Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1908-02-21
THE OHIO Legislature.
What the State Lawmakers In Both
Branches Are Doing.


Jesse B. Roberts, representative from
Cuyahoga county, who charged that
$4,000 had been illegally appropri-
ated from the treasury of the city of
Cleveland to build street railway
tracks to relieve the congestion in
the public square, and for which con-
gestion Mr.. Roberts declared the
street railway companies backed by
Mayor Johnson had been largely re-
sponsible. Mr. Roberts further
charged that a bill had been introduc-
ed in the legislature that was designed
to validate this appropriation.
These charges by Mr.. Roberts,
which went unchallenged, were made
during an exciting debate on bill by
Mr.. Stockwell, of Cuyahoga, which
sought to permit the renewal of street
railway franchises on streets already
occupied by tracks, to other than the
existing companies. 1t was charged
by the opponents of the bill that 1t
was drawn solely in the interests of
Mayor Johnson's street railway pro-
jects in Cleveland. Mr.. Roberts stood
alone among the members of the
Cuyahoga delegation in opposing the
SO nays to 81 yeas.
bill in the senate to provide for re-
covery of full compensation for prop
erty of persons who are deprived of
the beneficial uses thereof by virtue
of the operation OF local option laws.
The senate spent the greater part
of the session discussing the bill re-
quiring all owners of automobiles and
chauffeurs to secure licenses from
the secretary of state and pay fee
therefor, and regulating the running
of automobiles over public highways.
Numerous amendments to the bill
were adopted and 1t was finally re.
committed to the committee on roads
and highways.
Columbus. o. = The democratic
leader of the house, E. S. Wertz,
could only muster five votes against
the first partial appropriation bill
passed by the house Friday. The
total appropriations carried by the
bill for salaries of officials and ex-
penses of the state departments is
$1,036,000. OF this amount $4,000
is for the state board of public works,
to be used in furtherance of the
states new policy of canal improve
ments.
The preliminary skirmish in what
promises to be one of the biggest
fights of the present session of the
general assembly occurred Friday in
the house when the committee on
elections favorably reported the bill by
III. c. Spicer, of Summit county, re-
pealing the Longworth law, which
permits the placing of constitu-
tional amendment which is to be sub
wit fAl To h.
ballot as part of the ticket of any
political party when the same has
been endorsed by the party in state
convention.
The following bills were passed by
the house: Safeguarding the use of
powder and high explosives in coal
mines; abolishing Office of school
treasurer in districts which have
school depositaries.
In the senate the Mather bill pro-
posing to indemnify liquor dealers
for loss of business by the establish
ment of dry territory was referred to
the judiciary committee.
The senate passed the bill revising
the laws governing county infirm-
aries. The bill provides a uniform
system for keeping the records and
making reports of all children's
homes under county control. Uniform
system of indentures for children is
also provided.
Columbus, o. The house on
Monday decided that State Treas
urer McKinnon must give to that
body all the information requested in
a resolution offered by Mr.. Stockwell,
of Cuyahoga, and previously refused,
regarding the deposit of state funds
in banks At the same time resolu-
tion was introduced in the senate by
Mr.. Howe, of Cuyahoga, providing for
an investigation of the state treasur-
er's office by committee of the SEN
ate. A motion to suspend the rules
and take up the Howe resolution was
defeated and it went over under the
rules.
Mr.. Stockwell precipitated a discus
sion regarding publicity in connection
with state depositaries shortly after
the house convened, by moving that
the recent communication of the state
treasurer in which he declined to give
the house the information demanded
in his resolution, be referred to him
(Mr. StcckwelD, as a select commit
tee of one, to secure the facts request
ed from the state treasurer.
At this point it developed that there
had just been sent to the house a sec
ond communication from McKinnon
In which he declared that he still
thought 1t unwise to make public the
amount of money deposited in various
banks 81 can at the same time see,"
the treasurer continued, that my re-
fusal to give this information might
be misconstrued by some. have,
therefore, concluded that, having
raised the question as to the advisa-
bility of making public the amounts
deposited in the banks, l will now re-
lieve myself of all responsibility in
the matter and will furnish list of
the banks which hold state money,
together with the amount deposited
In each of them"