling away since in innuendos and insinuations.
Then comes the Cincinnati Evening Post, which has been bought up by the Foraker combine — that's libelous, but I charge it boldly. The Cincinnati Post is a political commodity for sale to the highest bidder, and it has been purchased body and soul this year in the interest of the third-term candidate for Governor, but its influence is not worth as much as one of the white pieces of paper it spoils in being printed.
I never directly or indirectly, remotely or near at hand, far or near, had any interest in that box or any other box, and any language that can make my denial I would like to make use of, and in this connection I will read you the following dispatch I sent this afternoon on reading this Post editorial:
He then read his telegram to Hon. Isaac M. Jordon, instructing them to demand retractions from the Post and the Times-Star and bring prompt action against them in case the retraction was not forthcoming.
Proceeding to the ballot box direct, he gave a history its introduction into Congress. He had introduced it by request of the Republican stockholders on condition that the attorney general should fix the price of it. The best features of the Hoar election bill in the senate were continued in it.
He showed that the connection of John R. McLean's name therewith was without that gentlemen's knowledge or consent. Mr. Campbell created the
SENSATION OF THE
Hour when he read the following letter from Governor Foraker to Governor Luce, of Michigan, pertaing to this same ballot box:
"MY DEAR GOVERNOR: Allow me to introduce to your favorable notice and consideration the bearer, Mr. R. G. Wood, of Cincinnati, firm of Hall & Wood, glass ballot-box inventors and manufacturers. I am informed that a measure is now pending in your Legislature for the adoption of these boxes. We use them at Cincinnati, O., and other places in this State, and they have given the very highest degree of satisfaction, resulting in greater honesty at the polls. Any favor conferred upon him will be appreciated by me.
"Most respectfully,
"J. B. FORAKER, "Governor of the State of Ohio."
"GOVERNOR LUCE, Lansing, Mich.,"
I have only to say that on this generous testimonial the boxes were adopted in Michigan."
Mr. Campbell then read from one of Governor Foraker's speeches an extract in which the Governor charged him (Campbell) with introducing a ballot-box bill to form a trust which would steal from the people $1,000,000. In relation to this Mr, Campbell said:
No man but
AN INFAMOUS SCOUNDREL
Would charge another with stealing $1,000,000, or any other sum of money, without making an investigation and informing himself of the facts, and I would scorn to make such a charge against Governor Foraker. Such a charge has been made against him, however, by others. The Springfield Democrat, owned by a man worth over a million, makes the charge. The State Democratic Committee makes the charge and it will be made public in Columbus to-night.
In addition to this sensational letter he showed how Senator Rathbone, a good Republican, now chief United States post-office inspector, introduced a bill in the Ohio Senate providing for the adoption of the same ballot box in Ohio. Perhaps he introduced it at Governor Foraker's request.
