Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1908-02-07
THE OHIO LEGISLATURE.
What the State Lawmakers in Both
Branches Are Doing.

Branches Are Doing.
Columbus, o., Jan. 31.-After a de-
bate which consumed practically the
entire afternoon, the senate on Thurs
day defeated the franchise tax bill in
troduced and championed by Senator
Howe, of Cleveland. Two democrats,
Senators Harper, of Hamilton county,
and Denman, of Williams county, vot-
ed with the republicans against the
bill, making the vote 20 nays to 10
yeas. Two democrats, Senator's Boeh-
mer, of Putnam county, and Carter, of
Wyandot, did not vote.
Senator Howe's bill, following the
lines of the Ford franchise tax law of
New York state, proposed new meth
cd of fixing the valuation of railroad
and other quasi-public and public SER
vice corporations, based upon their
earning capacity.
The house passed number of bills
and defeated one which provided
penalty for any one unhitching horse
from public rack.
bill amending the law specifying
property to be exempted from taxa
tion so as to include stocks owned by
counties, cities, villages or townships,
when the same are acquired with
money raised by taxation, was passed
after lively debate.
The senate joint resolution pro-
viding for the appointment of joint
commission to continue the investiga-
tion at Cincinnati begun by the So
called Drake committee" of the SEN
ate, was made special order for next
Monday in the house.
The hnncp nlOntp1 the Joint rps0Iu-
ton providing for an adjournment OF
the general assembly from February
to February IL on account of the
republican state primaries.
Columbus, O., Feb. both houses
of the legislature adjourned Friday un-
til Monday. In the house Mr.. Lersch,
of Lorain, introduced bill requiring
all railroads to advertise all first class
passenger trains in a daily newspaper
in each town through which they pass.
Other action by the house was the
repeal of the law authorizing counties
to purchase turnpikes at $4,000 mile
The senate bill to put out of business
burial associations was passed. The
senate bill putting sanitary police un-
der civil service was passed.
Columbus, O., Feb. Am early re-
sumption of the investigation of tbs
affairs of Cincinnati and Hamilton
county begun by the so-called Drake
committee of the senate two years ago
and interrupted by ruling of the SUI
preme court that the committee was
without authority, is assured by the
adoption by the house, on Monday, of
the joint resolution introduced by Sen
ator Espy, of Cincinnati, which pro-
vides for Joint investigating commit
tee in accordance with the decision OF
the supreme court. The Espy resolu-
tion was adopted as it came from the
senate after nearly two hours debate.
! Mr.. Welker of Stark county, de-
! clared that the Drake committee had
been in session only II days and had
incurred bills footing up more than
/ $4,000. He wanted to know what had
been done with so much money and
/ said that a former member of the
committee had been quoted as saying
/ that he knew and would tell something
about it. Mr.. Hunt, of Cincinnati, re
sented Mr.. Welker's remarks as an in
/ suit to the committee. Mr.. Welkel
said he had not meant to insult any
! one He declared that there was just
as much need to investigate the city oi
Cleveland; and read statistics which he
| declared showed that Cincinnati was
| better governed. Only IA votes were
cast against the resolution.
/ Three resolutions to investigate the
management of the Ohio penitentiarJ
were introduced, two in the house ant
one in the senate. All are joint reso
lutions.
The joint committee appointed to In
vestigate the charges made by Sena
tor Neck, of Dayton, that there ha
been trafficking in state school cert
ficates and that there has been boss
ism and rlngism" in the school al
fairs of the state, met and organized
by electing Joseph S. Sites, of Fail
field county, chairman and Represent
ative Harlan, of Morrow county, sec
retary
Bills passed in the senate: To gran
power to county commissioners to is
sue bonds for the purchase or I'm
provement of county fair grounds; au
thorizing county commissioners to al
propriate not more than $50 annuall
to each post of the Grand Army of tn
Republic in their respective countie
to aid in defraying the expenses O
Memorial day.