Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-02-26
FROM COLUMBUS.
Legislative Summary.


From our Regular Correspondent.
COLUMBUS, o., Feb. @, 1885.
The following general laws were
passed by the Legislature last week:
Senate joint resolution requesting
Congress to pass law to give honorably
discharged soldiers of the late war a
land warrant for 100 acres.
By Mr.. Ford, giving the committing
court power, after investigation along
with the Superintendent, to discharge
youths from the Reform Farm and In
dustrial School of the State.
By Mr.. Roche, provides that all rail-
road policemen shall be citizens of Ohio
and who have never been convicted of
any crime, and shall act as such officers
only upon the premises of the railroad
for which they are appointed.
BY Mr.. Bruce, regulates the employ
ment by railroad companies Of persons
affected. by color blindness.
There were ten other laws of local
nature passed, none of which concern
the citizens Of your county.
The past week was essentially one of
wind in both branches Of the General
Assembly. The fiercer the breezes blew
and ragged without, and the more chill
ing they became in the icy terror of
twenty degrees below zero, the faster
the gas was generated and the more
heated it became inside the halls of
legislation. This gas flows from natural
wells and tends to frequent explosions.
Under pressure of forty-tive pounds to
the square inch the retorts sometimes
burst with terrific force and leave bruis-
ed and wounded feelings and shattered
hopes scattered all around the Republi-
, can side of both houses.
Contrary to general expectations the
question of submitting constitution
, al amendment to the people to license
, the liquor traffic was not debated in the
: House. The Democrats were shrewd
enough to offer two amendments to the
: pure and simple license proposition
f first, one providing for legislative
5 control, and second, one for local option
or in effect for prohibition, and then
. when it come before the House last
4 Wednesday the previous question was
o moved and sustained, thus preventing
!, the Republicans from talking until
= doomsday, and bringing about vote
/. forthwith. The two amendments were
voted down by large majority. 1t re-
y quires three-fifths of all the members
. elected, or sixty-three votes, to pass ;
G measure of this kind. In the House on
J. the original license proposition the re-
. suit was ayes IS, nays 33. Only three
!, Republicans, Burnett and Haley, o.
l. Cuyahoga, and Peet, of Hamilton
e voted for it. All the Democrats present
voted for it. 1t lacked five votes of the
:. necessary three-fifths, and this number
T just tallies with the five Democrats who
were absent. If these members can be
Il got here, and the three Republican
n members don't dodge, it will likely pass
! the House this week.
i There is no doubt, however, but what
+ it is the settled purpose of the Republi.
:. can members to defeat any action being
! taken upon this vexed question, and
!. thus prevent a settlement of it by a
!. Democratic body. Their only reason
u for opposing it is because it is a Demo.
n cratic measure which the people of Ohio
r would endorse by their votes. Itis theil
n ancient fear of the people which haunts
them. Their votes last Wednesday ex'
O posed their inconsistency, for in one
0 they endorsed prohibition and in the
r other they opposed license, thus virtu
D ally declaring in favor of the
! present condition of affairs--free whis
T. key, free beer and free wine.
: A long time was consumed by the
Il House discussing Myers bill to reorgan
;. ize the city government Of Columbus
and Burnett's bill to furnish books anG
supplies free to the pupils of the public
u schools of Cleveland. And in the Sen
ate Ely's bill to repeal the sections o
the statutes providing for seporate col
ored schools and preventing intermar
riage of persons having visible admix
ture of blood, and Kohler's pipeline
bill, occasioned long debates. Both O
these measures were defeated.
Fully believing that we are governed
too much it is better that the Lee;isla
ture should spend its time in free dis
cussion than to be placing laws upor
the statute books which the people arr
not crying for. The members are paiG
= $500 per annum whether they remain
in session eight weeks or eight months
So let the bears in the gardens howl fol
God hath made them 30. Tt has beer
ever thus since the creation of man.
MAHARBA.
's ! Mr.. f. r. Hoyt,a mechanical engineer