The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-04-04

III WASH WIS, lueSudy cNeHiuS
~ Just before the adjournment Of
the senate, placed in a very en-
barrassing and pitiful situation. The
governor, in his message in January,
when he took up the reins of govern
ment for another two years, told the
legislature about the tax question, and
his desire that such legislation be en-
acted as would take the state tax of
real estate and that some other means
for taxing the people be devised that
would at least make them think they
were not being taxed, whether they
were or not This message was read
with much interest, but results did not
come fast enough. The Willis bill and
the Cole bill were introduced after
many conferences and then the trouble
began to brew. 1t seemed an endless
task to get them out Of committees.
So the governor sent another message,
in which he reiterated what he had said
in his former message and added some
more in the way Of persuasion. The
bill was finally passed.
Over in the senate the operation be-
gan to be repeated. A committee got
hold of the bills and they have been
reposing ever since. Quite a number
of senator's, including Archer, the pres
ident pro tenn, declared against the
measures and more particularly against
the Willis bill taxing private corpora
tions, conducting the industries that
are the bulwark of the state. So tho
governor took it into his head to write
another message. 1t was sent to the
senate Tuesday afternoon. In it the
governor, who had evidently been
drawing inspiration from the oil paint
ing of himself that hangs over his desk
reiterated what he had said in his for
mer messages. There Is nothing new
in the message, SO ii is not offered
here. Drawing inspiration constantly
from a picture of himself the governor
has developed into good deal of
repeater.
After the fearful plant had been
read to the senate, the Democrats,
with swimming eyes evidenced a de-
sire to help the poor governor out Of
his troubles. So Senator Decker, who
is one of the wisest citizens in either
house, moved that the Willis bill be
taken from the committee. This would
mean that the governors message had
been listened to and that there was
desire to do something at once to help
him out OF his predicament. hut the
Republican members were not ready TO
do business. They wanted the, meas
ure to be pigeon-holed while yet.
Senator Decker insisted upon having
the measure brought out and voted on.
Senator Decker moved that the motion
lay on the table and by strict party
vote it was laid there. Thus the Re-
publicans, five minutes after Governor
Nash's message was read, voted to con-
sign it to the waste basket and even
refused to take up the measure whose
adoption he was so earnestly striving
for.
The Seiber substitute for the Painter
canal bill has passed the house and the
result is just what has been forecast
in this correspondence for weeks, the
appointment of commission to inves-
tigate and try to devise a scheme to
drop the canals without hurting any
body, as has been shown from time to
time, the majority of the house was
afraid to deal with the question. It
was loaded at both ends, and now, af-
ter looking a lot Of more or less val
liable time on the proposition. Gov.
Nash will appoint commission, 1t
will report in two years, and the
fiasco will be on again. The COM
mission plan was adopted by a vote of
65 to 20. There were % members alb
sent, some by accident and others by
design, as the measure had been made
a special order. Buchtel, of Summit,
voted against bill. He does not favor
anything that even hints at subse-
quent abandonment. There are too
many canal leeches located in Akron.
Pollock and Metzgar Of Stark, Buell.
and Crist, Of Columbiana, and Mag
and Williams, Of Mahoning, voted for
the commission plan.
About Tho canal 1aoicIattnr hot