The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-03-31
III ORWELL d RIDDLE.

Columbus, o., March 31-Abuse OF
the veto power by Arthur st. Clair
as territorial governor of Ohio caus
ed such a revulsion of feeling
against the veto that no provision
was made for such execution au-
thCrity in our first state constitu-
tion. The feeling was still prevalens
Iwhen the present constitution waG
adopted nearly half a century later.
For one whole century the state of
Ohio withheld the veto power from
its governors.
Without becoming an open issue
the Republicans in later years gen
orally expressed themselves as i'm
favor of giving the governor veto
power which could be done only
by amending the constitution, and
the Democrats quite as generally
opposed It,
Under the old law relating to the
referendum OF constitutional amend
ments it was almost impossible to
obtain a sufficient number of votes
to adopt any proposed amendment.
An affirmative vote equal TO a ma
jority Of all the cotes cast at such
election was required, which was
practically prohibitive.
Numerous attempts to amend the
constitution proved abortive. At al
most every general election after a
session Of the legislature there
would be a proposed amendment TO
the constitution, sometimes several
Of them. relating 20 taxation and
other subjects, without avail
Although the vote cast in favor OF
such amendments might show
large majority over the actually
was always the same-failure to
obtain the necessary majority OF
all votes cast at the same election.
Many failed to vote at all, which
counts the same as negative vote.
-oOov
II was to cbviate the negative ef-
| feet of Indifference on the part OF
voters who refused or neglected TO
vote either for or against proposed
amendments to the constitution that
the Lorlgworth law was enacted in
1902 authorizing the endorsement OF
Proposed amendments by political
conventions and the counting OF
| all straight votes" In favor OF
amendments so endorsed
In this way the first amendments
TO The constitution In many years
were adopted One OF the first was
to exempt state and local bonds
from taxation, another was to abol-
lsh double liability of stockholders
ana another was to give the COVER
nor the right to vote acts of tbe
general assembly
600
The Republicans hoped TO bave
Lhe veto for an issue II was an
dorsed by the state convention IN
l'o1 ana, greatly to their surprise,
~ was also endorsed by the Demo-
.Fatic state convention. This made
lts adoption certain. and Governor
Herrick was the first governor of
ONO under the constitution TO Ne
invested with veto power
This Longworth act was resortad
10 again In 1905 to extend and re.
adjust terms Of officials for the SEN
aration ct municipal from general
elections. "o'"'
lne purposes for which this par
tienlar Lonlgwouth act was passed
having Deen accomplished, it was
roundly denounced and It's reneal
demanded by the state Republican
convention last year. although an
amehoment was pending to change
the constitutional time oe holding
regular biennial sessions Of the Leg
stature which was quite as import
ant as the change in the time of
e'ectipg state officers and members
OF me general assembly as manifest
wy tDe extraordinary session held
this year A taxation amendment
proposed by the tax commission
anpointed by Governor Harris, was
also pending, but the demand OF the
Republican convention for repeal
OF the Longworth amendment act
was inspired through Tear that the
Democratic state convention woild
indorse the proposed inltiaaiye aad