The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1908-11-19
VOTE IN 1910
On Constitutional Con-
vention Now the
Program
FAVORED BY MANY


ready at work for the purpose OF
summoning constitutional I.nven
tion in Ohio in 1911. Pressure is to
be brought upon the new General AS
sembly to have it provide the neces
sary funds for the expenses of the
convention and the election of its
members. No other action Is neces
sary, because, under the existing con.
stitution, these gatherings are pro
vided for every 20 years. In 1890 il
was decided by those in authority at
that time that there was no necessity
for convention, and for that reason
the General Assembly failed to take
action.
A different state of affairs exists at
the present time and there is no op.
position toward this intended action.
The failure of the energetically sup
ported amendment providing for the
classification of property for taxation
purposes, through the negligence of
the voters to mark their ballots one
way or the other, has convinced the
organized business interests that no
relief is to be expected through this
channel. The amendment has been
submitted no less than FIVE times and
has met with invariable defeat.
The conclusion has been reached
that the electorate is too excited and
wrought up by other issues to calmly
and dispassionately consider this and
similar problems of government dur
ing presidential and gubernatorial
campaigns, and that a new method is
not only desirable but imperatiyely
necessary.
Since the election there has been
some comforting upon this point and
the decision has been reached to
press for the calling of the constitu-
tional convention as the only measure
of relief. It has also been decided to
oppose the submission of any more
constitutional amendments until the
major action has been had This
means that there will be opposition
to the plans of the Direct Legislation
League to have submitted the amend
ment providing for the initiative and
referendum.
Rev. Herbert Bigelow, of Cincinnati,
the director of that organization, has
announced that enough pledged mem
bers have been elected to bring about
the submission.
1t is the policy Of the State Board
of Commerce., as expounded through,
its Commissioner, Allen Ripley Foote,
TO oppose the Bigelow program and
to resist all other amendments in Or
der that a. clear field may be had for
the constitutional convention two
years hence. This means that the
taxation amendment will be held in
abeyance and also the amendment de-
signed to erect licensing system for
the retail liquor traffic in Ohio, now
forbidden by the constitution of 1851.
The present line of action provides
for the formation of an entirely
new constitution. which will be sub
mitted TO the people in 1911. The
three great questions of taxation. di-
rect legislation and liquor license are
TO be submitted separately, as was
the case with the licensing amend
ment of 1871. The argument In favor
of this is that, divested of these
three material things, upon which
there is much difference of opinion,
the new constitution will stand bet
Ter chance of being adopted.
Organization from this time for
ward will be for the purpose of unit
Ing the business interests which de-
sire reform in taxation laws, the
direct legislation supporters and the
brewing and distilling interests that
are afraid of prohibition and want
their business legalized Combined
they will be able to control the Gen
eral Assembly and bring about the
much wanted convention.
That both Governor Andrew L. Har-
fis and Governof-elect Judson Harmon |
a. -. . . ffaTor OF the convention is said |
TO be assured. The constitution pro
sides that the delegates to the con-
Eention shall be elected at the same |
time that members of the General AS. |
sembly are chosen
1t is a prerequisite that the ques- |
tion of holding the convention shall be |
submitted to the voters of the state |
by two-thirds vote of the General
Assembly. These delegates are to
meet within three months after their
election, and shall submit the new
constitution to the voters at the regu-
lar election to be held in the follow
ing November.
1t will therefore be necessary for
the present General Assembly to
adopt joint resolution submitting
the question of holding the conven-
tion to the people. This will be voted
upon in 1910. The new convention
can begin work as soon as the re-
Bult Of the official canvass is de.
clared, which will likely be in Janu-
airy, 1911.
There is tIclilish question as to
the advertising of the new constitu-
tion and the separate amendments,
but 1t is believed that this can be met
by the General Assembly. There is
no inhibition against the enactment
Of the LongweTth law permitting
political parties to indorse the con-
and place it upon their tickets
In the affirmative. The Supreme
Court has held such a statute to be