The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-09-09
Capital Gorrip
BY Der E.. WILLIAMSON
(staT Correspondei,t)

n OLUMBOo, sept. o.-SdHtou onic-
W lals have taken little interest
in the new code for Canton seemingly.
Mayor robertson in fact, has sent a
ieUter In which he endorses the Nash
code-a code that has already been
thrown out, practically, in some of its
most salient features.
The mayor writes that he believes
the people could get more home rue
through board than through mayor
for mayor was likely to run things
into polftscs. Possibly Canton's mayor
speaks from experience, but from what
hypothesis he figures that responsible
ity will not be divided under board
rule is not discernable to the naked
eye.
In all events, an endorsement of
the Nash code for Canton and the
other two Stark county cities is an
untenable proposition. There is hard
ly thing in that code that the people
want. They are asking for home rule,
so far as their representatives and
senators are able to discover, so May
or Rcbertson's letter to Representa-
tive Metzger does not meet the ap-
proval of his own people.
Mayor Robertson, in his examina-
ton of the Nash code probably over
looked the fact that no provision IS
made, i'll one or two sections of the
measure tor a line of demarkation at
all. Several offices that village could
have no use for at all, is in the code
for a city and by reference to It Is
made to stand for village. The may
or might have noticed these things If
there had not been so much of a desire
to endorse a code because it is the
Nash code.
Under the Nash code the Canton
school board is legislated out of Of
tice and no provision is made what
ever tor the election of their success
ors nor any provision for their con-
duct after election. Possibly the may
or takes the position that no school
board at all would lie better than the
one Canton has. Probably it was this
fact that led him to write as he did
to Representative Metzger, endorsing
the Nash code and declaring it was
probably the best thing that could be
secured.
1t would be well for mayors all over
tine state to read the bill pretty clearly
40 dor Ay1o rt 9TH
for that matter.
Mayor Robertson did not give the
legislator the benefit of mis- view on
the franchise question, so whether ne
believes with Senator Hanna that
they should be perpetual is not known
Possibly he endorsed the Nash code
because that code doesnb say any
thing that means anything about fran
chises, and makes absolutely no pro-
vision for their renewal. By reference
TO two sections the franchise question
is made a subject for litigation, the
same as in the old laws. Perhaps as
lawyer it suggested itself to the may
or that litigation is good thing.
A committee of twenty-three men,
bers of the house of representatives
has been examining the Nash code
for couple OF weeks and hearing ex-
perts and practical men on its opera
ton, IL it were put info effect, and
there isn't man on the committee
who would not be ready to throw n
out of the window and start over
again, il it were not for the fact that
1t Is not desired to slap the governor
in the face by such action. Enough
side notes have been made, where the
bill provides for substantially moth
ing, to make it look like new bill.
The house of representatives, as
whole, is not satisfied with its code
committee. Representative Metzger
says it is because some fellows are
sore about being left Off the commit
tee. He offers his job to any one
OF them. He stays here and works
while tie remainder OF the members
take vacations and he is not warming
not he willing to abandon it. But
being In the work he proposes to
stay in.
The house has ten stenographers
employed at IS day. The house is
not in session more than one day a
week and the stenographers are IDLE
most OF the time. The committee
found these stenographers could not
take the report of speeches and dis
cussions OF the code and has hired
two experts at SIS day each. Some
Of the members want to know why
the other ten. who are acknowledged
to be incompetent for the work OF the
committee are not discharged. They
object, at any rate, to paying $50 day