The farmer and mechanic., 1911-04-18
The Republicans Tried to
BIeck Harmon's Reforms
OPPOSED GOOD MEASURES
The Republicans Made a Vigorous But
Futile Fight to Strike Out the Non
Partisan Feature of the Corsdtu-
tiOnal Bill, But Governor Harmon
Nullified Their Efforts.

dOnal Bill, But Governor Harmon
Nullified Their Efforts.
Especial to News and Observer
Columbus, Ohio, April 17.--A new
constitution will be written next year
for the State of Ohio, and the mau
who will frame it will not bear the tag
Of any political boss will not wear the
yoke of any special interest. will not
be the output Of any political ma
chine and will be responsible only t,
the people, as a result of missonart
work done by Governor Harmon ia
the Ohio General Assembly
Ohio has been hampered by the
crude machinery of constitution
which was adopted in 1851, and the
subject Of making a new organic law
Is the biggest proposition that has
come before a Buckeye General As
sembly in many years. Governor Har-
mon was one Of the first to see the
need for q new constitution. and h
championed the peoples fight for ~
law to rem owe the constitution trainers
from the Influences Of politics. So
we'll did he manage the campaign that
Ohio will set a precedent for all other
States to follow when they came t"
rewrite their organic laws.
The constitutional convention viii be
made up of delegates, equal in number
to the members of the Ohio House OF
Representatives. They will not be
nominated by any political party nor
will they be elected on the ticket
stamped with the Rooster or Eagle
Nominations. of delegates Will he
made by petition only, thus making it
possible to obtain big. Independent
brainy men Of affairs, who could not
be induced to engage in wild scram-
BILE for nominations by primary. Nom
inees will be elected on ballots. abSc-
lutely free from party device or en-
blem or any form OF party designa-
ton. The liquor question which has
been a sore spot in Ohio for sixty
years, will be finally settled when the
new constitution is adopted. The act
provides. so far as possible, that al
liquor questions shall be submitted
separately from the constitution, go
that the ratification of the new or
ganic law will not be endangered by
fight between the Anti-Saloon and
Personal Liberty leagues. The dele
gates will have the advice and counsel
Of men experienced in dealing with
public questions, as clause permits
public officers to sit in the convention
The measure is to come before the
House. but favorable action there is
assured.
Today Governor Harmon is more
popular with Ohio electors than he
was last fall. when the normal Repub-
lican majority of $4,000 was overcome
despite the campaign made against
him by five of President Taft's cabi-
net. A 10000 majority was given
the Buckeye executive at the Novem-
Der election. A coterie Of Republican
bosses, who fear that President Taft
will suffer the humiliation OF losing hia
home state in 1912 should Governor
Harmon oppose him in the presiden-
tial campaign, has attempted to injure
the executive by cluttering up the ma
chinery OF the Democratic General AS
sem bly,.
The fight Republican, bosses are
making in Ohio to block reforms b.
the Dem ocratic General Assembly IS
part of the cam paign to re-elect Taft
by discrediting Democrats who would
be the strongest opponents. An active
Republican minority. under orders
from Ohio Republican bosses wh"
helped to manage President Taft'a
preprimary campaign in 1908. have
bitterly opposed all meritorious meas
ures proposed by Governor Harmon
they made vigorous but futile fight
10 strike out the nOn-partisan feature
or the constitutional bill. but Demo
Gratis voted solidly against the amend
nent. A special message to the Sen
ate. warning Democrats OF the pitfalls
republican Senators were digging for .
hem, has united the majority
Governor Harmon nas whipped
hem all along the line. The Demo
'radc General Assembly Is co-operat-
ng with Governor Harmon, and tho
Commonwealth already has obtained
more beneficial legislation than was
-ver enacted at a previous single ses-
ion The Democratic Assembly Will
lot adjourn for several Weeks. and
oYne of the most importaHt promised
n eaSures are TO he acted Aon