The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-01-04

Candidates. for places on the Repub-
Iican state ticket are making them
selves known, now that 1t ID decided
that the state convention wifi be held
at an early date.
An interesting situation develops In
the matter and 1t is one that is giving
Republican leaders much concern. The
prominent candidates for the several
state ofices are either men who want
to succeed themselves, or men who
have been chief assistants in the
respective offices, and who want to
succeed their present bosses" A
survey Of the situation shows that the
present governor will be a candidate
tn succeed himself; the member OF
the board of public works whose term
expires, wants third term; the chief
deputy in the Office Of the state au.
d!tor. wants to succeed to the cap
taincy of the splendid machine the
present auditor has built up In 70
years; the cashier in the state treas
urer's offce Is ambitious to succeed
his chief; the chief clerk in the school
commissioners office wants to assume
the reins of that department.; the spe-
cial counsel in the attorney generals
office is after the title and emoluments
that make the states legal adviser a
notable figure--and 1t is this situation
suggesting "bossism" and "machiDe.
candidates" that makes troublesome
hours for the party leaders.
There have been many conferences
during the past few days looking to a
clearing up of the situation and very
shortly an announcement Is expected
that will clear up the whole matter.
Some one or two of the machine.made
candidates will be eliminated by COM
mon consent and new candidates will
appear who will not bear the stigma
Of boss" and machine"
In an open letter Representative W.
z Bense Of Ottawa county has made
public his views as to proposed legis-
lation concerning county local option
in the next legislature. Mr.. Bense Is
a leading member of the house com
mittee on temperance. His letter in
part is as follows:
"At one time was In favor of coun-
ty local option. for the reason that
favored submitting all questions touch
ing local government to the people af-
fected, provided that they demanded
such submission.
upon more mature consideration
have come to the conclusion that coul-
ty local option is not in conformity
with the spirit of direct legislation, be-
cause the unit Of a county is so large
that electors of q county would vote
upon this subject and thereby control
territory beyond their local interest;
OF the other hand, county is not
large enough a unit to produce uni.
formity of conditions Of adjacent ter
ritory. In other words, it would do
away with home rule"
After citing specific instances. Mr..
Bense's letter continues:
There is as much intercourse and
competition, and often more. between
towns lying in different counties as
there is between towns lying in the
same county.
I'VE have laws allowing townships,
villages and cities to vote, each sepa-
| rately, upon the question whether or
not liquor as a beverage may be sold
IN their respective territories, aud for
towns we have the residence local op.
| tion law.
| "All these laws are based strictly
upon the theory Of home rule, which
Is the underlying principle OF dire,
legislation.
THE strongest argument In faycr CT
i making the county the unit relative
to the liquor traffic Is because taxes
are levied by the county for the sup
port of the dependents and inflrmaries
and that criminal jurisdiction IL co
extensive to county.
This Is true, hut the great expense
and burden Of the evils arising from
the traffic Of intoxicating liquor Is
borne by the towns and the state.
"In comparison with the expenses
borne by the villages, cities and state
that Of the counties is infinitessimal
II want tn point out that the ques
ton is not whether one is In favor o
dry or wet for county. but 1t II
whether or not county is propel
unit to submit to its electors the ques
tion whether or not liquor to be uset
as beverage may be sold.
"In\ considering this question. let I
not be forgotten that conditions ant
not sentiments must be dealt with"
Former Lieutenant Governor Hard
ing announces that he will not be
candidate, for governor. In making
the announcement the former lieuten
ant governor took occasion to say tina
Forakerism was sweeping the state
He says nothing can stop him, TIL
Taft forces do not appear to be great
ly excited over the statement.
One of the big railroad systems o
the state has added new line of III
erature TO its erstwhile figure-lade
time tables. This railroad takes OF
casion to quote from message Q
former Governor Myron T. Herrich
Under the caption. TOO Muc
Thoughtless Legislation" the ex-go,
ernor Is quoted In part as follows:
''It Is high time that we cease :