The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1910-05-06
BIC CONFLICT
SET IN MOTION
When Legislature Decided on
Constitutional Convention
To BE Held i'm 1912
To Revise Organic Law Of the
State-Liquor Question %
Cut Big Figure.

| Ohio viii hold constitutional con-
vention in 1912, the first since ls12. To
make the calling Of convention GER
| tain, the house OF representative. fol-
| lowing the lead OF the senate. passed
| the Mooney bill re-enactug the Long
~Orth law and making it apply 81
once 10 the calling Of a convention 90
revise the organic law Of the state.
This means that III either or the party
conventions this year indOrses the
holding Of a constitutional convention
a vote for the head Of the ticket of that
party will be a vote for the convention.
The Longworth law was revived Go
this extent by both branches of the as
sembly in response 90 a demand from
conflicting interests that all obstacles
in the way Of getting a favorable vote
for a convention be removed. There
appears 70 be no doubt that both the
Republican and Democratic state COR
ventiOns this year will indorse a con-
stituuonal convention and that the
proposition will be placed on the ballot
under the designation Of the two dom
inant political divisions.
such procedure means the inevitable
Endorsement Of the convention at the
polls next November. The assembly
last year took the necessary action 10
submit the question Of holding a con-
vention and followed it up a few days
since by providing machinery TO stop
all chances Of defeat at the coming
election. Both the liquor interests and
the Anti-Saloon League for once Joined
hands in supports Of the same project.
Death Struggle Of Saloons
The action of the house clears the
way for the final conflict on the liquor
question in Ohio. Through the cousti-
tutional convention the people Of Ohio
will have put before them state prohib-
ition or the alternative of coustitu-
tional recognition Of the liquor traffic
and high license. Supporting the con-
tending factions on the liquor question
in the campaign for a constitutional
convention have been practically all
the taxation organizations Of the state.
Through the convention il is propos-
ed to submit a complete revamping Of
the organic laws dealing with taxation,
the most important of which viii be an
enlargement of the powers Of the gem
eral assembly to classify all property
for taxation purposes. The assembly
to be elected this fall viii make all sr-
rangements for the election of dele
gates to the convention.
The Anti-Saloon League proposes TO
pay its entire attention 10 the campaign
for state prohibition, and in the mean
time will leave the general assembly
alone except where temperance laws
already on the statute books are threat
ened.
In the same manner the organized
liquor forces, il is announced, will pre-
pare for the supreme test. So-caIled
educational campaigns are 20 be start
ed from both camps at once. Believ-
ing that Endorsement of the convention
next fall is a foregone conclusion. there
is to be no delay.
The constitution adopted by the 1872
convention was rejected after one Of
the most notable campaigns in the his
tory of the state. The general assem-
bly, did not provide for submitting the
question of holding a convention in
1891, the end Of the last twenty year
period.