Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-09-19

All 1t is wise it is well, It Is humane for US to
turn our eyes to the suffering people OF other
chimes and nations, and sympathize with them
tntheir struggle for freedom, but before charity
and sympathy is given for the sufferings OF
Others, we owe q duty TO ourselves a. citizens Of
the great State of Ohio to hold our own public
servants to atrict accountability and TO see that
we de not lose the blessings OF free Government,
which we have enjoyed long, by creating
deapotfsm-the meanest of all despotisms- po-
litical tyranny. by placing in the hands OF one
man. and that man J. B. Foraker, political
madman and lunatic. the power to control our
cities, and to pervert the patronage to his own
ends and to use public ofice to create machine,
with himself as boss. Let US have Home Rule
for Ohio, and when we have secured that, then
let US offer up prayer for home rule for Ireland.
God helps those who help themselves, and we
viii never be able to help ireland in her struggle
for home rule II we do not take care OF Ohio.
rHR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDNENTs
This campaign is one of the most important
that has been known In Ohio since the adoption
of the present constitution, Without agitation
on the part of the people, without any demand,
without discussion, the last Republican Legisla-
|. ture Mt the dictation of J. B. Foraker, adopted
three amendments to the constitution, which
win be submitted TO vote OF the people for their
approval or rejection. These amendments relate
to the question Of representation in the Legis-
lature. to the question Of taxation, and to the
exteusion of the term of office of all the State
and judicial officers. They are part of the con-
spiracy of the Forsker-Strangler gang to create .
machine In the State of Ohio that shall be ~
potent, a. desperate, ~ demoralixing as that
which has existed either in New York or Penn
sylvania. The state of Ohio has grown great and
attained her present prominence among the
stota. ~ the fTnion nndar caNtain vvell.dahned
nrincinlss In her fundamental laws. which have
moi been called into ouaation for eighty-3ye
wears. Bnt the stranQlera. under ]. b. Foraker,s
direction In the last Ieeislature have discoyered
that our fathers were foolish that our constitu-
tion is full of fatal defects and that our entire
system of electing members OF the Legislature
must be oyerthrown and another plan intro
dueed. The people Of the State of Ohio are to be
called upon this wear to vote for or against what
d called the single district plan for electing Rep
resentstives to the Legislature. Under this plan
II ID proposed to divide our large cities up into
districts. In the City of Cincinnati and County
Of Hamilton instead of there being one siegis-
lative district as now, under the new plan there
are to be twelve or fourteen, and one Represent
atfye IN to be elected In each district This 10 the
plan that made Boss Tweed possibility. This
Is the plan that prevails In New York City, in
Philadelphia and in Pittsburg This Is the plan
that has given to New York and Pennsylvania
the most corrupt Legislatures that have ever sat
in any State In the Union. Under this plan
instead of having good men to vote for in our
large cities We are to have the most desperate
characters in ward politics put In position
where they can force their nominations and
secure their election. This In the part of the
Foraker-Strangler machine for controlling the
districts of the State of Ohio.
Let us turn from this wild and desperate polit
ical scheme to the next proposition upon which
the people OF the State OF Ohio are asked to vote
the question of taxation Certainly no more
important question can command the attention
Of the people of any Government than that
which relates TO the methods by which their
money is collected in taxes for the purpose of
defrsyiug the expenses of the State Under the
constituttonfof 1902 the question OF taxation was
rs1effES an open one to the Legislature. The Leg
islature also, by special enactment, granted
charters and created corporations. For nearly
Afty years in the history of the State of Ohio the
corporations of the State were enabled by their
influence in the Legislature to ESCAPE taxation.
There being no uniform rule for taxing property,
each succeeding Legislature upset the work of
its predecessor and taxed one fnterest exorbi-
tautly and let another interest 70 nee of all bur
dens ~ taxatian 6,ur svsteuu of IN xatton was so
confused 40 uniust 10 unequal In its operations
that the people finally arose and demanded
correction of the iniouitous system. About ls45
Alfred Kelley 4 citizen of FRANKLIN County,
who was elected to the State separe. devised q
system of taxation which was adopted by the
IteRislature In the Constitutional Convention
In 1851 the principles of the laws then in exist
ence were migrated into the present eonstitu-
tion, and 1t was provided that all moneys, cred
IT'S Investments In bonds, stocks or joint stock
companies or otherwise, and also ali zeal and per
soual property should be taxed according to a
uniform rule according to thcir ysIiyc In money.
These restrictions in the constitution took away
from the Legislature the power 70 favor any
nartic,lar Industry under the seductive infu-
enea ~ The iobhv Hut since koraKar has been
faovarnor he ,,as discovered thar rnere are GER
toi ~ y,r,r,artv In the snare rhat eseape
ta,atsars e l,a has had an arnennment rroposed
- tla o,,.tit,t;op bx tl,e Iepialarnre Il, which
ali theee restrictions 90 wisely inarafted in the
eonstitntiop bv tha convention of 1851. are to be
renealed. and the Ieeislatnro is 10 ,ay what
pronerty is to be taxed and how mich 1t is to be
tarefl 5Pbe a,enment advanced In support of
tb.s 5ianoaro,,s innavat,on bv those who adyo-
cste ,ts aont,on is thar there ia a certain speeies
~ ,,r,,,,artv s,eb as frnchises in street rail
roa,5s tse soo, Win ~ ne1vsnaners 20. bieb
avoid taration upf,er the constitution and laws
~ f,han and bv renealins the present wise re-
striotinrs IN the constitution II in proposedR to
n ,,osa3tla fnr the T.0islafr,re m tar these