The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1898-04-07
JUSTICE WAS DENIED
To the Newspaper Publishers
Of the State of Ohio.
THE HOLD-UP CLUB DID IT.
Hanna is Kept Out Of Ohio-Burying
Cleveland with Bonds-Fornker's
Implacable Enemies-wOl-
colt Flies the Track.

Newspaper publishers OF Onlo Will take
notice that their chances to obtain at
least equal standing before the law
inal, when under charges defined by
the libel law, have been destroyed by
the "Hold-up club" of the house, led
by Mr.. Bramley. The members Of this
gang take great pride in the fact that
they have "got even" with the newspa-
pers for exposing their operations. Re-
yenge and protection of their interests
seem to cut large figure with such
members. What are we here for? do
they ask? To get all they can, keep all
they get, aud punish their enemies and
all who dare oppose them.
The Sullivan bill, which proposed TO
amend the libel laws of the state in
accordance with the long-expressed
wishes of the newspaper publishers OF
the state, passed the senate with little
opposition, and was generally looked
upon as fair measure. That 1t was
the work of revenge that accomplished
Its defeat in the house the members of
the "Hold-up club" do not deny. AS
soon as the exposures Of the operations
of the gang were made, the announce
ment went out from the headquarters
of the CLUB" that that sealed the fate
of the bill amending the libel law.
What will happen to Mr.. Bramley and
his colleagues when the people get at
them time will tell.
over the Traces.
Senator Hannas attention is called
to the fact that one of his ardent sup
porters for the senatorial election
Senator Herbert w. Wolcott-has kick
cd over the traces on the Cuban ques-
ton, and is outspoken in his opposition
to the dilatory tactics of Senator Han
ma and Speaker Reed. Senator Wolcott
lived long enough in Texas to get the
lighting spirit. While not a fire-eater,
1t is not necessary to build a fire under
him to warm him up to the resistance
of wrong. He is following his rather
sharp resolution ON the Cuban question
with sharp thrusts at the administra-
tions whenever opportunity offers.
An expo" Victory.
The element of the legislature that Is
determined to celebrate the state GEN.
tennial in 1903 with an exposition won
q substantial victory in the defeat in
the house of the bill to build a state
judiciary building as a memorial for
the occasion. 1t has been followed by
the introduction in the senate of q bill
to build such an addition to the state
capitol, with the memorial feature left
out. This of course leaves the way
clear for the passage Of bill providing
for a celebration of some kind to OBJ
serve the centennial occasion. Toledo
Is pushing for an exposition more than
all the rest of the state combined.
Came Near Passing.
The bill of Senator Sullivan to abol-
lsh capital punishment in Ohio came a
great deal nearer passing in the senate
than most people supposed it would.
This proposed step is the most impor-
tant one that has been proposed in this
session of tie legislature. A conserv-
ative people naturally shrink from TAX.
ing such step. The examples of what
might be expected from such legisla-
tion are not very many, and the few
states that have tried the experiment
give different results. No state that
can be fairly compared with Ohio has
abolished the extreme penalty. This
fact made 1t appear to be step into
the dark. Most of the speeches for the
bill were largely sentimental. The inf
mite mercy of Providence was cited, but
In answer to this it was shown that the
laws of Nature are inexorable; that
punishment follows offense swiftly and
surely. Pardon is impossible. The
friends of the bill showed that one by
one the severer punishments and more
barbarous penalties had been abandon
ed by civilized society, but it was not
made clear that the movement might
not be carried too far.
In this connection I am reminded of
a story | have read somewhere. A band
of shipwrecked sailors, cast upon
strange land, walked along the shore
trying to find out in what kind of a
country thev had been thrown. And
MS they walked they came upon glib
bet with a skeleton hanging in chains,
and they all, with one accord, fell upon
their knees and thanked God that they
had been cast among a Christian peo-
pie. The presence of the instrument Of
barity, but of law and order. They
recognized In 1t an instrument Of law.
The opponents of capital punishment
have made a good showing, however,
and some day Ohio may conclude to
stop executing her murderers, but 1t is
great question.
| What's the Matter with Robertson?
Senator Robertson occupied a pecu-
liar position on the Voight bill to re-
duce the amount of bonds authorized
to be issued for the new Cincinnati wa
terworks from s6,OOO,OOO 10 $4,000, 900.
When that bill went through it was
well known that 1t was intended to
give that amount of money to be spent
ny the george Is. Cox regime in Gin
einnati. The measure was opposed by
the Democrats and the reform element
of the Republican party in Cincinnati
Robertson and the other members elect
ed on the fusion ticket in Hamilton