The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1903-10-23
A New Birthday
For Ohio.

For Ohio.
Few people in Ohio. and fewer still |
outside the state, fully appreciate
the far reaching effect of the decis-
ion of its Supreme Court, rendered
October 6, 1908, upholding the consti-
tutionality of law authorizing con-
stitutional amendments, when SUBJ
mitted to the people by the General
Assembly, to be printed on the party
ticket, in the affirmative or negative
as ordered by a state convention of
any political party entitled to a col
umn on the official ballot. Under
this law an Y in the circle at the
head of a party ticket is counted as
a vote for or against any constitu-
tutional amendment that may be
lprinted on the ticket, as the party
action may have ordered. In case 4
voter wishes to cast his vote on an
amendment in the reverse way from
which it appears on his party ticket,
lor if IL does not appear there at all
he has only to go to the column for
constitutional amendments and place
his Y in the Affirmative or negative
square as he may elect.
This law was devised to overcome
the difficulty presented by the consti-
tutional provision requiring a major
. ity of all votes cast to secure the
l-a~-.s1- oe , -o,s.f.,.fo,,1 .,narl
ment. AS a result out of the seven
teen attempts to amend the consti
: tuition since its adoption in 1851, only
u three have succeeded. In 1891, and
again in 1898, a taxation amendment
: was submitted, at that time upon ;
separate ballot, which was lost sim
e ply because eleven twentieths of tn,
q voters neglected to vote on the prop
osition. OF the nine-twentieths VIII,
did vote on it, 81 per cent voted II
favor of 1t.
y Five constitutional amendment
q are now pending to be voted on a
u the November election.
le /. To endow the governor with tn
ie power of veto. This amendment wi
&c be printed on the Prohibition an
Republican tickets in the afiirmativ
Is and on the Democratic ticket in tn
negative. 1t will be adopted.
D. 2. To give at least one Represer
tative in the General Assembly
to each county. This amendmer
will be printed on the Prohibition
II Republican and Democratic ticke'
in the Affirmative. 1t will be adopte'
3. For single liability for stocl
holders in Ohio corporations. Th
er amendment will be printed on ii
,r. Prohibition. Republican and Dem
IN cratic tickets in the Affirmative.
x will be adopted.
d. 4. An amendment to provide +,
5. the classification of the subjects
Id taxation. This amendment will u,
ID be printed on the Prohibition n
he Republican tickets, as these parti
as reported no action by their sta
in conventions on this amendment
Ia the secretary of state. 1t will
II printed on the Democratic ticket
the affirmative. 1t will be adopte
as it will receive a sufficient numb
,ly of affirmative votes, in addition
Ee- the straight Democratic votes,
'es give it majority of all votes cast
:or 5. An amendment providing f
bs the classification of cities, Th
be amendment will be printed on t
ne Prohibition ticket in the negativ
H.; 1t will not be printed on the Repub
re- nor the Democratic tickets. 1t W
of not be adopted.
op- This statement shows that VIII,
nc the Supreme Court uphell the co
wo stitutionality of this ballot law
al, opened a way in which the constit
'ed tion of Ohio may be amended at al
al al time by any party that can commal
nd a two-thirds vote in the General
Nv. sembly for the proposed constitutio
ie- al amendment and can cast majc
~. ity of all votes at the succeedil
I n general election. 1t also shows tn
Ich constitutional amendments are mo
ION likely to be patriotic than parts;
ION measures. That they are of SUI
Ike high order of merit they can col
~, mand support from all parties.
In view of the importanc, of IL
new departure in Ohio's constitute
al legislation by the people, it is no
lis too high praise to declare October
in 19O3-the date of the Suprer
la, Court decision-to be a new birthd
- nnr. D-rt-