The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-07-28


al" Vetoes Are Shown Insincere
by His Following the Well Estab-
Ished Theory of Law In Removing
Newark's Mayor.
Along in the early spring of the
year, when the dandelions were
swelling in the bud and the news
papers carried glowing accounts OF
what was going ON in the training
camps of professional baseball
teams, an unregenerate enemy of the
people introduced a bill in the legis-
lature giving to the citizens ci Ohio
municipalities and townships the
right to hold local option elections
on Sunday baseball games.
The father of this measure was
Randall II. Anderson of Youngstown,
and while his bill was looked upon
as more candid than polite, it passed
the scrutiny of the attorney general
who helped to draft it-and It's
frankness won votes enough for pas
sage through both branches Of the
legislature.
Even members of the legislature
know that baseball is played in Ohio
on Sundays and AndersOn's bill was
intended to remove the stain OF out
lawry, if the majority of a commu-
nifty so willed. The Mahoning county
statesman holds to the theo"y that
the open breaking Of any law tends
towards . lessening of respect for all
law
Judge Harmon slammed that base
ball bill back to the assembly with a
blistrring message as to its utter un-
constitutionality. He supported his
judicial determination by citing
precedents commencing with Cass
VS.. Dillon, through eX parte Van Ha-
gan, ex parte Falk, down to State eX
rel VS.. Cowles.
Some pretty fair lawyers pointed
out that the governors deductions
and conclusions We're unsound.
The public began to suspect that
the great and good Judson was play
ing politics, and wondered why e
had not put the question OF constitu
tionality up to the supreme court.
His literary bureau sprang to Har-
mons defense and maintained that a
governor who would take the oath to
support the constitution just natural
ly had to decide against each and
any and all insidious attacks on that
citadel of our liberties.
Harmon's oath of Office was re
printed in blaCk-faced type. The sa
credness of the constitution was
pointed out. The judicial experience
and cabinet service, as well as presi
Dental aspirations of the governor
were given as reasons why Harmon
was such a good governor. Any mar
with less legal attainments wasn't fl
to be governor at all, for he wOuldnt
be able to support the constitution
through inability to talk glibly of e1
parte Van Hagan and State eX rel VS.
Cowles.
Found It Mighty Handy.
Thereafter Uncle Judson took tht
constitution to bed with him O. nights
and found it assailed again and agaiI
in later measures passed by the leg
islature. Notably in the case of the
Cleveland grade crossing bill, which
would have saved human lives, bu
cost the railroads money to elevate
their tracks; and the Cincinnati parl
bill, which would have permitted tht
WantOn and unconstitutional frolick
ing of children on unhallowed play
grounds.
But even a man of Harmon's broa(
temperament will tire in time o
playing Wrinklereid and gathering t
his bosom all of the spears aimed a
the constitution of the state; an(
now he, too, has deserted the bastior
of the peoples defenses, and the sa
cred constitution will have TO get
along as best it can with only the
arm of the supreme court to protect
1t from it's enemies.
The governors last stand in de
Hense OF the sacred constitution wal
taken when Buffalo Bill and Lis In
dians proposed to prOfane the Sab
bath which Harmon had saved from
baseball pollution, by cavorting il
breech clouts and blankets on thu
hills of Oakley. a Cincinnati suburb
The Last Stand" Failed.
Having his trunks packed for Char
levoix the governor couldn't in per
son invoke the law against this de
spoiler from the wild west, but h
sent a message to the sheriff of Ham
ilton county and to the mayor o
Oakley demanding that they preserve
the sanctity of the law and forbit
this Bill person from turning loos'
for profit his whoOping minions OF
the first day of the week. The sher
eff and the mayor treated the goot
governors message with the scan
courtesy a delinquent debtor yields t.
an urgent notice to "please remit"
q Finding himself but one agains
many, and wearying of the struggle
Judge Harmon decided that the con
stitution could &c hang.
There was unspeakabie crime com
mited at Newark. o.. which the may
or of that city might, with iue dill
Eence, have prevented according t
common belief Strir t!-- t-sI