The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-07-25
Between Cities and Viii
lagos Considered
IN NEW CODE BILL
Govsrnor Nash Wants is, 1000
Population to Decide--This
Would Reduce Cities in
State to 10.
From a staff Correspondent

Columbus, July 24.-It is Governor
Nash's opinion that the line of de-
markation between cities and villages
should be fixed at $4,000, but this clas-
sifcation is objected to by municipal
tiles which have been graded as cities
for years and would be reduced to the
rank of villages should the plan pre-
vail. On this basis there would be but
10 cities in the state, namely: Cleve-
land, Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo,
Dayton. Youngstown, Akron, Spring
field, Canton. East Liverpool, Findlay,
Hamilton, Lima, Lorain. Mansfield,
Newark, Portsmouth, Sandusky and
GAINESVILLE.
Were the dividing line to be fixed
at 10000 these municipalities would
also be classified as cities: Ashtabu-
la, Ironton, Marion. Marietta, Massil-
Ion, Piqua, Steubenville and Tiffin.
Should 5000 be made the basis of di-
vision, there would be II cities.
The legislators from the districts
containing the lesser sized municipal
tiles will put up vigorous fight TO
have them classified as cities, so 1t
will be readily seen that the matter
of determining where the dividing line
shall be drawn will not be the least
of the numerous vexatious PROPOSE
tions which the members will have TO
deal with in constructing the code.
While the governor will indicate in
his message to the legislature the
character of the laws he desires enact
ed, he cannot prescribe limit to the
acts of that body. In other words, it
Is not mandatory for the solons to
confine their action to the recon-
mendations Of the governor. 1t is
this phase of the situation that is
causing the governor some appre-
hension.
Some of the recalcitrants may take II
into their heads to endeavor to force
through legislation contrary to his
views, and this fear seems to be based
on tangible ground as some Of the
members have axes to grind. School
Commissioner Bonebrake says that it
will be necessary to revise the school
laws to conform with the decision of
tiC oupiNht Nouits dll tutS5
laws are based on the present CLASH
fication of municipalities, and as the
classification has been declared to be
unconstitutional by the court, it goes
without saying that these acts are all
wrong.
For the same cause 1t is held by
leading jurists that the registration
laws for the various cities are also
void. They, too, are based on this
classification. Forsooth most of the
laws burdening the statute books of
Ohio are worthless in consequence of
the position taken by the supreme
court.
The more the matter is studied, the
more apparent it becomes that the leg
islature Is faced by a stupendous task
From now till the meeting of the gem
eral assembly the code question will,
be one Of the uppermost in the minds
of the people of the state. AS 1t con-
Germs every community 1t should be
given earnest, thoughtful considera-
ton by every citizen, In order that
there may be an intelligent express
sion of views as to what form of gov
ernment the code should provide for.
A ruling given by Attorney General
Sheets practically nullifies the Row
land full crew law which Drescribes