The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1896-02-27

of place Bills have been introduced to
tax street railroad franchises. levy an
excise tax on the gross earnings Of tel
egrap ph and telephone companirs, to tax
electric light and gas comrunie1. the
products OF coal mines ard oil wells.
Wholesale and retail dealers in tobacco.
to increase the Dow liquor tli-, to in
crease the price Of marriage licenses
from rs cents TO 81, the extra $l.z5 10 go
into the general revenue fund of the
state besides otter taxation measures
of less Importance, and last but not
least, Dr. Daaton's joint resolution to
submit to a vote the people q con-
sttutional amenI nt providing for
"hcme rule" in tax IN. In other words
1t proposes that the late shall raise suf-
ficient revenue TO maintain the state
and its institutions. ard that the var
ious counties and municipalities shall
take care of themselves in their own
way in tie matter o. taxation. a num-
Der of gentlemen have appeared before
the taxation committee and urged that
the amendment be submitted to a vote
of the people, aid let them say whether
they want il or net.
Ii is possible that Governor CuShneiPS
suggestion of faHtr Cls ctionS and less
political eXciteEer' may yet b2ar fruit.
Representative wick of Darke cOun-
ty, has rodGceG bill to abolish spri g
elections anu pTpNlultls5 l,iJl
and township officers shall be elected a
| the November election. The bill, ii
enacted as introduced, viii take effect
next Nay. and those elected al the c1m-
| ing spring election will get the benefit
! of a seven months extension in Office.
| Mr.. LudTicil says that to abolish spring
| elections will save the people of Ohio al
! least s150,G9a each year. The measure
| will. undoubtedly receive the supper! of
| the administration forces. and bis fair
| 70 become & law. II, electio: town
| ship and municipal officers VIII become
| more partisan if this law is enacted,
for the rassoa that it is more difficult
for men to 10y aside their party preju-
dice to vote for candidate on the op-
| position ticket for some uniinportant
| municipal or township cnice. in the
midst OF Il heated campaign. and where
| the election of state and county officials
are also involved. This fact may result
| in some opposition to The measure from
those localities, wnerc the minority par
| ty now and then elects 4 man by q
| chance.
| The newspaper men reporting the DO
| ingS of the general assembly are ar
| ranging to take q iunHet to New To-f
| City 1t has been their custom each SIS
sion to take one or two trips, and they
are usually accompanied by some Of the
| state officials.
The bill introduced a few days ago
| by General Wiley. of Wayie county. to
| compel electors to vote at each election
| by imposing a fine of rot less than $40
| nor more than slJ0 for failure to exer-
| else the privilege of suffrage. has at
| tgacted attention from G: =. Ar
General Wiley is in receipt of letters
| from members of legis;a atures in Sc raj
| other states, which is taken as aa in
! aication that they contemplate the in
| PRODUCTION of similar bills. with the
| lope that i; will bring ont n full vote
| IN their rC specify sta tcs. General Wi
| ley is Democrat. and when ne intro
| duced his bill it was said .iat his pur
| pose was to bring out the Democratic
vote, but he says that il was introduced
| in all seriousness an6 should he enacted
| into a law. He sa, that such a law
| would bring out II It class of persons
| who have been in the habit of remain
ing away from the i'olls; :"r consdcra-
| ton. as well as the weather. and more
lristocratic CLASSES, scalr cf whom hold
| Elections in contempt "cre c!al)r munic-
| ipal elections, which axe Of the very
| greatest importance to the people of the
! various localities.
Mr.. Wiley says that slch a law would
| 1ot only bring out the full vote of both
parties, but would result in the election
| 20 office of the most ~orthy men and So
| rlIrs a more economical and efficient
| adm inistra ton of public affairs in the
| different cities of thr state.
| An attempt was m1de by the writer to
1 secure an expressin from the Demo
| cratic members of the legislature on
! their choice for president, but they
would not go any further than to say
| that they were not for Cleveland for a
third term. AS a matter of fact. the
| Democrats of the country seem to be all
| Mt sea on the question of an available
| candidate at this time.