The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-12-31
In Good Faith by the Legis
lature or the Governor.
Ten Important Propositions
Scheduled for Con-
sideration.
or First Glass Significance With a
Number of Minor Matters to Com
mand Attention.
BY United Press Wire.

strict faith with the people, at least
ten important laws will be enacted
during the session. In addition a sue
cessor will be elected to United States
Senator Charles Dick and a number
of minor laws enacted that have beer
demanded from yarious sections Of tn,
state.
The ten most important laws that
are expected to be enacted will IL,
the carrying out of sfe platform
pledges of the Democratic party. Al
the state convention in Dayton last
June, the Democrats took stand foi
sweeping state reforms and as both
branches of the legislature will be
safely Democratic. the party will have
its opportunity of carrying out these
pledges. At the present time there
Is not only no indication that any eff.
fort will be made to sidestep these but
actual progress has been made i'm that
direction.
At the senatorial caucus held De-
cember 8, the drafting of the bills
to carry out the platform pledges was
assigned to different senators and
when the legislature convenes next
Monday it Is expected that all of tho
more important of the ten measures
will be ready for introduction. In ad
dition Governor Harmon himself is
heading a large contingent of leaders
who are insisting that every pledge be
enacted.
The legislative program of the com.
ing session therefore, consists largely
of the pledges made in the Democratic
state platform. The ten more i'm
portant planks of this and for the
fulfilling of which steps have already
been taken are as follows:
/. A law fixing the maximum tan
rate in Ohio at 10 mills, without any
right to increase 1t except by vote
of the people" The limit as fixed by
the Legislature of last winter is IL
mills. The 10 mill limit is Governor
1iarmon6 pet measure.
=. a public utilities law. The
platform says, the fair and just reg
ul0tlon of all public utilities as wei
az railroads, with the right of home
rule as TO franchises, carefully guard
Cd" Last winter 10 out Of the II
Democratic senators lined up against
tho Woods public utilities bill and Kill
ed II. Indications therefore are that
the Democratic measure this year will
differ radically from the Woods mea.
sure.
3. The ratification Of the income
tax amendment of the federal con-
stitutlon. (which was stiiled by the
present Republican legislature" ac
cording to the Democratic platform
4. The election of United State
senators by the direct vote of the peo-
pie To bring this about the Demo
Gratis are pledged to take steps look
ing to a convention of states 10 adopt
constitutional amendment reqnired.'
5. Pending the amendment of the
federal constitution so that United
States senators may be elected by
the popular vote of the people, the
Democrats promise to enact II law.
80 that public sentiment will help
enforce It, providing for the nomina-
ton of senators by popular vote at
the regular elections in senatorial
years.
In addition to these more important
planks of the platform the ten pledges
are completed by the following:
G. A uniform school law.
I. The principle of the initiative
and referendum.
s. The extension of the teaching OF
agriculture.
0. The promotion of the non-par-
tisan judiciary by placing of the
names of all judicial candidates on a
separate ballot without party distinc'
tion.
10. A law limiting the hours of Ia
Dor of employed women.
Last winter the legislature killed
uniform school book bill, a non
partisan judiciary bill and a bill linn
ting the working hours of women
Democratic votes playing certain
part i'm the killing of the measures
rhe opinion is general therefore that
Governor Harmon and others who are
insisting that all the pledges be full
filled this winter will have a rather
hard job, but nevertheless, in view
Of the attitude they have taken anG
he fight they are putting up It is be-
lieved that most of the pledges a
enumerated will be enacted. At the
time of making these pledges not one
Democrat in fifty expected that botf
branches of the legislature would be
lJtlloNIdllC pul III NltN VI NHt SUI
,ess of the party there is now de
cided inclination to make good on
them.
There win also be hundreds of other
| bills introduced which have no bear
Ing on the party pledges, many OF
which are being demanded by various
sections and vorious interests of thu
state, Important among these VIII
be a bill by Senator Dean, which, il
| passed, viii practically kill the Rose
county option law. Deans measure
will provide that cities and towns
that vote wet in a county option elec
'0n shall b. permitted to have sa
looms even though that county as {
whole votes dry. The bill was kill
| in the senate last winter but vii
be reintroduced at the coming ses
sion.
| Another telephone merger bill vii