The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-07-03
MIR. sNYDER's MOCK SESSION.

Jacob b. Snyder, of the Ohio legisla-
ture, through the News Democrat, that
a mock session of the Legislature be
held in Canton as a Fourth Of July at
traction is one of the most superla-
lively exciting propositions that has
been made in connection with the cele-
bration of the nations natal day. The
suggestion ought to be adopted with
out any delay. We are going to have
all kinds Of attractions, there will be
eminent men here from everywhere. the
fireworks display will be enormous and
the parades stupendous, but the COM
mittee has inadvertently omitted the
Ohio legislature. The matter should be
corrected at once. A session of the
legislature would draw. The fact that
1t is mock session can be entirely
verlooked-especially by those who
have seen a real session. OF course
Speaker Pro Tenn Snyder will preside.
Then they could get up a bill and dis
cuss 1t and exemplify, as Mr.. Snyder
suggests, the work and methods of the
legislature. But to make the session
complete 1t will be necessary to go
beyond the mere discussion of bill
There must be some hot speeches on
| political issues and the speaker pro
tenn must be given the opportunity to
declare that he is physically and men,
tally able to take care of himself and
will meet any legislator in the hall or
out of it." This feature was not
eliminated from the regular session and
should not be here.
| Again, the mock session would have
the advantage of bringing to the city
some of Ohios most picturesque citi-
zens. 1t would never do to conduct the
thing without the presence of the Hon.
| orable John p. Jones. Then If we can
get Mayor McKisson it will be possible,
with little difficulty, to conduct a sena-
| torial election. No session of a legisla-
ture, mock or regular, is complete
| without a senatorial election. Besides,
1t will relieve the committee Of the
payment Of mileage and will give the
mock legislators some frecracker
money. Mr.. Hanna, having volunteer
ed to have something to do with the
celebrat ation, may come and conduct
senatorial campaign and show as just
how the thing is done. He could get
somebody to let him into the Hurford
house and then he could open mock
headquarters there. Everything could
be conducted from there but the tele-
phoning and that could be done right
in the room where the session is to
be held. They could get a couple Of tin
cans, stretch catgut over the ends and
put one in one corner of the room and
one in another, stretching a string be-
tween them. Then cute little Charlie
and put at one end of the telephone
and a toy Major Rathbone at the other
end. 1t would be impossible to secure
the original major for he has an en-
gagement in Cuba just now that is
said to be quite pressing and the white
wash will hardly have had time to
out Of the question. While the tele-
phoning was going on Buddy" Jones
could add to the interest by arising
and saying, "Mr. Speaker, I appre-
hend =" and so on. Thus the session
could have a good deal of noise to Off
set the pounding of the drums and the
shooting of bombs on the outside. but
when they wanted to have a real re-
poseful time, with absolute quiet, the
clerk could take up the Clark bill and
call the name Of j. B. Snyder. The
silence would take on that degree of
consistency that chunks Of 1t could be
| thrown out of the window into the
crowded streets, neutralizing the tu-
multuous noises for block each way.
A serious matter in connection with
Speaker pro tenn Snyder's suggestion is
suitable hall for the mock sessions.
The great crowds that will flock in to
see the legislature cannot we'll be taken
care Of in one hall; and there will be
great crowds. Canton will have the
greatest Fourth Of July celebration
that was ever given in the state and
the crowds will be immense. So II
all wanted to see the legislature It
would create a terrific jam. The
tabernacle Is not available and the
Grand opera house has no rear exit,
as 1t must be apparent that the crowd
will have to keep moving IL all are to
get glimpse of the session. There
is only one place that suggests itself az
suitable and that is the county jail
The sessions could be held in the jail
corridor and the crowds cOuld mass in